Front End Time.

Well I figured it was about time for an update before Supersport booted me off the author list. I’ve just been too busy to post any updates lately but never fear I have been plugging away on the car.

I’ve taken a break from porting the cylinder heads for the time being. They don’t NEED to be done anytime soon, and porting really is a good project for a rainy day. Since the weather has been KILLER, I’ve started to tear into the cars front suspension.

The plans are to swap out the stock 6-cylinder K-member and brakes and swap then with a late model Mustang GT K-member and brakes. The advantage to this swap is the K-member weights 15lb less plus it’s stronger. The brakes are much more powerful then the stock 4 or 6 cylinder brakes. The rotors are 1 inch diameter bigger with the GT brakes. Note: If I had this to do over again I might consider going with the Cobra brakes are they are 1 inch bigger then the GT brakes – but I wanted to run 15 inch centerlines and those brakes will not fit under these rims.

I purchased that complete K-member with brakes for a whooping $100 and that might be the best money I’ve ever spent on the car. My old Fairmont had a built 302 and those stock 6 cylinder brakes. Now let me too you this - those brakes were barely good enough for that 6 cylinder engine, and where painfully inadequate for that built 302. I can’t even imagine how bad they would be with a super heavy supercharger Big Block engine. Actually I think these GT brakes might be a tad weak for the weight and power of my engine but I am running disk brakes in the rear so I should be OK. You can never go to big on the brakes in my opinion.

Anyway my weekend consisted of cutting the motor mounts off the new K-Member (as I will be running a motor plate setup) and bracing the stock lower control arms. Grinding the old motor mounts flush was a total pain and something I never want to do again. Bracing the lower control arms consisted of welding a piece of metal by the mounting bushings. This is a road racing trick that helps stiffen up the control arm. With the weight of this engine the front suspension needs all the help it can get!

So there you have it, I’ll try to keep the updates coming.

Peace.
Luke 16:19-31
WesleyJ

Stock 6 Cylinder K-member...HEAVY! (free to anyone who wants it)

GT K-member - lighter and stronger (minus motor mounts)

Lower control arm with bracing.

Close up of bracing. (HAHA, gotta do something with the old motor mounts!)

Stock 6 cylinder rotor on the left, GT rotor on the right.