73 Sahara take it or leave it Build Restoration

[07GTIMYFAST]

this thread needs updates...

Really I have no updates, started back school full time along with work full time. Only thing I have done is snagged a E36 diff cover from pull-a-part for the e30 diff swap. Still need to find an e30 lsd.

I find myself doing thermodynamics, nuclear engineering, and computer aided engineering/analysis homework in my free time.

Once I pick up the e30 diff I will slowly start fabricating the drive-train components and will provide updates at that point

[07GTIMYFAST]

quick draw up of the front struts I am going to build, coil-overs with a single bellow bag on top, Going to run high pressure to the bag to allow for coil-over like ride control.

[CubbyChowder]

do you know what bag you will be running for the front? I'm considering running a Universal Air Aero Sport "bag over coil" setup with rabbit shocks in shortened strut housings using an aluminum adjuster sleeve in the front so I can adjust the bag for the best pressure rates at ride height. I'd have to measure everything out and figure out where I need to cut/weld/etc.

This is the adjuster:

http://www.colemanracing.com/Adjuster-Sleeve-Coil-Over-P4565.aspx

For the rear I'm thinking an Air House II bag would be best. What are your thoughts?

[07GTIMYFAST]

do you know what bag you will be running for the front? I'm considering running a Universal Air Aero Sport "bag over coil" setup with rabbit shocks in shortened strut housings using an aluminum adjuster sleeve in the front so I can adjust the bag for the best pressure rates at ride height. I'd have to measure everything out and figure out where I need to cut/weld/etc.

This is the adjuster:

http://www.colemanracing.com/Adjuster-Sleeve-Coil-Over-P4565.aspx

For the rear I'm thinking an Air House II bag would be best. What are your thoughts?

I have seen people run those but I am not to sure about the reliability of the seal.

I am possibly running one of these in the front: http://www.x2industries.com/air-bags-1000lb-single-bellow-air-bag-38-port-air-bag-p-1646.html

I am waiting on a reply from the company to get specs on the top and bottom configuration.

The strut tube is 1.8" OD so keep that in mind when going with your sleeves.

I am cutting my own sleeves and collars on the lathe then fabricating something similar to the drawing in the above post, shortened struts with rabbit inserts. This will allow me to maintain coilover handling and give me ~ 3" of air adjustment in the front Plus about 3-4" of sleeve adjustment.

I have not decided on the rear yet, when I did the rear a few years ago I just cut the spring keeper and made a upper bracket for a standard 2500 double bellow bag, it worked well and was super cheap.

The airhouse 2 looks like it would work, keep in mind shorter shocks will be needed and you can cut down about 3/4" off the lower spring mount on the control arm as long as the bag does not slide over the bottom keeper. Cutting the upper spring keeper will be needed and fabrication of a upper bracket. You will have a bunch of negative camber in the rear.

This is how low your car can go with stock shocks (this is my car when it was bottomed out on the shocks) :

Cut down the rear hubs this weekend to fit the rotors and set up the lathe to cut coil-over sleeves testing 13.5 and 10tpi threads with different pitches decided to go with 10tpi ACME threads

also started the bump-steer/ track plates

[CubbyChowder]

I have seen people run those but I am not to sure about the reliability of the seal.

I am possibly running one of these in the front: http://www.x2industries.com/air-bags-1000lb-single-bellow-air-bag-38-port-air-bag-p-1646.html

I am waiting on a reply from the company to get specs on the top and bottom configuration.

The strut tube is 1.8" OD so keep that in mind when going with your sleeves.

I am cutting my own sleeves and collars on the lathe then fabricating something similar to the drawing in the above post, shortened struts with rabbit inserts. This will allow me to maintain coilover handling and give me ~ 3" of air adjustment in the front Plus about 3-4" of sleeve adjustment.

I have not decided on the rear yet, when I did the rear a few years ago I just cut the spring keeper and made a upper bracket for a standard 2500 double bellow bag, it worked well and was super cheap.

