1958 Volvo 444 Fenderless build

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Do you or any of the members have any actual experience good or bad with the Helix/ Johnny Law/ Hoffman Group ?
 
I installed one on a 48 gmc for a guy. I made him sign a waver cause he bought the front end parts. I didnt have any problems but it wasnt the most quality stuff
 
More particularly, in one thread a poster said this:
I put one of their control arms through a bandsaw, and found uneven wall thickness, seamed tubing, which appeared to be non-structural pipe.

Link below is directly to the post in question.

Helix corner killer suspension

If you choose to use any Hoffman suspension parts, you're relying on a company who has been known to cut corners and sell inferior products to keep you out of danger at highway speeds. Is that a bet you're willing to take? Just my thoughts.
 
Do you or any of the members have any actual experience good or bad with the Helix/ Johnny Law/ Hoffman Group ?

No experience, but the red flags have been flying all over the boards and forums for years... poor (unknown) materials, poor welds, cheap hardware, poor quality everything as snopro's links can attest. :(

P.S. Any clown by any name can be a Hoffman "dealer". eBay (and other sites) are loaded with "drop shippers" with no actual street address or warehouse.

Caveat Emptor!!!

.
 
I bought a front steer Helix Cornerkiller suspension kit and a 4 bar parallel link rear suspension in September 2019. I ordered from Tom and discussed at length the parts included in the package I bought, as a result I got what I expected. I also talked to tech Jimmy before ordering to make sure everything sounded correct.
They shipped incorrect upper control arms and I had a few small parts missing. I contacted tech named Jimmy and sent pics of everything received. They shipped the correct and missing parts.
I had quite a few questions on installation, again the tech named Jimmy helped me. Later while assembling I found 1 coilover shock to be too stiff but they sent a replacement.
These parts are imports but found the quality to be acceptable and saved a lot of money over alternative manufacturers.
They do not send a packing list with the parts listed (which is a bummer) so you must promptly and carefully lay out all parts and determine if you received all the correct parts and take pictures with all parts laid out. Emailing the pics to them made it easy to correct the few errors.
Ii will be several more months before my project is ready to test drive, I hope everything works as it should.
I give a conditional good recommendation as long as you talk to a salesman and discuss your order in detail before ordering so that you will know what you are supposed to get and if you are
This is my first time for coilovers, all previous projects used factory style springs and shocks.

In the past I have used Chassis Engineering twice and Heidts twice and also the original Pinto/ Mustang II crossmember once, always with factory upper and lower control arms, Dodge Dakota once.
 
More particularly, in one thread a poster said this:
Quote:
I put one of their control arms through a bandsaw, and found uneven wall thickness, seamed tubing, which appeared to be non-structural pipe.
Link below is directly to the post in question.

Helix corner killer suspension

If you choose to use any Hoffman suspension parts, you're relying on a company who has been known to cut corners and sell inferior products to keep you out of danger at highway speeds. Is that a bet you're willing to take? Just my thoughts.

I had to shorten my 4 bar links and found uniform wall thickness, clean inside. I slightly enlarged the inside diameter to fit the 3/4" tap. I oiled liberally while tapping 2 1/2" deep for the threaded ends, took about 30 minutes each to go 2 1/2".

Nice welds on crossmember (picture attached), control arms and 4 bar.

I can't speak for past experience but so far mine has been good. I do have however a small flaw made by their plasma cutter in one of the caliper mounting block holes (picture attached). I don't think the tiny flaw will matter.

I may find some problems when I get the car driving - keeping my fingers crossed.
 

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Beginning of frame build with some temporary braces of EMT conduit
 

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Making progress
Using the Volvo but going to build grill shell and grill from scratch
 

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More progress
Bare metal
Summit black epoxy primer
Summit urethane primer
 

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nice progress--

looks a lot like a old school jalopy dirt track car.

Later:cool:
 

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nice progress--

looks a lot like a old school jalopy dirt track car.

Later:cool:

I luv that look [cl

I spent a lot of time at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Birmingham, AL. Whe I was 12-15 yrs old. It was a 1/2 mile dirt track then.
Local drivers were Bobby and Donnie Allison, Red Farmer (Ford powered), Neil Bonnett and more.
 
Why so much firewall cut out?

.
The existing firewall had large structural braces down to the unibody frame horns that were in the way and no longer needed. I used my plasma cutter to trim the passenger side but the cutting was difficult without damaging the flat metal underneath the brace.
The battery box was in the center of the firewall where the new distributor need to fit.
The bottom 3 " was rust.

I cut the firewall on the S10 and adapted the existing firewall so that the pedal assembly, brake booster/ master cylinder and clutch master cylinder and steering column would be ready to mount.
Other cars I have built had easier shaped firewalls to deal with but then this is a compact car.

On the drivers side I wish I had not cut so much because I had to add a lot of 18 and 20 ga filler metal.
 
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I luv that look [cl

I spent a lot of time at the Fairgrounds Speedway in Birmingham, AL. When I was 12-15 yrs old. It was a 1/2 mile dirt track then.
Local drivers were Bobby and Donnie Allison, Red Farmer (Ford powered), Neil Bonnett and more.


nice you got to see the legends race:D

pic of my dad's race car, a 1937 chevy on the 1/2 mile dirt and l built a tribute jalopy to his memory and mine of the good time we had.

now just gotta paint and letter her. build thread of you want to look up my street legal dirt car.

really like you're build.


Later:cool:
 

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nice you got to see the legends race:D

pic of my dad's race car, a 1937 chevy on the 1/2 mile dirt and l built a tribute jalopy to his memory and mine of the good time we had.

now just gotta paint and letter her. build thread of you want to look up my street legal dirt car.

really like you're build.


Later:cool:

That's great ! [cl
 
Cutout rusty rear inner fenders to make smooth wheel tubs.
Lots going on back there.
The way I built the frame the 4 bar links and E-brake cables are a tittle closer than I wanted.

The narrow S10 rear end will require reversed rims to fit right and look good.
Wheel Vintique 15x7 Rally wheels with no name Police caps with custom 2" back space and tall and skinny 235/75R15 rear tires.
 

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