Full Suspension upgrade of 67 Dart

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Craig67

Craig67

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Hello everyone,

Just thought that I would start a post as I am about to have a complete QA1 Suspension installed on my 67 Dart.
Just a little back ground, it is a 67 Dodge Dart GT, has a 360 and I believe a 727 trans. The front is disk brake.
Will be doing the complete Stage 3 setup. Single adjustable shocks at all 4 corners. Using the large ball joint control arms.
A shop here in Kempner, Texas will be doing the install CT Performance. I will also be installing subframe connectors and replacing all the tie rods, pitman arm and idler arm.
All steering components are worn out and the stock K member was and is cracked. Has been welded before my getting the car and has cracked again. So decided to upgrade all of it.
Let me know what you guys think and as I get the pics taken I will be sure to put them here for everyone to see.
Really curious to see what it all looks like installed, can not find any pics of the rear kit on here.
I have read a lot of mixed expression of the rear kit. most relating to no tire clearance gain and the loss of tail pipes. will let you all know how it all works out.

Look forward to hearing from you guys.
 
I will hopefully have a ton of pictures. Also when I get the old K member out I will take a picture of the crack so you can see. If I remember correctly it was on the drivers leading edge just off center.
Again I will post pics as soon as I get them. At the moment waiting on all the parts to show up.
Thanks for the interest
 
Craig67 said:
Hello everyone,

Just thought that I would start a post as I am about to have a complete QA1 Suspension installed on my 67 Dart.
Just a little back ground, it is a 67 Dodge Dart GT, has a 360 and I believe a 727 trans. The front is disk brake.
Will be doing the complete Stage 3 setup. Single adjustable shocks at all 4 corners. Using the large ball joint control arms.
A shop here in Kempner, Texas will be doing the install CT Performance. I will also be installing subframe connectors and replacing all the tie rods, pitman arm and idler arm.
All steering components are worn out and the stock K member was and is cracked. Has been welded before my getting the car and has cracked again. So decided to upgrade all of it.
Let me know what you guys think and as I get the pics taken I will be sure to put them here for everyone to see.
Really curious to see what it all looks like installed, can not find any pics of the rear kit on here.
I have read a lot of mixed expression of the rear kit. most relating to no tire clearance gain and the loss of tail pipes. will let you all know how it all works out.

Look forward to hearing from you guys.
Click to expand...


subscribed, im looking at their rear kit possibly, let me know how it goes
 
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Here is the crack that I spoke of earlier
 
I believe that is a seam from the factory. Original factory welding was not the greatest on these k frames. You should redo all the factory welds and add gussets around the tubes where the lower control arms bolt to the kframe. Firm Feel self a pre made gusset kit to reinforce the kframe. Make sure it is not damaged before spending time on it.

http://www.firmfeel.com/a_body_mopar_k_frame_reinforcement.html
 
Sorry for no new updates, still waiting on parts to show up. So far only the sub frame connectors have arrived. As soon as all parts arrive I will get pics of before and after as well as the pics of the parts.
 
69wacuda and all,

Inapologize for the long wait. I have been waiting on parts and for the shop that is helping me with install to have a weekend free. Well that time is this weekend, unless something changes today.
I have my fingers crossed that tomorrow evening I will have pics to post up.
I appreciate your interest.
 
No problem, I myself am currently waiting on parts. I ordered some hotchkis suspension parts from summit about a month ago and they still haven't drop shipped yet. The waiting game is the worst!:BangHead:
 
Are you installing the compete QA1 system on the car?
 
Well.. Something changed we will not being doing the install this weekend. Will let you guys know when we it happens.
 
Well everyone that may be keeping a eye on this thread.. Last weekend we began installing the rear kit. Everything went it actually pretty easy...The only issue we have at the present moment is that they did not send the proper Pan Hard Bar.. Was not happy about that at all. Currently working with QA1 and the Vendor the kit was purchased from to try and get the Pan Hard Bar.
There was one more small issue, we had to clearance the bracket for the frame brace going to the rear of the car. It connects to the bottom of the frame brace that you bolt into the frame rails and then extends to the rear of the car and connects to a bumper brace bolt. The connection on the frame piece was too thick for the pivot mount to attach too..Mostly I believe to powder coat and maybe an inconsistency in the thickness of the metal used. Not a really big deal.
So far over all I am happy with the kit. Waiting a little over 8 weeks to get the kit and finding out that you did not get ALL the parts is a little frustrating...but hey crap happens. There were a few bolts that were not the correct length according to the directions.
Sorry for no pics at this point, I will attempt to upload some tonight..Did not get very many and they were very bad..Will do better over the weekend.
Thanks again for your interest.
 
