Stude at Maxton, front end mods

[Dwain G.]

Hot Rod Magazine sponsors a 'Top Speed Challenge' at the Maxton Mile. August HRM has a little feature on several of the cars. A non- Stude powered (but lo-buck) '54 coupe ran 152 with 3.55 gears! Most interesting is his front suspension modifications, intended I suppose, to improve straight-line stability. Article says it is a mix of stock lower control arms, and late model Crown Vic upper control arms and spindles.


HEY, you're not Wilbur!

[DEEPNHOCK]

Andrew has conversed here, and over on Sonny's forum a few times.
I remember steering him over to the last IM in PA when he was collecting parts for his project.
Joe Roberts probbly knows more about this car firsthand, as Joe works at the Maxton races as much as he can...
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by Dwain G.

Hot Rod Magazine sponsors a 'Top Speed Challenge' at the Maxton Mile. August HRM has a little feature on several of the cars. A non- Stude powered (but lo-buck) '54 coupe ran 152 with 3.55 gears! Most interesting is his front suspension modifications, intended I suppose, to improve straight-line stability. Article says it is a mix of stock lower control arms, and late model Crown Vic upper control arms and spindles.

[ChampTrucking]

Lets hear/see some details on the suspension mods! Cool!

[tim87114]

That's interesting. I have a CV spindle, caliper ect from when I used a PI crownvic for parts. The front hub is a straight type, not tapered. So the bearing and hub is one assembly. The Brake rotor on the PI interceptor is the same size, bolt pattern and thickness as my 2005 jeep wrangler. They are massive brakes.

The spindle it self has a keyway type setup for the upper balljoint. There is a "pinch" bolts as best as I can describe it. The ball joint has a groove on only, no taper. The pinch bolt goes through the upper spindle through the groove portion of the ball joint. When you tighten the pinch bolt it squeezes the balljoint "tapered" area to hold the arm to the spindle. It is really easy to service those front ends.
On the 92-93 the ball joint was actually two pieces, The ball joint was cast into an assembly that had two holes in it that bolted it to the Upper a-arm. It used one normal nut/bolt and then an eccentric headed nut on the back bolt to help with adjustment.

The newer cars use more of a contemporary press in ball joint. Here are the differences. First the 2006 CV interceptor

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/productdetail.aspx?MfrCode=MCQ&MfrPartNumber=FA4099&PartType=2070&PTSet=A

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=MOO&MfrPartNumber=K8600&PartType=85&PTSet=A

It would be interesting to see what Year suspension he used.

[JRoberts]

quote:Originally posted by DEEPNHOCK

Andrew has conversed here, and over on Sonny's forum a few times.
I remember steering him over to the last IM in PA when he was collecting parts for his project.
Joe Roberts probbly knows more about this car firsthand, as Joe works at the Maxton races as much as he can...
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by Dwain G.

Hot Rod Magazine sponsors a 'Top Speed Challenge' at the Maxton Mile. August HRM has a little feature on several of the cars. A non- Stude powered (but lo-buck) '54 coupe ran 152 with 3.55 gears! Most interesting is his front suspension modifications, intended I suppose, to improve straight-line stability. Article says it is a mix of stock lower control arms, and late model Crown Vic upper control arms and spindles.

You know the suspension never came up when we spoke about the car. He wasn't down for the May meet. Next time I see him I will try to remember to ask about the front end set up on the car.

Joe Roberts
'61 R1 Champ
'65 Cruiser
Editor of "The Down Easterner"
Eastern North Carolina Chapter

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by Dwain G.
A non- Stude powered (but lo-buck) '54 coupe ran 152 with 3.55 gears!

Assuming no OD and 27" tires, he was turning over 6700 RPM's [:0]

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[wheels777]

168.202
3.25:1 gears with 25.2" tires at 7300

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o6vlIwC-1E