Hot Rod mag suspension build up - what's your opinion?

autoxcuda said
Yes, I had that posted on my old website for years. That article was in the front of the Guldstrand Catalog circa 1989. We got Guldstrand to sponsor our High School auto shop teacher's Circle Track street stock car.

Yes, this is where things like: seats, steering wheel diameters/thickness/postion, and steering ratio come into play. None of those really have physical direct impact on vehicle dynamics. I like the way the Guldstrand article addresses the driver interaction.

I think people need to approach it in systems or groups. Sort of like just putting a 750 double pumper on a stock 1981 318 4-bbl. Or just putting a big cam in that same motor. BUT both the cam and carb together will probably net more performance that the adding the individual gains of the two parts.

Also the first 75% of performance gains are easier and cheaper that the last 25%.

Couple things ... First about the article ... I realized it was an older article, not only because it looked familiar, but because of the way it talked about GM vehicles, the specific vehicles and the speeds and G-forces mentioned. I think it goes without saying that GM has changed their tune(punn intended) about the way it sets up its cars now; as have all manufacturers I think. Tire technology alone has both allowed and to some extent necessitated suspension re-configurations.

Second thing ... of course in those days too, it was considered relatively impossible (as it says - with present (aka 1989) tech) to set up a suspension to handle great w/o sacrificing ride. While still not being able to do this to the Nth degree, with computer technology it has become much closer to a reality.

On a completely different note though (since there's so much fuss about coil-over suspentions) ... while I certainly would not try to talk anyone out of
buying, building, installing one of these, I just have to say that it has been building in me to the point where I will finally ask ... what's all the fuss about? If it's just about header clearance, TTI or custom headers are much cheaper. It certainly can't be about durability; and even if it is or was, it would be cheaper again to just add gusseting to the factory setup. It can't be about unsprung weight; and it can't be about simplicity; nor still can it be about geometry, since the cam setup offer tons of adjustment. So it is about what? Total weight ... maybe 50 or 75 lbs off the front? Ah ... rack and pinion steering ... of course ... now I've got it!