1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Racers, I am looking for feedback and photos of a Vette four link and solid axle changeover.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

YYYYYeeeeaaaahhh, that one is a real touchy subject with me. You'd better start kissing arss right now. A bit of a hint, I was told by an NHRA official, "We want you to beg for forgiveness not ask for permission".

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Billy, it will not be an NHRA class car. It is for a local nostalgia series. Have you done one?

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

4 link in a Gen 2 or 3 is like 10 pounds of you know what in a 5 pound bag . not a lot of working room. you will end up with an unequal length bar setup due to the wheel house /seat location. .Since its not a Stocker or Super Stocker I would go with a kit that eliminates the rear floor . Retaining the stock fiberglass floor and having to maintain glass wheel tubs is the big issue with a S/SS build
there used to be a lot of them available but last i looked Art Morrison is the only supplier making a drop in kit anymore,

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Tom, may not be a good idea to build such a package. I have plenty of options and was just thinking about the Vette. Removing the floor would be OK. Would doing so give room for an equal length four link? I do not want an unequal length bar setup.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

If you remove the rear floor, particularly the storage and stepup area behind the seats you will be able to do an equal length bar ,but, they will be short. About 15-17" depending on the brackets . A lot of Vettes were built with the axle brackets locating the holes behind the axle centerline or at least on center to get a longer bar.
Old builds from the 70's and 80's were hard to adjust because almost everything was built with spacing for 3/4" bolts . going with modern spacing for 1/2" bolts will make the shorter bars easier to find a point that works.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Tom, given your feedback I think it is too much trouble. There are plenty of other options. Thanks for the info.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

...as in a stock rear frame and width? I think L79racer on here has the short 4-link from Autofab.

https://www.racingjunk.com/suspensio...=6&from=search

I have an old stocker by Billy Nees if that helps...

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Larry.
remember the '66 vette I had...Built in winter of '73/'74
I did it when I was 24 years old.
There are tricks. I used the stock frame rails, cut them loose and just reversed them side to side and inward.
That gives 7" per side the way that factory frame is angled then reversed. The glass floor is just sectioned and laid back in place...no tin work, all glass.
Not an equal lengths 4 link, but worked quite well.
The rear cross member was another trick to get the drive shaft through and cut back for the tire height clearance. I think I still have pictures of the build in an old scrap book. It was legal. At first in M/P with the transverse spring. There are a couple benefits to using a Dana. Figured that out when building it. Esp. if you keep the engine in the stock location, like the rules back then.
Then NHRA made it a gasser and I converted to coil overs.
What I built was very similar to what Kenneth Counts and Tom Weakley were building. Funny thing is I never met them till at the track and after the build. Kevin Hall is supposed to have my car. Not sure how much of what I did is still there. I will be glad to help if you decide to go that way.

Larry, Buy one of my Gen 3's. they are going to be legal. Finish the Quay car you already looked at. It is farther along and has a 7.50 cage, now. I have Lewis Mosley's SS/G BB Gen 3 too. It came to me with a G-Force in it.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Adger, Thank you. I have decided to use a move conventional package.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

FWIW we have chosen to stick with ladder bars in the gen 3 we run heads up stuff with. Car has been 1.08 60' NA with a 29.5x10.5 slick.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Build a 1978-1980 Malibu just like the SRD-built car raced by Larry Kopp.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

SS d6. I like your comment about the G body. I know from experience those are good packages.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

SST 7250, I like your comment about a ladder bar. I know from experience they work very well. My reason for asking about a four link in the Vette was because of the limited space available. It is a non-issue because I have scratched the Vette idea.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Larry, How much tire do you need? My 71 H/SA has gone 1.36 on a 9” Hoosier. My 12 bolt is one of the first conversions done when NHRA began allowing them in stock. Nothing fancy, no 4-link. I know before it got crazy with some of the setups allowed in stock others were doing the same thing and making them work. Mike McMahan 2543 H/SA

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Mike, it will need to run 5.90's - 6.0's in the 1/8th at around 2900 pounds with driver. Thus, around 725 horsepower. The tire size is not so much an issue as the rear assembly strength at that performance. I think a 30 x 12 tire would be plenty. And remember this is a manual trans deal.

I realize this post is all over the place, but I have found 1975 Vette 10 miles from my shop that will check out tomorrow.

Someone mentioned cutting the rear floor out of the body. Have you seen that done?

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

[QUOTE=Someone mentioned cutting the rear floor out of the body. Have you seen that done?[/QUOTE]

Larry, I have cut up a C4

http://classracer.com/classforum/sho...light=corvette

Ernie Neal
SS354

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Ernie, I had forgot about that project, thank you for the link. Tomorrow I am looking at 75 model for possible project.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

This "may be" the engine and power level. A 408 LS engine [4.030 bore x 4.0 stroke] Fully worked LS3 heads, methanol carb, around 725 horsepower with upper RPM level of around 7500. With the proper clutch setup will a 12 bolt hold up?

