Front End Rebuild vs. After Market K-Frame

-
scuba0331

scuba0331

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2008
Messages
1,032
Reaction score
17
Location
Ohio
I am attempting my first restoration though I haven't started yet. I may be getting ahead of myself but I was trying to figure out what to do with my front end.

I am building a 1974 Duster. Currently, it is a 318 3-Speed, I am going with a 360 4-Speed. It is going to be a street car. And I'm sure it may going down the track a time or two but just for fun.

I'm sure there is a ton of things I haven't thought about so please bare with me.

1. Should I just rebuild the entire front end and call it a day?

2. Should I consider rebuilding the front end and changing out the upper and lower control arms to the tubular type?

3. Or Should I just save my pennies, a lot of pennies!, and look into getting an aftermarket K-frame?

I know these are open ended questions but any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your comments.8)
 
Hey scuba. Since your car is a 74 with a 318, I'll assume that you have the big bolt pattern/ disk brake combo up front, and the 8.25" big bolt pattern in the rear. You state that this will be a street car, with maybe the occassional strip run, so, just rebuild the front end to stock specifications with replacement Moog parts from your local NAPA or such. Do the complete front end while you're at it, ie, control arm bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. That's all that's required for a good handling street car. Put your money into your engine, driveline, and bodywork / paint rather than wasting it on parts that you really don't need in the front end. My $0.02 worth. :)
 
OldVart thank you. That's kind of the way I was leaning. Yep I do have the BBP disc brakes and an 8 1/4 rear end.



Thanks!
 
You could spend a small fortune on aftermarket stuff that's really not needed except for race cars.
 
That's true RedFish. And like you said since its not a race car it would be very costly expense for the benefit I would get out of it.

Thank you!
 
I agree - you can get a lot done with the stock stuff and good quality rebuilds. Stock parts won't hold you back for drag racing or street cruising. I'd only go for the aftermarket parts if I were trying to take on BMWs in an autocross, swapping in a big block and wanted more clearance, or had some other hardcore application that really needed it. You can get 90% of the results for under 50% of the money if you just add some minor, well chosen parts to a stock front suspension.
 
MadScientistMat said:
I agree - you can get a lot done with the stock stuff and good quality rebuilds. Stock parts won't hold you back for drag racing or street cruising. I'd only go for the aftermarket parts if I were trying to take on BMWs in an autocross, swapping in a big block and wanted more clearance, or had some other hardcore application that really needed it. You can get 90% of the results for under 50% of the money if you just add some minor, well chosen parts to a stock front suspension.
Click to expand...

You'd swap a big block into a auto-x car? Not my first choice, but to each their own!

If i were to rebuild my entire front end in my cuda for nothing but street use. However, with enough turning capability to have some fun with.

*I'd do tubular upper control arms
*Poly bushings where i could
*C-body tie rods and adjusters (more HD than stock)
*Slightly larger than stock front sway bar, rubber bushings
*Stock rear sway bar w/poly bushings
*Have my super stock springs and summit adjustable shocks
*Have my already upgraded 11 3/4" cordoba brakes
*Have my 17 & 18" wheels already, put some nice rubber on 'em
*Subframe connectors

Then go mess around on the twisties! In my opinion, to fully benefit from a aftermarket K-member, you need to be fairly heavy into competition auto-x, average street car will have better manners, rack & pinion, etc if you have 'extra' money around.
 
IMHO, I would stay away from poly or polygraphite bushings for your rebuild kit. I went from a recently rebuilt rubber front end to a polygraphite front end and there was no appreciable improvement in the handling or degradation in the ride for that matter. BUT, within a few weeks I picked up a very embarrassing squeak in the front end that was bad enough to casue me to tear the front end apart and go back to rubber.

I believe the folks that report great improvements with the poly front end bushings are folks that go from a tapped out rubber front end to the poly and have not compared new to new. The other down side of poly it will not last nearly as long as rubber. In a rubber bushing there is no sliding motion the motion comes from the twisting of the rubber. Going to poly you have the bushing shells sliding on the poly material. There are no seals on these bushings so in wet weather all sorts of road junk can get into the bushing and grind them away.
 
man that question really has no proper answer...

by the time you buy all the front end kit, pitman arm,idler arm,bigger bars and a faster ratio steering box,add sway bars, tube upper arms and non bushed strut rods ( all stuff i would do myself) your not gonna be too far off of the price of an alter-k-tion.

it really depends what you want out of the car i guess.

you can get a stock suspension car work really well. it will cost but it will work well.

the alter-k-tion is what i'm running and it is incredible. the r&p steering is awesome feeling and the turns are more fun then ever. car wors very well at the drag strip too.

what i would do is add up doing all the upgrades to a stock suspension and see what the actual price difference really is. i'll bet its less then you think.


and if you go stock. i would go rubber bushings also.
 
I have a stock 340 suspension which has a front sway bar and an 8.25 rear, disc/drums with 4.5" bolt pattern, to which I did the following:

Went to 1.00" FirmFeel tosion bars
KBY Shocks up front
Put 17" wheels with Nitto 450's - 225-50-17 (~26" diameter)
Had the alignment shop do 2 things:
1. lower the front end about 1.5" by cranking back the Torsion Bars
2. Crank in as much positive camber - they got about 3 degrees, I think
Also have Nitto 450's - 275-50-17 (~28" diameter) on rear, with airshocks!

Car drives COMPLETELY different! No bump steer, flat around corners, etc. BTW, most of my bushings up fron are orginal, and need replaced. Unless you are solo I racing, save the money on the Alter-K-tion, and the tubular uppers, and buy some good wheels and tires. I have heard many offer the opnion that wheels/tires makes more difference than any other single modification. I would like a fast ratio pitman and stiffer steering box, but not anytime soon. I've read that the Fast Ratio pitman also has header clearance issues.

I plan on a set of cheap sway bars from e-bay in the near future, BTW. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=130202926404&rd=1

DSCF3322.JPG


DSCF3324.JPG
 
GoodysGotaCuda said:
i bet you'd really notice a difference tossing those airshocks.
Click to expand...

But I like them - old school flavor with an old school ride (quality). I do like the tuneability of raising & lowering ride height to get it "just right" stance wise. But I have heard they are not the best solution for handling.
 
Well of course to each their own, to do reak havoc on your shock towers over time which aren't made to support the weight of the vehicle. -Mike
 
GoodysGotaCuda said:
Well of course to each their own, to do reak havoc on your shock towers over time which aren't made to support the weight of the vehicle. -Mike
Click to expand...

Never thought of that. Is there evidence of the shock towers blowing out, or stress cracking, etc? Any Pics?
 
Jimmy Ray I am what gears ratio are you running? I've decided to keep my 8.25 so I am going to put in a sure grip. I like the stance of your car!

How close are the tires to the inner fenders?

Thanks
 
Find the book on making your old Mopar handle- real good advice. Passed the ideas onto my uncle's front end guys (he's got 7 REALLY nice rigs he's done) and they agreed with his info. The author's name is Tom Condran and he is out of San Francisco...helluva decent guy, too!
 
Here's the name of the book "Performance Handling for Classic Mopars, by Tom Condran"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top