front springs for drag racing

Unusual and Unique Performance Mods
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tweaked
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Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2004 8:06 pm
Location: British Columbia

front springs for drag racing

Post by tweaked »

Hi Guys. I'm going to start working on the suspension and looking for ideas and what others are running for front springs. I went to the Moroso site and see different spring rates. Not sure what I should use so doing some research. My cars race weight is around 3550lbs but I'm working on making it lighter.
Roger
65 comet 7.61@96mph 1/8
Made in Canada, Built for speed.
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CALIFORNIA CALIENTE
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Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by CALIFORNIA CALIENTE »

Roger;I have spent way to much time and money on my front suspenion changing springs!! What I settled on is STOCK V-8 springs,roller spring perches,90X10 shocks for a 67-69 Brand X camawhore that uses an 'EYE' on the bottom and the threaded rod on top[like ours]! I welded an eye bolt mount onto the roller perch with the holes facing front and back [same axis as the perch pivot],this allows NO binding in the suspension during travel!PM me if I confused you!!! ROY.
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tweaked
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Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by tweaked »

Thanks Roy, did you use the stock control arms? What did you do for bearings when you rollerised the spring perches? Or did you buy roller spring perches?
Thanks Roger
65 comet 7.61@96mph 1/8
Made in Canada, Built for speed.
Tweaked65 on instagram

https://youtu.be/JCVwEitXSi4


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Aussie Comet 1964
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Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by Aussie Comet 1964 »

Hi Roger, I am using stock springs & suspension with 90/10 competition engineering shocks, & limiters thanks to Roys advice, I have been thinking about roller perches like Roys but have not had time to make them, I like the idea of the bottom "eye" shock mount, as I have just broken my bottom shock mount on my drag week trip & had to weld it back together, they didn`t put enough weld on originally (they are only cheap shocks). John
1964 Comet Caliente 2DR hardtop 302cu C4 10.61 @ 126.68mph
1964 Comet Caliente 2DR hardtop project
1964 Fairlane 500 4 dr daily driver
1964 700 Mercury Truck
1964 Comet Ranchero

CALIFORNIA CALIENTE
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Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by CALIFORNIA CALIENTE »

Roger;I had a friend make mine,he runs a Stock Eliminator 428CJ in NHRA,I believe there are commercially available roller perches now!! What he did was take the rubber out and off of the center pin,takes out the bolts,then presses it into a bronze bushing,he cuts a small groove around the bushing in the center,he drills and taps a hole in the perch to coincide with the groove,then greases and installs the whole thing into the perch using a zerk fitting plug in the threaded hole to center the bushing !I use stock upper control arms and I fabricated lower control arms that use threaded adjusters and heim joints,alignment is through the lowers,no shims required!!Front end is very compliant now,moves up and down with NO binding or having to overcome vulcanized rubber,would imagine it may get noisey and wear out quickly in daily street use!! ROY.
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Lip Ripper
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Location: Lake Placid, Florida

Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by Lip Ripper »

My 62 was nothing like Roy's Hotrod but I just took the right front shock off and heat treated my springs a little bit to settle it down. It was far from a wheel stander but it transferred and hooked well.
66 Cyclone GT; 245/60R15's on 15x8's and 215/70R15's on 15x7 Magnum's.
There's nothing like the sound of a pushrod V8 singing at the top of her lung's.

CALIFORNIA CALIENTE
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Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by CALIFORNIA CALIENTE »

If it works for you then that is all that matters!!That is a modification I have never heard of!! Just the right side? ROY.
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popscomet
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Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by popscomet »

FOR what this is worth,years ago when building a mud drag truck,I bolted the engine stands to a 460 and with the c6 trans bolted to it,I set it down in a 1969 swb pu,I moved the whole thing over as far as I could to the PASS side and still kept the drive line at a decent angle,then I welded the stands to the cross member and modified the trans mount,then I took a drive shaft and cut to length and welded a plate on each end and bolted it to the floor on the pass side on the other end I bolted a ratchchet shifter and mounted the tach above the glove box,,my son drove and I shifted it,put a 650 welded gear in the rear ,,we had a blast,all my son had to do was cut a good light and nail it and I watched the tach and shifted .I painted it blue and white,cut the letters at the paint shop at the RR, called it TOXIC WASTE !! :D pop 8)
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tweaked
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Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by tweaked »

Well if Roy and John are both using V8 springs I will leave mine as is. Both are fast comets. But I will do the spring perch mod.
Roger
65 comet 7.61@96mph 1/8
Made in Canada, Built for speed.
Tweaked65 on instagram

https://youtu.be/JCVwEitXSi4


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CALIFORNIA CALIENTE
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Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:57 am
Location: Camarillo,California

Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by CALIFORNIA CALIENTE »

Roger;you will not believe how the roller spring perches free up the front end!!! ROY.
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Lip Ripper
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Location: Lake Placid, Florida

Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by Lip Ripper »

Yes Roy, just the right side. The torque pulled hard on the left so I free'd up the right side by removing the shock.
66 Cyclone GT; 245/60R15's on 15x8's and 215/70R15's on 15x7 Magnum's.
There's nothing like the sound of a pushrod V8 singing at the top of her lung's.

CALIFORNIA CALIENTE
Posts: 5933
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:57 am
Location: Camarillo,California

Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by CALIFORNIA CALIENTE »

It is amazing how freeing up the front end makes it work so well! I can see why the factory used so much vulcanized rubber in it's suspensions,but it is a detriment in Drag Racing!! I got a lot of my info from long time Drag Racers who were looking for ways to loosen up the front ends! ROY.
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popscomet
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Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by popscomet »

ROY that also appliies to a dirt car,,,a good handleing car takes less motor,we have less motor then several out there,but our cars handle so good ....WE WIN !!...but most want to throw thier time money and effort into the motor,,we strive to make it handle good....pop
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CALIFORNIA CALIENTE
Posts: 5933
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:57 am
Location: Camarillo,California

Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by CALIFORNIA CALIENTE »

POP;you got that right!!! A race car HAS to handle,has to respond to input from the driver and drivetrain!! ROY.
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popscomet
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Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:19 pm
Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

Re: front springs for drag racing

Post by popscomet »

CALIFORNIA CALIENTE wrote:POP;you got that right!!! A race car HAS to handle,has to respond to input from the driver and drivetrain!! ROY.
FROM time to time for what ever reason in the past during pratice races ,the track owners have put CORY's car in with the v8's,,you want to see some pissed off drivers,when CORY out runs them to the checker flag with that 4cyl,,they just can't believe it!!CORY's car looks like it's on a rail and thier's are dippin and divein and slidin all over the track, :shock: :shock: it tickles the fire out of me to put it on a v8 chevy,,damn that makes my day :D :D :lol: :lol: .......pop
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