Real interested to get your thoughts on the feel after you are done. I'm considering their full front kit.
 
Craig67 said:
Hello everyone,

Just thought that I would start a post as I am about to have a complete QA1 Suspension installed on my 67 Dart.
Just a little back ground, it is a 67 Dodge Dart GT, has a 360 and I believe a 727 trans. The front is disk brake.
Will be doing the complete Stage 3 setup. Single adjustable shocks at all 4 corners. Using the large ball joint control arms.
A shop here in Kempner, Texas will be doing the install CT Performance. I will also be installing subframe connectors and replacing all the tie rods, pitman arm and idler arm.
All steering components are worn out and the stock K member was and is cracked. Has been welded before my getting the car and has cracked again. So decided to upgrade all of it.
Let me know what you guys think and as I get the pics taken I will be sure to put them here for everyone to see.
Really curious to see what it all looks like installed, can not find any pics of the rear kit on here.
I have read a lot of mixed expression of the rear kit. most relating to no tire clearance gain and the loss of tail pipes. will let you all know how it all works out.

Look forward to hearing from you guys.
Click to expand...


I found the shock towers in my original /6 '68 Barracuda were cracked at the spot welds near the top where they attach to the inner fenderwells. I welded them solidly to the inner fenders, installed the complete US Cartool Chassis Stiffening Kit including tieing the front frame rails together just behind the radiator and fab'd up my own Monte Carlos bar that bolted to the pinch weld above the wiper motor and to a pair of angle iron attaching points that bolted to the mid-fender mounting bolts on either side of the car.

The transformation of the car was dramatic!. I used Firm Feel's 1" torsion bars, front and rear sway bars and steering box up front with a pair of right side SS Springs and a 1" lowering block in the rear. Koni shocks on all four corners settle the car down with a compliant and stable ride.

While at Willow Springs the day before Spring Fling in LA, I had a chance to see how all this helped the car. It was then I discovered that without going to a 17" or 18" wheel with some very short sidewall tires, I could never load the car to it's full suspension potential. Don't get me wrong, the car handled great, but when out on the course with any other modern or well set-up and properly wheeled cars, there was just no contest. This is contrasted to Steve's well set-up '68 notchback with low profile wheels.

On the open road, I would not want those track style tires & wheels on the car, as it would never hook up as good out of the hole or be able to absorb a lot of the harsh road surface imperfections that are out in the real world.

I was spanked on the road course by all the new Challengers, but annihilated the Scat Pack Challengers and even spanked a Hellcat in the flag drop drag race. I was running Nitto Drag Radials, and they had their factory tires on. My point is wheels and tires make a huge difference in what you are trying to achieve.

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Here a few pics of the frint components. This not all of them but some. The dinamic strut fods were installed as well. No pic yet of that. Currently waiting on lower ball joints to arrive.. I screwed up and forgot to order them.
Only part in the front not getting changed is torsion bars and spindles. Car already has disc brakes in front. They are in good shape.

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I apologize for the crappy pics, but here are some of the rear. Still waiting for the pan hard bar. Apparently QA1 sent the wrong bar with my rear kit.

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Well here are last of my pics.. 2 of the mounting for K Member and the other is of the rear mounting point for the frame piece.

Hope you gus like it. When I get it aligned and a chace to drive Inwill let you guys know how it works.
 
really REALLY nice stuff - - makes me almost wish summer was over so I can start the next phase of updates to my car... which is very likely to be some front suspension work - my wife is gonna freak out when she sees me taking stuff apart again on my "it's not a project car" car... LOL
 
Appreciate the posts.. All the parts have been very nice! only thing I do not really care for is they do not use Grade 8 hardware! But I am not an engineer so I guess it will be okay. Hope to have more pics next week end. Waiting for my son to get off work so we can pull apart front spindles and clean them and inspect and repack wheel bearings
 
Looking through your thread and noticed the QA1 stuff. I have just installed their control arms and strut rods on my 70 Dart. One strange thing happened with the camber bolts from QA1. I had just put the car on the ground and made my first adjustment to the camber bolts and the bolt actually cut through the washer. The flat edge just plowed through the washer making threads and not turning the washer. I only used a wrench by hand so not a case of over torqueing. Pain in the you know what to get off now. I have sent them an email with pics and waiting for their reply. Hopefully not a wide spread problem. Otherwise their stuff is real nice.
 
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