59 GM X frame rear suspension theory

Well we wanted to have a cool/fun car we could race.We learned with all the engine, car , fuel, boost ,year combo's there are over 3000cl***es . There is a cl*** for any car or motorcycle.
LSR is the most relaxed fun racing I have done . It's not expensive it's cheap thrills . Records are expensive .Competing not so much.
Of course the Xframe is not ideal or the land yacht body but how fast do you want to go in something that is not a pure race car?
We have street legal old iron and will be happy to see 155mph.
Torque is a small issue easily managed . Our hanger bearing failed post race we think it was bearing quality not twist.
Old cars are fan favorites too.



In our case we went faster than the high dollar cars having a bad day which seems to be the case with a lot of complicated tuning.

 

yes, the later big car brakes also bolt on, and to a Vette if needed, BUT the big car calipers are different from the Vette calipers and take a different brake pad, that are RARE and EXPENSIVE. Vette stuff is, while, they ain't a dime a dozen, they are .20 a dozen, still cheaper than the big car parts. And yes stainless sleeves are a VERY GOOD IDEA. I do mine out of habit...

 

$25 a set at rock auto doesn't seem that expensive...

 

wow i just checked rock auto and D3 pads ARE 20.00-25.00 a set, back in the late 90's, (the last time i used the bigcar brakes), they were 90.00-120.00 a set IF you could find them. Times have changed.

 

Yes, that's the plan.

We all know an X frame 59 impala is not the ideal choice to build a land speed racer from, I'm not trying to argue that. This treo of cars is being built for and in conjunction with the mechanical shop that I sub all the mechanical tuning, testing, inspection Ect... That I have done for my restoration company. The owner of the other shop has a thing for 59ish GM iron and approached me about helping him build a LSR and el Catalina.(The wagon abortion with the 500ci caddy motor, truck arms with a 14b and 3/4 ton truck front suspension is my idea spawned from all the leftover parts I see kicking around and my sick love for wagons) My response was "we need a LSX and a big turbo" then he told me he wanted to build a 59 impala because legend has it that the horizontal fins made the car lift off the ground which is BS because they cleaned up in NASCAR. Anyway that's his dream, I told him we have to design the car around the rule book, it's on it's way. I'm in the business of making dreams come true not trying to snuff them out. I think part of the want to build that car is more about the challenge than the degree of difficulty. If its not a challenge then what's the point? Then your just going through the motions and building another car. Obviously we're not going to set any major records but ill bet he's going to go pretty fast and have a huge grin on his face while doing it. Pretty sure that's all that matters. (And maybe there will be a bad *** 3/4 ton wagon push starting it..... Or the duramax but where is the fun in that.)

 

If you are set on LSR, you and the owner should take a trip to Speedweek (if you haven't) and hang out helping a crew or two. Do this BEFORE starting the car. You will learn a ton.

 

FOXHOLE, I'm sayin' YES!!! go for it. I also have a "closet" love for '59 Chevys, having owned 4 of 'em. Even a real 348 4 speed Biscayne 2 door post. THAT was a fun car.

 

He just got back from speed week, my experience is limited to building a couple spec cages for SCTA events, shovelnose and a porche and that was years back but been doing KOH type stuff lots in past ten years and I'm sure the evolution of cage technology and design crosses over from a strength perspective, just different style and specs.

Don't worry bout the LSR that's not really the point of this thread, depending on cl*** we choose rear suspension may have to stay stock anyways. Point was constructive criticizing of rear suspension concept. Nothing that has been brought up seems of any concern. Mostly supprised no one has mentioned the first two stumbling blocks I ran across being floor pan modifications and Exaust routing.

 

Yeah, the floor pan will need modifying but not really a problem on the El Camino because it doesn't need the rear footwell so it would be easy to raise the floor up. The exhaust on mine kicks out in front of the rear wheels so I'd probably just leave it like that if I went with truck arms. I definitely think it has potential to be a good upgrade from the stock rear suspension without requiring too much modification to the frame.

 

Talked to the owner of the CNC plasma fab shop I deal with for off road stuff over the weekend at an off road comp we were both involved in. As soon as I can set specifications and dimentions we are going to blast out some plates and bump them around a bit in the press brake and weld them together. Might just order some brand new repop arms and maybe give it a trial in the camino. I have always found it takes less time to just build a 1:1 scale model and try it in real life.

 

Cool, look forward to seeing this progress!

 

This. Best piece of advice in the thread.

 

when I did it on my wagon ,i just beefed up the stock mounts and moved them forward , here are some pictures





This Is after it was moved

 

That's awesome, how did the coil spacing width wise work out, that was my next concern for mock up. How's it handle? Worth it? Any other issues you encountered?

Love the hood by the way.

 

thanks , I don't have it on the road yet , still working on it , I went with bags , so no coils , the only other draw back was the exhast was interesting because the trailing arms are in the way now . I have pics of what I did to solve that problems as well , there in my build thread somewhere

 

also if your planning on slamming yours , like I did mine , youll have to move the rear back about 2 inches so the wheels don't run into the front part of the wheel wells when lowered

 

If you are going to use the turbo 400 trans and install a one
piece driveshaft(atleast with a 9" ford diff), you will need to cut
the bottom of the rear of the x forward about 12" and add a taper
wedge on each side for driveshaft clearance. I think the emergency
brake cable brackets will need to be trimmed or relocated to be
able to run a 3" or larger driveshaft. Trying to remember when we
did this in the 59 El Camino.

John

 

Thanks for the pics Cody. Such a *****in' wagon!

 

subscribed... great work!