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Location:
Edmonton, AB
Registered:
June 2005
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MX13 Springs/Shocks
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Thu, 09 June 2005 05:47
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Hey guys,
There are no rules or regs here that I must satisfy - I just want to be pleased with the result, make it right.
I'm building up my '76 MX13 with 7M-GE, 5 speed, LSD rear... I have all the drivetrain parts I need but then I want to go so far as to do the 5-lug conversion, 225/50-16's, big brakes, rear discs.
The intent isn't to build a racer but to just have something I can be proud of. Build an old, eccentric's kind-of-MX83; it is a 4-door afterall. The question remains, what to do with the suspension...
Spring rates and shock valving are unexplored territory for me. Could we discuss the theory for choosing spring rates - I imagine there is probably race springs a guy can buy as long as he knows what rate to ask for...
But then shocks... the front KYB gas-a-justs were described as no longer available when I bought them new a couple years ago - they have few miles on them since. Not necessarily high performance but they're better than what was on there prior. Any suggestions from those who've explored this before? I can't imagine anybody still lists front shocks for these...
The rear is a bit more 'standard' in that I could probably utilize a performance shock usually intended for another model - there should still be stuff to choose from.
Since new rear shoes/drums are no longer available, since ball-joints are no longer available - I have to assume I'll be forced to do a disc conversion and change the front-end somehow.
Currently the car sits lowered so that the pan-hard rod is level and the front lower arms are level - it handles the stock 4M power just fine... it's healthy enough for me in stock trim... anybody ever removed the rubber bushings that mount the front sub-frame to the car to make it rigid? Did it foul anything up?
I had been contemplating a 5m-ge swap, but now I have a complete wrecked Supra with 7m-ge to use. I haven't ruled out doing a complete custom makeover with IRS and everything not unlike the suspension on a 86-92 Supra (coilovers?). May not sound practical, but the notion of doing something doesn't scare me. I've been involved in fabbing up custom race suspensions before, I just wasn't the owner/decision-maker and of course it was full-race cars... seems to me if I'm doubling my power output though, I'll eventually want to do something more than what's there now...
Please don't flame me - afterall I'm not building a car here to go racing - but I've had the MX13 a long time, I'm attached to it... at my age I just want to keep it going, enjoy better mileage and driveability... I've driven a Supra and it just isn't practical for me when I got kids and family to shuttle... even though the MX13 will never be more than a summer car now, I ought to keep it practical.
Thanks for listening... hope to discuss some ideas.
Kevin
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