Ol' Fart's Firebird Fantasy

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by HandOverFist

All your questions answered here... http://www.nhraracer.com/content/gen...000&zoneid=132

OK, I'll check it out. Thanks !

[impstocker]

OK I want to throw my .02 in. Earlier in the thread you were considering a "big Body" like 1976 Pontiac, I guess this would be a GM B Body car (1971-1976) I have never been underneath one but I did some research looking for diagrams or photos of rear suspension but came up empty. I did come across aftermarket parts though for these cars which include Control arms which tells me they are coil spring cars not much different than the 65-70 B Body gm car like my Impala.

If I am wrong here then skip the rest.

These are different from A Body cars which some guys have been showing you for rear suspension upgrades. The first difference is the coil springs perch between the lower control arm and frame, not on axle tube like A Body rears. The upper control ares are a straight forward shot, not angled like A Body cars. Some early B Bodies like my 65 came as a "3 link" rear suspension, 2 lowers only 1 upper bar. Hi-Performance did have 4 links like I have in the 65 Impala stocker I am building. No-Hop bars are not available for these cars .I have Southside Machine lower control arm traction bar which is basically a Square tube solid bushing bar with a adjustment that lowers the attachment point on the axle effectively changing the instant center of the car which aids in planting tires. The same effect is done with the "No-Hop" bars on the A Body cars. With adjustable Upper control arms, no air bags thats all I needed to do. Not really complicated. The only heads-up is where the upper bars attach to the crossmember on frame needs to be strengthen. I would leave at 6300+ RPM with a stick at 4095 lbs. Check out my Build in this forum,
"BBC Impala update" or something like that.

I would crawl under the cars to take pics but lots of snow , blizzard outside now!

Will Lamprecht I/SA Implala in progress.

[impstocker]

OK, this might be "blasphemy" even though the pics of the Wood's "Ton's O Fun" station wagon looks as cool as crap, I would say the suspension is not set up right and wasted motion produces wasted horsepower = lower ET's ? I liked the fact my Impala launched straight and level. Aren't we looking for that?

Will Lamprecht I/SA 65 Impala in progress

[impstocker]

??

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by impstocker

OK, this might be "blasphemy" even though the pics of the Wood's "Ton's O Fun" station wagon looks as cool as crap, I would say the suspension is not set up right and wasted motion produces wasted horsepower = lower ET's ? I liked the fact my Impala launched straight and level. Aren't we looking for that?

Will Lamprecht I/SA 65 Impala in progress

Yeah, that's exactly what I thought when I first saw that pic. A couple of years back there was a Chevelle that ran at our local track that did the exact same thing.

Back when I ran my '69 bracket GTO, I moved the batt to the right rear of the trunk. But both tires came off the ground just quick enuff to cause a redlight, when leaving at the 1st hint of light from the bottom yellow.

So, I moved the batt as far as I could to the left front of the car, on the frame rail. This didn't keep the left front on the track, but it did keep the right front rolling on the track instead of in the air. And, since one tire is all it takes to block the beam of light, the redlight problem was fixed.

All I had was air bags and stiffened rubber bushings. And I put more air in the right side. That set up was all I needed for the racing I was doing. But exactly what is the procedure for setting up the suspension on an A-body, to prevent this body twist, or whatever it's called, and make it leave level and straight ?

I assume there are lots of sites that have this info online. I haven't done a search. But I'd like to hear from some of you guys about what you did to make your A-body suspension work. I've already read that some just used air shocks, or air bags and stiff bushings. Some used adjustable upper arms, or no-hop bars. So apparently there is more than one way to do it. So I'd like to hear more.

[Tony Corley]

Roll cage and anti roll bar.

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by HandOverFist

All your questions answered here... http://www.nhraracer.com/content/gen...000&zoneid=132

I assume that means, get a rule book and search out the answers for your yourself. I found a couple of answers in the general rules, but not for some of my specific questions.

I'm not gonna join NHRA unless and until I build a car that I know will run the index or quicker.

So, if reading a rule book is the only way to get some of the answers, would one of you guys be so kind as to help out an old dude and send me one of your old rulebooks by snail mail ? It's OK if it has a few greasy fingerprints on it. Thanks !

[Tony Corley]

You can download it here. https://www.nationaldragster.net/bit...-rulebook.html

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by Tony Corley

You can download it here. https://www.nationaldragster.net/bit...-rulebook.html

OK, I'll give it a shot. thanks !

Nope, access denied--for NHRA members only !

[impstocker]

I think what Tony means you use the roll bar as a way to strengthen frame. I have lower crossbraces to that crossmember that tends to pull out. I also replaced rubber body bushings with solids.

Will Lamprecht I/SA Impala 1965 in progress