Technical Av8 suspension (you've got to see this)

Before anyone says anything, I got this thing cheap and it's a damn good car. The guy who built it did not know what he was doing. But it's got a bitchin body and one of the best running 8ba flat ties I've ever seen.

Ok. Two parts here.

1. Front axle is shot. Kingpin wiggles in the axle. Apparently previous owner (who didn't know shit, as post goes on, you'll figure this out) has the original axle dropped by okie Joe in Oklahoma. Spindles are straight but axle was not bent with enough camber. See pic. Plus, kingpin wiggles in the axle I have to replace it. So, this axle is a 48". Can I go with a 47 or 48 ? What will interfere with current set up. Car has cross steering.

2. Ok this is where it gets good. The "builder" put a stock spring on top of an s10 axle, with coilovers and some weird 4 link thing. No panhard bar. He welded some makeshift assed bracket too the diff housing. Pinion angle is terrible. Also has some weird ass jerry rigged stay ball thing. I'm ditching all this crap but keeping some. Should I keep coil overs or buggy spring. Both require much needed fab work. I just want the most reliable set up. Thanks.

 

I have seen way worse...Busy rear end!

 

The sign in the background seems to fit pretty well...

 

3 degrees, 30 degrees........what the difference?
good looking car.

 

Maybe a 39 tranny hooked to a 36 rearend with model A brackets welded to the ends with a shortened torque tube and shaft with a model T spring. Get Vern Tardels book. It has more info than a stack Of Tex Smith books. Someone on the HAMB makes bolt on model A spring perches. Put new

 

Are you sure the axle itself is shot and not just a case of kingpin bushings being completely worn out.

 

Doesn't really matter, don't want to screw with bending that one for camber issues. 300 bucks buys a new one.

 

Sorry got cut off, RE-bush your spindles and ream with a reamer from one of the suppliers. Fin a 32 or 33 to 34 wishbones intact and make a ball joint mount for the front end. The stretched ends look good from here. Glynn.

 

How's the ride with that pinon set up?

 

looks like an original build from.......what date ?

 

Rides stiff. Built in 2014.

 

Would you keep the spring or coilovers ?

 

For zero money you can resize the kingpin. Its pretty easy to do. I got a nice dropped axle that was bent twice. Looked like a shallow S. A few minutes in the press and it looks great. Been on my 35 pickup for 22 years

 

If that axle was bent in Oklahoma by 'Okie Joe' or Sid, better check for a bent spindle! Those guys are aces.
(Hate to see their work go 'misunderstood' for a China Smith cast special!)

 

It was okie Joe. And the spindles are straight. Axle was bent wrong

 

It's getting replaced by a so cal or a p&j

 

you must have a lot of money to throw around. you can fix it at home for no cost

 

Traditional= banjo and transverse spring.

 

If it's dropped wrong, Joe is the type of guy to fix it and make it right. I have one of his 5" drops and it's dead nuts. I'm not saying folks don't make mistakes, though. If you've got the money to spend, then do what trips your trigger. Time can most definitely be money, it most definitely is in my line of work.

If you don't want that Okie Joe axle, I'll pay shipping to my joint! I'm serious!

 

When in doubt, add more..........SPRINGS!

 

My ex-wife had one of those!!

 

A lot going on there and all wrong. For a start the wishbones need to point up and not down. Dismantle it all and do it right this time around.

 

You got a lot of good stuff in one place there just looks like it needs to be sorted out. Good score.

 

Crikey there is some bad engineering in there. I'm with Adam good score just sort out all the bad stuff.

 

Nice looking coupe.

 

Looks like its a "grab-bag" of drive line angles too. Wow.

 

That rear end is amazing. Looks like someone started off with the right idea and then just kept bolting/welding stuff on. Weird. Shouldn't take too much to sort it out thought, looks like you have almost everything you need. you might want to give Joe a ring about the front axle. I've had two dropped by him both of them were spot on. I found him to be very helpful and easy to work with.
Over all looks like a great start, not sure about the pistons as bumpers or the horn placement but you have a good starting point.

 

...considering all the "bad", that's not a bad lookin car, with the rite corrections, you'll have a nice ride there, good luck.

 

X2 on the Tardel book, buy it, read it, do it. Btw. lose the pistons on the front. Use a buggy spring and chuck the coil overs. My pops just got his a-v8 roadster going (built from the guidelines in Tardels book) and you cant belive how nice it rides with the buggy springs. Crummy picture of the roadster but thats all i have since its on the road.

 

A "modern" axle will look terribly out of place on that car.....just sayin'

Fix the one you have or if totally opposed to that axle; pick up another stock axle and send it to Anson or Joe to be dropped.