Canadian510 Posted November 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Haven't updated this for awhile but everything is still going strong. Decided to leave the exhaust for the spring and finish up the small things first. Also some more parts arrived today, a set of T3 camber plates that i got for a crazy discount! They have some chips in the powdercoating around the edges (which are hardly noticeable) so T3 was selling them cheap, shipped to my door for under 1/2 price couldn't pass them up! Now i just need them to chip some coilovers so i can buy them at half price too haha 2 Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted December 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 Got my hands dirty tonight! Decided i really wasn't happy with the front ride height which towered over my rears so i set to work cutting my springs. Before anyone freaks out its a far from permanent mod, just something to get me closer to the stance i want when i eventually get my coilovers so i can troubleshoot wheel and tire fitment. I ended up cutting two coils off and dropped the car a couple inches, a lot more level now! First strut off and checking the bearings Spring off How much was taken off. Did one coil at first but wanted a little lower How it sits now! How it was Picking up a second set of struts from a buddy in the next few weeks and will more than likely lower the spring perches on them to see where it gets me and grab some d50 springs for the rear. Need to grab some different tires as the 175 70 14 and 215 60 14 ones on the car now aren't the best for a lowered car haha. Also have my rear end and stubs up for sale so i can get some vintage japanese wheels if it sells. Fingers crossed Quote Link to comment
Dime Dave Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Camber plates work best with 2.5" coil over springs. The stock diameter spring will hit the strut tower well before the camber plate adjustment runs out. You may find with the car significantly lowered, the correct camber adjustment needed can't be reached before the large diameter springs hit the fenderwell. As with any modifications the results vary widely based on the mods and the vehicle preformed on them. Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted December 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 Camber plates work best with 2.5" coil over springs. The stock diameter spring will hit the strut tower well before the camber plate adjustment runs out. You may find with the car significantly lowered, the correct camber adjustment needed can't be reached before the large diameter springs hit the fenderwell. As with any modifications the results vary widely based on the mods and the vehicle preformed on them. Thanks for the info, the car isn't really lowered enough to even bother with the camber plates but when I start working on the other struts I'll probably run into the problem you mentioned. Thanks again for the heads up! Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted December 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 Decided to lower my rear tonight to see if i could squeeze the 215 60 14 tires on 240z slots (+5 offset if i read correctly) under the fenders and i was actually very surprised when they did. It's crazy close, less then a finger in some places so i still might go with a different tire or wheels just weighing my options.Also ordered some split collars from Fastenall so i can go about making my own "coilovers" by moving the spring perch to bring the front end down some more. Can't wait for them to get here! A quick pic of the rear 1 Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 Cut my spring perches and am just waiting on my collars to get here in the next few days. Thinking about picking up some mr2 inserts and running a spacer in the strut tube so i don't blow up my stock ones from being lowered. Strut tubes all finished up And the more i look at mesh wheels the more I like them, if a nice pair popped up in 14" for a good price I'd probably snap them up. Really growing on me Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2015 Got my homemade coilovers finished up and put on the car yesterday. Ended up lowering the car a few inches up front but it's still not 100% where I'd like it and i have pretty much no travel now. To fix this I used some of the money from selling my diff to buy a set of rear inserts from a first gen mr2 and weld on coilovers from t3. This is my first venture into the "custom" suspension world so doing a lot of research before i start cutting or welding anything. One question i do have, is shortening the strut tube as simple as cutting the difference between the stock vs mr2 inserts off of it and rethreading the tops? I know other people have cut the needed bit out of the middle and keep the stock threads but one of mine is pretty chewed up and will need to be rethreaded anyway. Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Got incredibly lucky and was able to pick up a set of 4 new tires in 185 60 14 for around the price of one of them normally, got to love unadvertised sales! The rears are tucking real nice now! Once my front end parts get here I'll lower the front a bit more and see where i stand. Might say screw it and grab a set of rear coilovers since my shocks travel in the rear is getting pretty bad and they aren't the healthiest anyway. My dog was also mad that there was no room for him to sit on the floor and watch but soon found an alternate place to go 1 Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Started looking into some lower cost alternatives for the rear suspension as i wasn't too fond of spending as much as i was going to for coilovers. Ended up going with some 80s F-Body shocks and D50 springs since the shocks are 2" shorter and should be much happier at my current height than my stock shocks. Doesn't hurt that i got them on sale for $24 each! Quote Link to comment
Busta Nut Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Great progress man.....keep it up!!! I'm tuned in........ Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Well most of the suspension parts are here! Front inserts should be here in the next few days and springs by early next week. Once i get the inserts I'll be tearing the front end apart again and shipping my strut casings out to be shortened and rethreaded. Once that's done I'll weld the coilover sleeves onto the casings and see where I'm at! Can't get over how nice T3 stuff looks in person. Very happy so far. Quote Link to comment
