s10 or mustang II?

[bighroder]

Ok so Im starting to gather parts for a build that might take quiet a while depending on where I find a job(graduating technical school at the end of april) Im wanting to do an airbag setup on this build and I'm wondering what would be a better handling suspension mustang 2 or fitting an s10 crossmember to a scratch built frame?

Also where is a good place to find a mustang 2 kits? Ive seen the weld together kits before but I forget who makes them?

Im wanting to do a air suspension with the bags inboard, and no "shock towers" on the outside of the frame eliminating the ugliest part of IFS, IMHO the only thing Im worried about is that the bags might push on the adjustment slots for the top control arms

 

[dmw56]

Mustang II from http://www.fatmanfab.com/

 

[Paul_J]

Mustang II! If you are a decent fabricator you can build your own cross member for a custom MII set up. I have some documents and some links to all the dimensions somewhere. You can also buy the pieces fairly cheap from Paul Horton's Welders Series. Give me some time to find my stuff. In the mean time here's a link to Paul Horton's site.

It sounds like you will be outside the standard build with your air bag set up so you will have to figure that part out but we can probably get you going in the right direction. Can you sketch out what you have in mind? My '54 Beetle is on a custom chassis that has a very modified Art Morisson MII set up that will also be bagged so maybe I can share some ideas.

http://www.welderseries.com/blog/online-store/category/mustang-ii-crossmember-kits/

Mustang II DIY with detailed instructions. Make sure you scroll down to about the third post for the pictures and diagrams. You might have to register to get the drawings.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70073&showall=1

 

[bighroder]

Here is my elementary drawing skills lol I think you can see whats going in tho basically all the suspension would be inside the hood

 

[Paul_J]

Okay I see what you mean about problems with the upper arm adjustments.

Factory five does something similar with their inboard coilovers connected to the upper arm. They make front end adjustment from the lower arm and have the upper arm in a fixed location.

http://www.factoryfive.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/hrrollingchassis-694x413.jpg

Have you considered using a push rod set up connected to the lower arm that would actuate a separate upper/inner arm. That way all of the load would be off the upper arm?

The MII set up steers from the front so the rack would be out there on a fenderless car.

 

[bighroder]

yeah I know the rack would hang out to, and Thats basically where I got the idea from not that exact pic but I think it was a factory 5 car.

Do you think an adjustable lower arm would be easier to get to work? and honestly I have no clue how a linkage system would work.?


I also like the look of a suicide straight axle setup but I dont think they would compare handling wise against a mustang 2? Ive heard they "walk" and twist but thats just earhart I hear I've never driven one I just want a car I can push and throw into a corner when I want

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Here's a pushrod design with an adjustable upper arm...

 

[Paul_J]

Yes! That is what I was trying to explain. The push rod conected to the lower arm removes the load from the top arm. The bell crank transfers the load to the airbag/spring.

The Kugel and Heigt front ends with rear steer use something like a Dodge Omni rack and pinion.