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Ernie, where did you get the four link forward frame bracket?

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Larry,
Look at post 111 my build

Ernie
SS 354

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Have you considered a leaf spring with Caltracs? This 25.3 Corvette build has run the 60 ft at 1.042 with some 7.70's ET. I do know the main rear frame rails are in the stock location. This car runs a 12 to 13 " wide slick. With you skills this should be a easy job.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Ron, interesting, thanks for the idea. Do you know the details for how the springs are mounted to the frame? Or know the owner so I can contact him?

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

I have done several c2 corvettes. I use the chris alston chassisworks brackets. Build the backhalf from scratch out of round tube. I can text or email some pics if you need them.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Ron, I found him on facebook.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Try this link, then look for options, housing. etc.

https://store.autofabracecars.com/68...able-coilovers

Good luck

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

No worries. We looked at possible doing the 4 link deal with short upper links. Decided against it as we have the car working well for a small block anyway. Was alot of work, with not a huge possible upside for us. Honestly they make horrible racecars for what we do.

Here is a pic of the car NOT doing what we want it too :)

https://i.postimg.cc/d1HvXtXs/D29-F3...95-D46-FFD.jpg

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Nice Corvette. By chance do you have more build details and pictures?

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Robbie, please check your message box.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Check Drag Race results classifieds Nice looking C3 about half finished . Looks like alot of the hard work done . Rick
.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Thanks. I dont really have anything online and lost my phione that had a few.. Its been an evolving deal for many years. It was a street car until a few years ago. Eventually went 8.90's on a pump gas small block back then. That same small block is still there sort of :) but car now runs 7's. Car still has its full interior gauges, controls, power windows and period correct Pioneer Super tuner. Only missing stock seats as they dont fit with cage. Front end is all factory, steering box, control arms etc. Rear is a drop out 12 bolt with a short ladder bar. Penske shocks all around, anti roll bar, 7.50 cage. We run a 29.5x10.5 bias slick. Engine is a 416" Little Chief single 4 bbl backed by a Proflite trans. The majority of the chassis work has been done by Gary Hansen in Socal.

Ill try to remember to get some pics of it next time we have it out. Which is a few weeks from now. Were supposed to race this past weekend but weather cancelled the deal.

Here is a link to an older article about the car. Alot hasd changed since this was done but gives some history

https://www.lsxmag.com/news/flyin-ryans-red-racer/

Back from the street car days


https://i.postimg.cc/HnncJBch/C0-D5-...D34-C845-B.jpg

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Thanks for the link and info. A couple of questions. I'm gonna start building my 82 Corvette and looking for some ideas. The class that I want to run local to me dose NOT allow 4 links or wheelie bars. I have considered the Caltrac set up because it can act & adjust close to a 4 link setup. Or Chassis Engineering Outlaw 32" ladder bars. A ladder bar will make this car wheel-stand real bad. Have the rear frame rails been moved or notched? How wide is the Ford 9" and what are the rear wheels specs? I want to start gathering parts, rear axle, rear wheels, etc.
Thanks Again,
Ron

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

I will take some measurements next time we have the car out as I dont recall the exact dimensions on the housing. The fram rails are notched for tire clearance. The current wheels are 15x12 with 6" BS

AAs for the wheelstands its rare. Usually because we underestimated the track. The earlier pic was the result of one such error. And frankly the first time the car has done that in YEARS. These days it leaves really flat and hardly touches the bars.

Here is a video from a race last year. 1.09 60' and went 4.98 on this pass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SgeKOIJU7o

And here is a more current pic pf the car. Some of the front end "aero" was removed and car got some new paint.

https://i.postimg.cc/907ZyZkW/D0931-...EC249-A6-C.jpg

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

Thanks to each of you for the feedback. After pondering and measuring I have decided to install a 32" ladder bar. This can be done with a minimum amount of cutting and modifying of the body and frame. It will allow a 29.5 x 10.5W tire which will handled the power and performance I have planned.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

I am just curious to what a beefed up stock Vette suspension can hold up to??

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

I am just curious to what a beefed up stock Vette suspension can hold up to??

It is my understand that the weakest link is the ring gear size. The axles and other hardware can be upgraded but there is a limit to what the 3rd member will take. Vettes that run as NHRA stockers are allowed a conversion to solid rear axle so that gives an idea of the power the OE setup will handle.

Re: 1963 - 1979 Vette four link install.
 

The Vette I posted about ran low 9's with the stock suspension in it NA. Small ring gear for sure.