Just so long as you use nothing like an American Racing Salt Flats. That's what I'm considering for the GT.



Though Cragar makes a much less expensive version:



I was also considering the Rocket Velocity, but I'm not sure I like it as much as the Salt Flats.



I love the Rocket Launcher, but they really need to be spindle mount and on the front of an Altered.



And that Altered would need a Halibrand style wheel in the rear:



I thought you had the Cobra-style wheels all picked out and paid for?



You could always go dirt oval modified:



But if you're really looking to cut unsprung weight, I'd offer those 14" E-T mags I've got stored in my shed. They're LIGHT!!!

The salt flats style was in the running on the first go round. There are nicer versions than American Racing's - but to be honest, it looks to American for what I was thinking about. Don't get me wrong, it's an awesome wheel, but like a torq-thrust, just too hot rod. I was looking at some vintage compomotives last night...nice - or a repro Dunlop racing wheel.

Hit me with the nicer versions, 'cause at $300+ per wheel I'm a bit stumped by the price. The Cragars are $190 per, which are much more reasonable. I'm looking for 17x7, BTW.

You're right, it's hard to beat the price, but I don't like the area around the cap. These are nicer, but I'm sure they are twice the price.

http://www.rocketracingwheels.com/blog/index.php/2011/11/a-true-salt-flats-wheel-the-rocket-igniter-2/

Yeah, but the Rocket only comes in a 15", which is no good for either of us and is why I didn't mention it in the first place.

I didn't know you were going with big brakes. I've seen others, but it is really hard to beat the price.

Changing gears only slightly, I'm struggling with the style of this car. I don't like customs, I think I want to have it be a resto-mod. The engine is staying for now with fuel injection soon and maybe the F cam. Then probably an IRS and a rethink of the front suspension. So the trick is to stage this refit so all this can be done later.

Yeah, I have no idea what I'm doing for brakes but I've got a set of 17" tires I can't seem to sell, so I might be putting them to use.

Spent some time on the Art Morrison website...they have a narrow track IFS setup. I may send them an email. I have to decide if I'm modifying the front end or just leaving well enough alone. If I go that route, I have to cut the front end off to clear the A-arms. I guess I'll just keep working from back to front and see what it brings. If I do re-think the front suspension, then it will be off the road for some time.

Wow - six weeks between updates. You guys will think I'm not working on my car or something. Anyway - I've emailed and called Art Morrison Enterprises only to be annoyed and not enlightened in anyway. I'm not saying they aren't a great bunch of guys and if you have a shoebox you shouldn't buy their frames, but my conversation went like this:

Me: So I have this old Volvo and I'd like it to handle a little better and have power steering. I was thinking about your Sport IFS package.

AME: What are the dimensions - sounds cool...we'll send you a quote for what you want.

Waits 2 weeks...

AME: Here's the quote you asked for.

Me: $5200! Really I only paid $1700 for the car and the suspension isn't terrible. Can you try again with the regular IFS without hubs or brakes (as my brakes are currently better than what was offered). Oh and I weld, so give me the U-Weld it package.

AME: (after another week and a phone call): Sure - that will be $3800 oh and we'll downgrade the sway bar and we've removed the brakes and hubs as you've requested (which is $1200).

Me: So why is this still being welded by you guys? What's the difference between the suspensions I'm getting? What are the parameters (geometry - be specific). The only thing I can see is a smaller sway bar and a smaller diameter on the A-arms.

AME: No comment (still waiting, over a week...)

Well, I get impatient sometimes and I kept looking. From what I can see and after a conversation with Matt, I just can't see how the M2 based systems with their short A-Arms is going to be much better than what's in there now except for the power steering.

I do more and more research and think - well, there are ways of improving what's there by moving the lower pivot out so I can get a rack installed and fabricate longer upper control arms and move them down a couple of inches. Should fix a few things.

