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1975 Plastic fantastic aka Corvette

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  • I remember watching a Dateline or similar TV show about tire pressure, and they used a BMW 3 series with low profile tires in their test. It was eye opening when the low-pressure (20 psi) allowed the wheel to dig into the track surface.... the guy driving was obviously a professional because it started to hook and he immediately countersteered thus keeping the car from flipping.... but, almost....

    I should recast my post, I think it's too close, but what to do about it - lower the arm, simply pretzel bend it (from an L shape to a Z ish shape), or cut, spline and run a more race-orient sway bar set up is what I'm wondering.
    Doing it all wrong since 1966

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    • Still contemplating what to do about the rear bar... but that doesn't mean I don't have stuff I can do

      shiney bobbles


      some assembly required (and no instructions)


      So that leads to a problem - the mechanical fan occupies the same space as this brace goes... good thing I took these off the Buick


      But I ran into another dead end, I have no idea what I did with my fuse panel.... I think Bob (Stiney 2) was right, this car got really wet inside and the fuse panel is going to be a corroded nightmare; and I don't trust glass fuses to run high amp stuff anyway, so I'll put a second fuse panel on the car and be done with it (maybe even a switched 3rd panel).
      Doing it all wrong since 1966

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      • I'm hearing Lawrence Welk.....thank you.
        Of all the paths you take in life - make sure a few of them are dirt.

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        • that's too bad, you should be hearing Y...M....C...A, it's fun to play at the Y....M......C....A
          Doing it all wrong since 1966

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          • You want the sway bar to control arm attachment as close to the ball joint as possible so that it is most effective.

            The problem I have with bending the bar is that you will work harden it and make it more susceptible to breaking. Trust me, you don't want to have a sway bar break in the middle of a corner...I ended up so far out in the weeds that they black flagged the race.

            There is not a lot of wiring necessary for a racecar. Get a kit and rewire the beotch. Otherwise, you'll be chasing electrical gremlins.
            I'm still learning

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            • Originally posted by Bob Holmes View Post
              You want the sway bar to control arm attachment as close to the ball joint as possible so that it is most effective.

              The problem I have with bending the bar is that you will work harden it and make it more susceptible to breaking. Trust me, you don't want to have a sway bar break in the middle of a corner...I ended up so far out in the weeds that they black flagged the race.

              There is not a lot of wiring necessary for a racecar. Get a kit and rewire the beotch. Otherwise, you'll be chasing electrical gremlins.
              uhhh, ball joint? the sway bar in question is on the rear - while I'm not expert in Corvette, I thought all the ball joints were on the front

              and I see you follow my way of doing things, if you're going to go - go big

              at this point, I'm more concerned about vacuum. Brake lights work, head lights work, signals (sort of) work (no one uses their signals here, so it's not like anyone would notice they don't work), interior dash lights work... but without vacuum no pop up headlights

              So, continuing on with other more mundane stuff
              this

              and these came in today

              so now I can put the front suspension together
              I think the ride-height is a tad high, I cut 1/2 coil off to bring it down a bit - but I think I'll hammer on the car for a few weeks before I make a permanent decision on cutting springs


              apparently I can still TIG weld


              this is test fit install


              painted the brackets, set the camber on the rear, now to bleed the brakes, and do something about the rear sway bar, oh and set the toe in good enough to get it to the alignment shop. I did get a memory flash today - I couldn't figure out how I put the tubular control ams on the Buick on "backwards".... they weren't. the cross bar is offset and to get the alignment right on the Buick, required turning the offset the other way.... oh is the alignment guy going to hate me on this car ah well, he'll earn his minimum wage that day.
              Doing it all wrong since 1966

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              • Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post
                that's too bad, you should be hearing Y...M....C...A, it's fun to play at the Y....M......C....A

                The car sings out YMCA, sure.......... but Shiney Bobbles plays Lawrence Welk. I don't argue with the internal voices, especially when they are singing.