NickE Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Are you going to 280zx struts for the bigger brakes? If you can reuse the threaded portion of the strut, I'd do it. It's not just that it's threaded, it's a larger I.D. You can see where I welded the strut in this picture and the step: Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Are you going to 280zx struts for the bigger brakes? If you can reuse the threaded portion of the strut, I'd do it. It's not just that it's threaded, it's a larger I.D. You can see where I welded the strut in this picture and the step: I'm just sticking with the 510 struts for now. Only running a mild l16 at the moment so don't really need them. Will probably pick some up in the future and shorten them and swap the mr2 inserts over to them along with the coilover sleeve. Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Struts are off getting shortened now, can't wait for them to get back and see how low i get! Also in the process of making a 2.1 long rod motor using one of my spare l20b's and the a87 head with big cam i have laying around, just having a hard time finding some 6" z20e rods to use! Hopefully find some soon. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 28, 2015 Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 You've removed at least two full coils. The 510 coil wire is barely 0.472" thick and the thickness makes the largest difference when trimming it. Basically a thicker wire will increase the spring rate more when cut than a thinner wire. Thus two coils removed barely increased it to 115 lb/in. or only 30%. My 710 coils are just over 0.5" and a coil and a half raised it 50%. The point is you are going lower but the rate isn't high enough to reduce the chance of bottoming out. I would run at least 150 lb/in on the stock struts. 200+ would be safer. What are the spring rates on those red coils you ordered? Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 You've removed at least two full coils. The 510 coil wire is barely 0.472" thick and the thickness makes the largest difference when trimming it. Basically a thicker wire will increase the spring rate more when cut than a thinner wire. Thus two coils removed barely increased it to 115 lb/in. or only 30%. My 710 coils are just over 0.5" and a coil and a half raised it 50%. The point is you are going lower but the rate isn't high enough to reduce the chance of bottoming out. I would run at least 150 lb/in on the stock struts. 200+ would be safer. What are the spring rates on those red coils you ordered? The Red coils are 250lbs. Figured I'd want something much stiffer and from reading up seemed to be a fairly common rate in the 510s. Also just cut the fronts that much to get a rough idea for tire fitment, didn't plan on actually driving it with 2 full coils cut out Quote Link to comment
banzai510(hainz) Posted January 28, 2015 Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 better get soem better rear shocks. those are the cheap ones. the 250 front are kinda too stiff. I got 180s or 200s and more than enough. Better have soem Koni D or soem real good shocks to hande the spring rate. Otherwise a weak shock will just wear out as it cant control a strong spring. But a 250# wont move much will it Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 better get soem better rear shocks. those are the cheap ones. the 250 front are kinda too stiff. I got 180s or 200s and more than enough. Better have soem Koni D or soem real good shocks to hande the spring rate. Otherwise a weak shock will just wear out as it cant control a strong spring. But a 250# wont move much will it I definitely plan to grab some better ones in the future, figured for the price of these on sale i could fine tune everything and make sure it's going to work before dropping a ton of money on a real nice set up. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 29, 2015 Report Share Posted January 29, 2015 Everyone is different. Safe to say that somewhere between 175 and 300 lb/in you will find what suits you. Only way to do this is try something and then move up or down and see. Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted January 31, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2015 The tear down of one of my spare l20b's started last night since i found some z20e rods, so far everything looks good. Might take the block out to the engine shop Monday to be bored while i keep an eye out for some pistons. Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted February 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 Finished tearing down the engine to a bare block tonight so started working on fitting my new seats in the car. Was able to pick up a nice set of 240z seats for next to nothing so went about installing them. They turned out to be mounted a few inches narrower than the stock seats so had to figure something out there. Ended up moving the seat mounts inwards while trimming and shimming them in a few places and then welding them in where i couldn't really drill any holes. Very happy with how it turned out! Just cleaning up the seats and unseizing one of the sliders then I'll be good to go! Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics was more into working on the car haha Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted March 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2015 Been quite awhile since i've updated this, had a lot happen this past month. Got my struts shortened and rethreaded for my MR2 inserts, made lowering the car much easier and cheaper. Got them all installed up front and the camaro shocks with d50 springs in the rear so the car is finally sitting on four wheels again. No pics yet, had too much else on the go. Also got my tach delivered, custom ordered it from Speedhut to somewhat match the stock speedo since i'm mounting it in the dash. And finally, got a pretty upsetting call at the end of feb. Turns out the storage place where i was keeping my Fiesta ST burned to the ground along with the 30+ cars that were in there. Insurance tried to screw me around saying they couldn't go look at the car until May but after spending close to 3 weeks making some calls and talking to a manager i finally got a cheque in the mail for the ballance owing on the car. While i was at the dealer paying off the ST they mentioned they still had a 2011 Mustang GT California Special i was looking at last summer for sale and after some haggling got a call back from them a week later saying they'd accept my offer. Hopefully getting it flatbedded home in the next few days Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted April 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2015 Finally got the car out of the garage and into the sun! Getting the exhaust put on tomorrow hopefully and then can finally drive it! Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 Got a call from the shop last night letting me know that the exhaust is all tacked into place and should be done today! It's gonna be a long day at work waiting for them to call haha. They also did a quick run through to see if it would pass inspection and it turns out it's all good to go except for one of the U-Joints on the passenger half shaft and they couldn't source one. After doing some searching online i've got 6 new U-joints for the halfshafts and driveshaft on the way. Very excited to finally be able to drive this thing around! Quote Link to comment
Canadian510 Posted May 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 Got the exhaust all finished up and am very happy with the results! Not ignorant but has a nice aggressive sound. Been driving the car around town and back and forth to work trying to get used to the new trans and clutch (which is very different than the 6 speed in the mustang haha) but so far couldn't be happier. Have a few small things to still work out but it's running and driving at last! My biggest problem now is deciding what one to drive in the morning haha Quote Link to comment
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