The airhouse 2 looks like it would work, keep in mind shorter shocks will be needed and you can cut down about 3/4" off the lower spring mount on the control arm as long as the bag does not slide over the bottom keeper. Cutting the upper spring keeper will be needed and fabrication of a upper bracket. You will have a bunch of negative camber in the rear.

This is how low your car can go with stock shocks (this is my car when it was bottomed out on the shocks) :

Good to know the strut tube diameter, I searched quite a bit earlier and couldn't find any info on it. The car is 40 minutes north of me so I couldn't just go out and measure.

I've also considered just going Air Lift universal air strut route for the front, namely this one:

http://bagriders.com/modlab/products/AIR-LIFT-75562-UNIVERSAL-STRUTS.html

Although these are more expensive, I've seen them run on several older BMW's with great results.

I realize the rear is going to require a lot of cutting, brackets, shorter shocks, etc. I've just heard a lot of good things about the air house II's so I figured those would be a good choice. I honestly haven't looked into it all too much yet, just starting to throw around some ideas. Can't wait to see how you execute the suspension

[07GTIMYFAST]

I have seen people run those but I am not to sure about the reliability of the seal.

I am possibly running one of these in the front: http://www.x2industries.com/air-bags-1000lb-single-bellow-air-bag-38-port-air-bag-p-1646.html

I am waiting on a reply from the company to get specs on the top and bottom configuration.

The strut tube is 1.8" OD so keep that in mind when going with your sleeves.

I am cutting my own sleeves and collars on the lathe then fabricating something similar to the drawing in the above post, shortened struts with rabbit inserts. This will allow me to maintain coilover handling and give me ~ 3" of air adjustment in the front Plus about 3-4" of sleeve adjustment.

I have not decided on the rear yet, when I did the rear a few years ago I just cut the spring keeper and made a upper bracket for a standard 2500 double bellow bag, it worked well and was super cheap.

The airhouse 2 looks like it would work, keep in mind shorter shocks will be needed and you can cut down about 3/4" off the lower spring mount on the control arm as long as the bag does not slide over the bottom keeper. Cutting the upper spring keeper will be needed and fabrication of a upper bracket. You will have a bunch of negative camber in the rear.

This is how low your car can go with stock shocks (this is my car when it was bottomed out on the shocks) :

Good to know the strut tube diameter, I searched quite a bit earlier and couldn't find any info on it. The car is 40 minutes north of me so I couldn't just go out and measure.

I've also considered just going Air Lift universal air strut route for the front, namely this one:

http://bagriders.com/modlab/products/AIR-LIFT-75562-UNIVERSAL-STRUTS.html

Although these are more expensive, I've seen them run on several older BMW's with great results.

I realize the rear is going to require a lot of cutting, brackets, shorter shocks, etc. I've just heard a lot of good things about the air house II's so I figured those would be a good choice. I honestly haven't looked into it all too much yet, just starting to throw around some ideas. Can't wait to see how you execute the suspension

Another thing to keep in mind with a full size bag on the front is the tire hitting the bottom of the bag. So make sure you account for this

[07GTIMYFAST]

Picked up and sold a few things at the swap meet this weekend, mainly a mechanical advance dizzy.

Started shortening/modifying the spark plug extenders

played around with strut/bag design

^^ bag compressed means 3" of spring/shock travel

^^ bag inflated means 0" of spring travel and 3" of bag/shock travel

With this setup It will be limited to driving only when aired out and using the bags for obstacles. might have to look into a different shock to give me more travel.

[07GTIMYFAST]

Picking up e30 lsd and drive shaft today, gonna start getting the drive-train buttoned up.

[davej]

I found this on a search looking for help with a gm alternator that came with my car and was blown away by your build so far! Wasn't able to find an answer to my question yet but was not disappointed after reading the thread. Subscribing for future updates. By the way, any chance you'd be interested in making a duplicate alt. tension bracket? I'll post a pic later of how mine was rigged up, but its not real pretty...

 

 

it's not strong enough and kind of allows the alt./belt to pull back from being squared up. 

Edited November 25, 2013 by davej

[kid2002]

Any updates?

[blake654]

What bags did you use really interest in doing this to mine?