                On the vacuum thing, I must have missed what the issue is? Not enough vacuum from the engine?

                Would a vacuum accumulator (like for power brake booster) work? If not, I know I've seen electric conversions for other cars.......they might have even been corvettes. Memory is foggy on that, but I know something is out there for some application.
                Of all the paths you take in life - make sure a few of them are dirt.

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                • 12v vacuum pumps are on all super duty ford trucks, and I'm guessing GM and Dodge as well, surely you can use one of those for your vac issues? (unless it will give you additional electric issues)

                  Nice suspension shiney bubbles/baubbles/bits - whatever you guys want to call them.
                  There's always something new to learn.

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                  • I presume it's a leak, somewhere.... it's recommended to buy 20' of vacuum hose when you're replacing lines

                    it has vacuum to the switch, I have yet to check between the headlight switch (not to be confused with the override switch under the dash) and the storage tank in the front. I do say this, it irritates me much longer and I will be buying an electric actuator and call it good. As it is, I plan on replacing the round with HID lights, thus the door only needs to open 4" rather then the 8" it does now... so whatever this is, we'll call it temporary.
                    Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                    • I think you're experiencing the frustration that drove so many guys to ditch the flip ups and run the clear plastic covers and "inset" lights that were popular.

                      I'm 100% for the electric.

                      My friend went through hell getting his '74 to work right - and that was a complete body off restoration starting with all new parts.
                      There's always something new to learn.

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                      • Doh!!

                        Yep, linkage to sway bar needs to be as far out on the control arm as you can get it.
                        I'm still learning

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                        • Any idea who manufactures an electric headlight actuator conversion ? . My 68 Cougar has the same setup ( vacuum to switch ) .

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                          • I got behind on your thread. I see you weren't paying attention to my class on spring height and stance. tsk, tsk, tsk.

                            How close is too close for your tires to sway bar? When they rub. No science there or lawyer speak on a contract. If one is rubbing the other, you need move one or both.
                            BS'er formally known as Rebeldryver

                            Resident Instigator

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                            • Originally posted by langleylad View Post
                              Any idea who manufactures an electric headlight actuator conversion ? . My 68 Cougar has the same setup ( vacuum to switch ) .
                              I know this lawyer who moonlights as an autohack - he works cheap (and he's easy according to his wife).

                              Originally posted by Scott Liggett View Post
                              I got behind on your thread. I see you weren't paying attention to my class on spring height and stance. tsk, tsk, tsk.

                              How close is too close for your tires to sway bar? When they rub. No science there or lawyer speak on a contract. If one is rubbing the other, you need move one or both.
                              I missed in your thread where you said to make sure the spring was fully seated still, the height was fine for the wheelwell, problem was it'd never make it back into my shop since there is as 3" step onto the concrete... that said, the new spring was shorter then the old spring by a bunch, I cut it down shorter then (the new spring) the "too low" old spring, and it's still 2" higher then before... can you say "worn spring"?

                              So Stiney 2 asked about the spherical joints - nice pieces


                              and this illustrates a point, though I'm not sure what point
                              my sheet of tabs


                              cheapest I could find shock tabs online was 4+ dollars per tab. So I had my laser guy blow out 100 for me, I figured I'd get them in a box - nope, I get them in a tab sheet these cost ~50 cents per tab....
                              Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                              • More work
                                brace installed

                                with 1/8" spacer, the caliper is still off... not sure I care enough to pay to machine a custom spacer

                                Note the double stainless brake line. Why they didn't include a full length is beyond me (wilwood).

                                Had to bend the roll bar in towards the center to give enough clearance for the wider tires (285/40 17)

                                Moved 1" towards the center, it's just enough

                                same story v.2


                                hopefully tomorrow I'll get 10 minutes to drive it. Brakes are bled, will check their operation with a laser heat gun, just need to get the alignment close.

                                Then paint.
                                Doing it all wrong since 1966

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