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  • Under the headline, I'll take lucky over good every time. Yes, the Camaro unitized bearings bolt directly into the Corvette spindle




    what doesn't bolt is the caliper

    only about 1/2" off...


    trimming is required

    a good hack but not enough

    that's better



    however there's another issue that I don't know if I'm going to (or even can) fix


    notice the perpendicular to the ground?
    not so much up here


    before I get too jiggy with the brakes, though, time to finalize the front suspension by yet another round of balls and measures


    A key point here.... at the moment (other then perpendicular upper control arm issue, I'm well within factory tolerance of 1/8".... 1/32 - the key point is this, don't spend your life trying to make this perfect, there are no perfect roads therefore there is no perfect suspension.
    Doing it all wrong since 1966

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    • more work done
      time to set the uppers


      and a slight issue, the upper arms are too far inboard (1/2" per side)
      no big deal... in other news, Z06 wheels







      no optical illusion.... fronts need about 1" more offset, rear need another 1 1/2" width.
      In other news the rotors don't really clear 19s


      with that said, all I have to do is remove the vibration dampers - put there so people don't whine about rattly brakes (and you won't hear over the 427)... I dunno, I hate to say I may need wider front flares but I may need wider front flares....
      Doing it all wrong since 1966

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      • dagnabit.... but first, success

        my coilovers


        they're less expensive then the QA1s, and are a better product.... good to know, right? and yes, made in USA

        they'll go somewhere around there


        this tool.... I love it but


        all this work you see, I get to do it again



        so here's the deal - I have the shop drawings for the C5 Corvette. I've been using them and following them faithfully. Tonight I started on the move the upper arms out project and thought "that doesn't look right" then "don't argue with your tape measure".... turns out I should have argued with my memory.

        GM gives you the dimensions to the bolt head. The first clue was my Joes alignment level - suddenly the top of the tire was pointing out, I'm setting it up as neutral. Then I had to adjust the toe wayyyyyy out. Whisky Tango Foxtrot, I queried.

        the dimension GM gives across the car from bolt to center to bolt is 19 11/16. That equals 39 3/8 from bolt head to bolt head.... so where did I screw up? I was measuring from flat to flat... that is almost exactly 1" from the bolt head..... so it's out 2".... I should have remembered that because in my research I had to find out the dimension of a bolt head (they're 1/2" tall) and weirdly, it doesn't matter the size of the suspension bolt - they're all 1/2" tall (top to flange)

        So later this week I'll make it 2" narrower then reset the toe where it belongs.... ugh. All is normal with the world because I'm usually the warning
        Doing it all wrong since 1966

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        • Challenges keep you sharp...

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          • here we go again


            chop chop


            now floppy again


            lining up the marks


            tack back together


            dead on



            I've set the alignment cams to zero degrees. I still need to double check the altitude of the front and rear of the upper arm, but once that's done I'll burn it in for real (again again) then start making it look I know what I'm doing ;)
            Doing it all wrong since 1966

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            • man, all that mathing must make your head hurt.

              i know it does mine....

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              • Still liking the concept!
                Patrick & Tammy
                - Long Haulin' 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014...Addicting isn't it...??

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                • Originally posted by fatguyzinc View Post
                  man, all that mathing must make your head hurt.

                  i know it does mine....
                  it's not math... okay, there is some addition and subtraction, but that's not high-function.... the problem is we share the same alleged affliction of Wontfollowdirectionitis - there is no cure, and the affliction is known to be terminal.... I say alleged affliction because I subscribe to the YouDontKnowWhatYoureWritingus - which it seems all crafters of directions seem to suffer from - which would be terminal if anyone finds out who wrote the damn directions.

                  I can even illustrate.

                  I've reviewed my Dakota Digital instructions. No where does it say that you must power/ground directly to the battery. Yet somehow it was my fault when I had problems. Same with Painless Wiring.... they never mention they didn't bother putting the resistor inline to the alternator's field plug.... again, what was I thinking?

                  And seriously, who measures from bolt HEAD to bolt head? While I get I knew and I forgot, by the same token when one deviates from the norm of face to face; they need to have good reason - and a good reason is NOT F**k with the mechanic.

                  Fortunately, I'm over it all and right as rain. Unless I find the designer in a place where his cries for mercy will go unheeded.
                  Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                  • Bolt head to bolt head...SMH... Bolt HOLE... but then there is bolt OVALS...
                    Guess somebody tried to simplify.

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                    • Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post

                      Unless I find the designer in a place where his cries for mercy will go unheeded.

                      I say the same thing when I have to work on the Vic.

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                      • evaporust says 12 hours, 70 degrees.... we will see - this corvette jack was submerged in the back of my Corvette when I got it.

                        it's submerged with my lathe center - I figure that's a fair test....


                        onward... yeah, looks the same


                        I learned a long time ago, you cannot have too many plumb bobs


                        and now...




                        looks the same except now it's where it's going to live



                        hopefully Sunday I'll get this all in place


                        and make the mounts for this



                        Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                        • I look forward to seeing how you tie all this together. Your tenacity and patience are inspiring.
                          There's always something new to learn.

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                          • first some CAD

                            then some lay out

                            dang, I even impressed myself with this freehand

                            then a few bends and fitting


                            which is where I stopped for the night.
                            Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                            • carrying on



                              even clears the radiator support

                              lots of finish welding to do but it's driveable now.... which means I'm taking it apart further



                              time to eyeball for the coil overs


                              tomorrow the springs arrive but I think the next step will be finish bolting the front support in place, cut the 4 body bolts, remove a couple hoses and wires then lift off the chassis.
                              Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                              • springs came




                                time to make a lower control arm mount



                                the rear is going to require a bunch more work to make it work (which really isn't a huge deal - the entire purpose of this was to solve the rear suspension issues and now spend $12,000 for a bandaid).

                                the issue is the shock needs to lean at least 20 degrees over and preferably 30

                                and it will... just have to remove that redundant frame rail

                                front isn't bad, but it has an interesting issue


                                see the stabilizer.... it interferes.... but doesn't on the driver's side.



                                this tank may end up on the car - or at least the expensive bits...


                                in the vein of recycling... I had a bunch of parts cut for a guldstrand rear suspension... not using the system, but the parts make great upper shock mounts


                                Doing it all wrong since 1966

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