Very important front end poll! Please vote! We know we love these cars. Other do to. However, we also know that our Mav's/Comet's have built in issues. The front end, and lack of space, is one of them. Money is always an issue, and we want to spend as little as possible. But we also want quality. What if there was a 100% bolt-in, front K-member that incorporated the following: -Manual or Power front steer rack and pinion -Front coil over strut assembly w/ top mount camber plates that bolt in the original shock location -Mustang Fox style spindles which allowed as large assortment of brakes -The ability to knotch the shock tower in an concave fashion, and eliminate the upper control arm mount completely! This willl add 4-6 inches per side, on a 351 swap. And this area will be added right where you need it, at the exhaust flange, not above it. -The ability to run rear sump pans, and with the removal of the rear steering open up our header options. How much would you pay for this? Now comes the fun part, $$$ When you answer the question, try to take the following things into consideration: -Total cost of a rebuilt front end. (Brakes, suspension pieces, shocks, and springs. -Total cost of a MII swap, which we know isn't the perfect mechanical modification for performance -Current cost of a Fox style K-Member, coilovers, rack and pinion setup, struts, etc ($2000 complete) -Cost of a Rack and Pinion swap (which we all want, but none of us have! Except for Hack... ) -Headers, Headers Headers... -I would love a 351 but... -And the possibility that a bolt on kit like this, that works for drags, cruise or road race, could attract individuals that have always loved the Mav, but didn't run one because of its front end issues. There is a big time Mustang suspension company who may be working on this, but as you know, it comes down to dollars and cents. Thanks for your time.
It kinda depends on how complete the kit is... If it comes with every rotor, caliper, hose, nut, bolt, oil pan, strut... EVERYTHING... Then I would poll a higher price than if it was just a kit with a few brackets, bolts, and instructions that say "go to the salvage yard and get this rotor, this spindle, this... ect... If I paid anything close to $1500, then got a shopping list as instructions, then I would feel might PO'd. I would rather have a bolt in kit that kept front sump. That is my biggest sticking point. Dave
i don't think nothing that extensive will be "bolt in" there is going to be alot of cutting and welding and drilling i would think.
It would come with the coil over strut assembly, the tubular k member, spindles, upper camber plates, rack and pinion assembly, brakes (more or less dough, your choice), and all the hardware needed to bolt everything together. Oil pan would be on you. They don't know what you are running. OEM or Aftermarket block. 302, 351, 460. This is a top notch Suspension company that is working on this. Very good reputation.
Drilling, yes...there are new holes that need to be drilled to bolt everything up. Notching, yes. That is the only way the new shock towers will be slimmed down. That will involve cutting and welding. But the manufacturer has said that this is going to be a bolt up kit. The notching may be beyond most of our skill sets, but I'm am sure most of us can drill and bolt...
Tom isnt the only one that has a rack set up, there are options out there if your creative :evilsmile granted, not everyone will be able to put one in, but if you think about it, even with a completely simple well engineered part, there will still be those that will not be able do it. and not even being a front end part,...something simple like bolting in new seats for example.(using this because I havent seen any post on the subject lately)
Very true. What is the old saying: "You could give someone a bowling ball in a sandbox, and they would break the bowling ball..."
Ohh man, that would be like a dream come true. To heck with a V8, I'm thinking more like a 3.5 Duratec V6 that will be out very soon. 265 hp / 250 ft.lb. tq on 87 octane at introduction (300 hp on high octane) getting 27+ mpg hwy. Please keep us updated!!
I would think it wouldn't be a ture bolt in kit, there would be alot of cutting involved, since the Maverick doesn't have a bolt in "K" member so to speak, compared to say a B-bodied Chrysler, how would it differ from the Heidt's Mustang II front suspension? the towers and the strut rod support needs to be removed for that to work, and they are almost 2 grand.
The rod and custom mustang II kit is $2500 and it is very complete and actually a really good deal. If you add up all the cost associated with upgrading the heidt kit and it comes out about the same or more than the R&C. The corvette weld in kits run from $1500 to $2000, but you still have to supply your own rag joints and all that groovy stuff, which will run the price up pretty quick. I'm not a big fan of the struts, but they're ok I guess. The hard part is going to be finding the rack that matches the cross member width. Well, that might not be as hard as it sounds now that I think of it.
Oh my... The towers would be notched w/ a concave cut panel that curves down below what was the upper control arm mount. Instead of | | you have < >... Did I do a good job explaining that?
I have seen these kits on Mustangs. You are right about the concave thing. It looks alot more involved for a hobbyist to do that way, but it does allow more shaving. Even with the upper A arm gone though, you can still not cut to much further down the tower because of the frame rail and crossmember frame meeting at the same point where the A arm was mounted. As far as a shadetree hobbyist is concerned, I would say this setup is about the same degree of skill needed for an M2 install. Dave
If you go by the "list" prices, a complete RRS front suspension will cost you: 1. Stage 1 struts and brakes. $2995 2. Power Rack $2050 3. Tower notching kit. $195 4. Lower control arms $295 / pair You would still need a power steering pump, and misc. parts. This kit is a true bolt in that anyone can put on in their driveway. These prices are indicative of what you would pay for the Fatman Fabrications strut type front suspension & rack or any of the other available kits for Mustangs of our vintage. If you use one of these kits, you will have a more modern suspension design with better geometry, lighter unsprung weight and the potential for larger engine bay space than you will get with suspensions based on the original Ford design. You will also avoid some of the pitfalls of the Mustang II suspension design. In particular, you will not have to worry about the crossmember interfering with the oil pan causing you to have a limited selection of oil pans available to chose from. You will also retain full turning capabilities rather than having to deal with a slightly increased turning radius like on the MII kits. This being said, the handling of a car running the RRS parts is far superior to the handling of a similar car setup with either a stock Ford type suspension or an aftermarket MUstang II suspension. If you are interested in road racing or just occasional canyon carving, you will be glad you spent the money for these parts. (Disclaimer. The cars I have run the RRS parts on were Mustangs, not Mavericks. Same goes with the Mustang II suspension.) I am very interested in more details about the suspension that you are talking about. A fully self contained K-member that bolts in? The complexity of the installation will be a major factor in the decision making process for a large number of people as many of us are strictly hand tool compatable. For those of you who aren't afraid to make extreme changes to your cars, Martz Chassis Works can put together a complete front clip which includes frame rails, suspension, rack and pinion for less than $5000. This replaces everything from the firewall forward with a jig welded frame that welds in place of the original frame rails, etc. Google them for more details. Seriously, I am very interested in more details.