Do some more looking around and find Flat Out Engineering and send him an email. Get a response with a request for more info the next day. He even asks for (and receives) a frame diagram (AME didn't ask for one). He says it will work with his system which is based on the C4 series Corvette. By all accounts a pretty nice handling car (though under powered and the early ones needed better brakes - hey it's a Corvette!). The A-Arms, uprights, hubs, brakes etc are all from a donor car and are all forged aluminium. Strong and light is good for handling and unsprung weight. I doubt the fabricated arms are as good, and parts are available locally at your GM dealership. Rebuild kits for these suspensions are just a few hundred dollars and the arms can be polished .

So I find a Corvette bone yard in Ontario and he's got he suspension stuff I need coming my way (minus cross member and rack that I don't need) and I pulled the trigger on the cross member and parts from Flat Out. http://www.flatout-engineering.com/Corvette_Front_Installation_kit.html

I'm going to have to cut off the front frame and weld in a new front section out of 2X4 tube and set the ride height - but that's not all that bad. So while progress has been slow - progress has been made

What's the cost going to be compared to AME?

Yep, things have taken a pretty rapid turn. Good to hear that you've gotten somewhere with this, it seemed that you were going 'round in circles with AME, and aren't spinning your wheels any more. Now that you're back on track, I guess you'll be faced with a few more curves but you'll get them straightened out.

And excuse me as I drift through all of those bad handling metaphors.

So when do I come and exchange one pile of parts for another?

Cross member was $795 and custom rack is $500 - so $1300 plus shipping. The Corvette suspension parts to complete were another $700. So a shade over $2K out the door. By the time I rebuild the suspension parts and get things set up it will be another $300 and I may decide to do brakes/rotors for another $700 ish then there is a set of coil overs for $500. Total - $3500 done and installed.

So about $1500 less than AME.

I'm thinking Streetwheelers would be about right. Hopefully I'm going to keep making progress and will have the rear installed by then as well. Bring your truck.

I'm going to put some random stuff up here (I know, quell surprise) - there is a lot going on that most of you don't know about and I don't really have time to chronicle it all. Progress has been slight lately, but every week, there is progress (there is a list - for those that know me you know what this means). So for random project #1 - the engine.

Starters:

This build thread has the first round of the engine build - this effort puts out 135 hp/133 ft.lbs. at the wheels, and took a very long time to come together. I'm looking for something a little more. The bottom end could hold 100 hp a hole, so time to up the hp a little. This has meant many conversations off line with Phil Singer of MPPE fame. There will be fuel injection, spark control, more cam, more cylinder head and a manifold or two to build. Why do all this you ask...if you figure it out tell me. If it had to make sense I'd drive a Honda.

I pulled a head off a 145 that had seen better days - this is a head that the US basically never saw...a late model B20B casting (my second such find). It's the same as the late model F casting but has no injector holes drilled. I've got one of those as well (well, Dale does), but the injectors will go in the manifold for ease of install.

It went in for cleaning last Friday and was ready for me today. I get them to bead blast the entire head after they've cooked it and removed all the carbon. I knew it was a good head, but I didn't know how good...this is the best one I've seen so far with zero core shift. I was very pleased to see the part lines all in sync and lined up in every dimension.



Note how the pushrod tubes are straight with no lateral shift at the part line (middle).



Check out the intake port...can't hardly feel the part line. These are usually a ridge.



I like it when things start clean!



Short side radius of exhaust port...you will be fixed.



Exhaust port bias - note how the valve guide is not centred in the port.



44 mm intakes.



35 mm exhausts.



Isky 625/626 spring and retainer vs stock.



Here's the plan - install 44/38 valves and those Isky springs, lots of port work and a little weld on the exhaust port floor.

Mmm, that head is nice! Our phone convo last night got my juices flowing too - for most of it I was pacing around the back yard, staring at the GT. A few things to get off my plate first and I can start working on bits of it, can't wait!