Best ifs kit? rms, hdk, gt suspension, or magnum force?
I'm comparing the cost of doing a complete front end rebuild using all new parts as well as installing say all the Hotchkis or firm feel parts, good shocks, big torsion bars and one of those borgeson steering boxes, the price would add up similar to the after market k member.
hmm, now you have me curious. time for math.
Firm feel, rebuilt kits range from 1600 to 3400 depending on what you want/get
Hotchkis, starts at 2400 not including T-bars. or brakes
yeah, you be right. by the time you'd upgrade similarly, youre gonna be about the same
Either way, you're gonna spend a couple grand. I guess it depends ultimately on what you want out of that money.
Although I've followed this thread because I really do like reading about the different suspension builders and set ups, I've stayed out of it so far because I know I'm probably considered one of those "torsion bar purists" mentioned earlier. But, since the question
was asked about the cost of setting up a "comparable" torsion bar suspension, here's my .02
on the pricing only. Most of these prices should be pretty accurate, some of them are a few months old-
1.12" Firm Feel torsion bars: $355
Tubular UCA’s (PST, FFI, etc): $350
Adjustable strut rods (PST SR 14385): $280
Solid tie rod sleeves (PST SAS 440S): $50
LCA boxing plate (PST LCAPLTMOP621): $15
Greasable LCA pins (FFI w bushings): $135
Hellwig tubular front sway bar #55905: $180
Bilstein RCD shocks (front only): $220
Flaming River 16:1 steering box: $610
Tie rod ends (Moog): $60
Pitman and idler (Moog): $115
lower ball joints (Moog): $90
Total (without brakes)
$2,460
So that should be a fairly accurate estimate for everything to be "new", assuming you already had '73+ spindles, LCA's, and '73 disk brakes to work with.
If you didn't-you could add Dr. Diff's 10.95" brake kit, which includes the '73 up style spindles and 10.95" disk set up (you'd still need a set of stock LCA's, but who doesn't have those?)
Dr. Diff's 10.95" rotor kit: $445
So, total with stock brakes and '73+ spindles is
$2,905
So, with stock 10.95" disk brakes that's still $395 cheaper than the GTS set up and $845 less than the HDK. And that's a pretty well set up torsion bar suspended car.
