<VV> Front suspension update

[Bryan Blackwell]

Hi folks,

I've posted a couple bits about the wagon front end, I've now looked over the parts and such and thought I'd post an update.  Some of the things I'm doing are based around what I was able to pick up for cheap, but overall I am happy with the direction I'm headed.  My goal was to get the large late model front sway bar on the wagon, along with freshening up the bushings and ball joints.

I found that the '64 lower control arms have notably less substantial tabs for the sway bar, I assume Chevy beefed them up to cope with the bigger bar.  I like the camber bolt method of adjusting the suspension and got a good deal from Wade Lanning for a solid late front cross member.    The LM lower control arm bushings are also different to go with the camber adjusting bolts, so that meant LM lower control arms.

Bear in mind that converting to late brakes and spindles makes the track wider and requires 5 lug wheels.  Since I have wheels that fit and rebuilt brakes, I wanted to keep the early brakes and spindles.  So, my new hybrid suspension will retain the stock '62 upper control arms, spindles, brake reaction rods, and brakes.  The cross member, lower control arms, shocks, and sway bar are late model parts.  Next weekend I'll refurb the lower control arms and sway bar mounts, then install them loosely onto the crossmember.  I still need to put some thought into shocks, but for the time being I'll put some stock LM shocks on so I can try it out and get an initial feel for the new setup.

--Bryan

Bryan Blackwell | Springfield, Va. | bryan at skiblack.com | http://autoxer.skiblack.com/  
  Corvairs: '62 700 Wagon, '64 Greenbrier, '65 Corsa, '66 Corsa
  '69 Road Runner, '99 Neon R/T, '00 Miata SE, '09 Ford F-150
  Kid cars: '00 Grand Marquis, '99 Miata
"Why do something if you're not going to obsess about it?"