joez
Kinda New
Posts: 6
|
|
Feb 26, 2021 13:37:57 GMT
|
Hello,
I'm in the process of starting a project with a 1979 Chrysler Sunbeam.
I'd appreciate any advice from where I can find lowering springs and uprated shocks for this car.
Thanks JoeZ
|
|
from Malta,
1968 Vauxhall Viva HB 1971 Opel GT 1974 Ford Escort Mk1 1972 Ford Capri Mk1 1987 BMW 316 1979 Chrysler Sunbeam 1972 Toyota Celica 1994 Mazda Rx7 1992 Honda Civic 2003 Subaru Impreza Sti 2004 Landrover Freelander TD4
follow me on Instagram @ jz_auto_malta
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 26, 2021 13:45:42 GMT
|
The rears need to be Avenger/Sunbeam specific, from a specialist.
The good news is that Escort/Capri ones fit the front struts, which means they're cheap and readily available in lots of different combinations.
A 145lb, -2" Capri front spring in a new, stock strut(or insert) with 195lb rears is good for a road car.
|
|
|
|
joez
Kinda New
Posts: 6
|
|
Feb 26, 2021 13:53:14 GMT
|
Thanks for the reply nickwheeler,
so if I'm understanding well,
Rear Shocks - Avenger/Sunbeam specific Rear Springs - Avenger/Sunbeam specific 195lbs
Front Shocks - Capri Front Springs - Capri 145lbs
|
|
from Malta,
1968 Vauxhall Viva HB 1971 Opel GT 1974 Ford Escort Mk1 1972 Ford Capri Mk1 1987 BMW 316 1979 Chrysler Sunbeam 1972 Toyota Celica 1994 Mazda Rx7 1992 Honda Civic 2003 Subaru Impreza Sti 2004 Landrover Freelander TD4
follow me on Instagram @ jz_auto_malta
|
|
|
|
Feb 26, 2021 14:26:14 GMT
|
Thanks for the reply nickwheeler, so if I'm understanding well, Rear Shocks - Avenger/Sunbeam specific Rear Springs - Avenger/Sunbeam specific 195lbs Front Shocks - Capri Front Springs - Capri 145lbs Sorry, I should have been more specific: Capri/Escort springs fit the front, everything else is Avenger, but that's already better than the Ford parts. None of it is difficult to find It's well worth reinforcing the rear suspension arms too.
|
|
|
|
|
joez
Kinda New
Posts: 6
|
|
|
|
|
from Malta,
1968 Vauxhall Viva HB 1971 Opel GT 1974 Ford Escort Mk1 1972 Ford Capri Mk1 1987 BMW 316 1979 Chrysler Sunbeam 1972 Toyota Celica 1994 Mazda Rx7 1992 Honda Civic 2003 Subaru Impreza Sti 2004 Landrover Freelander TD4
follow me on Instagram @ jz_auto_malta
|
|
joez
Kinda New
Posts: 6
|
|
|
Thanks for the reply nickwheeler, so if I'm understanding well, Rear Shocks - Avenger/Sunbeam specific Rear Springs - Avenger/Sunbeam specific 195lbs Front Shocks - Capri Front Springs - Capri 145lbs Sorry, I should have been more specific: Capri/Escort springs fit the front, everything else is Avenger, but that's already better than the Ford parts. None of it is difficult to find It's well worth reinforcing the rear suspension arms too. Understood, thanks again!
|
|
from Malta,
1968 Vauxhall Viva HB 1971 Opel GT 1974 Ford Escort Mk1 1972 Ford Capri Mk1 1987 BMW 316 1979 Chrysler Sunbeam 1972 Toyota Celica 1994 Mazda Rx7 1992 Honda Civic 2003 Subaru Impreza Sti 2004 Landrover Freelander TD4
follow me on Instagram @ jz_auto_malta
|
|
|
|
|
Many many options for the Chrysler/Talbot Sunbeam/Avenger;
Lets start at the front:
Fit Poly Bushes.
The damper is an insert and is easily replaced, the trick is finding a new insert! Spax do new adjustable inserts (Larkspeed seem to be best price) and they fit a standard strut body easily and quickly. The other option is a Bilstien insert but you need a modified strut body for that, sometimes they come up on eBay and they can be bought new from Avenger/Sunbeam specialists. Then the Bilstien insert can be fitted easily.
With the Spax its easy to adjust but the Bilstiens are a fixed rated.
A Sunbeam will have struts with cup seats for the spring an Avenger had flat pans for the spring initially but then changed to cup. Ford spring will fit the flat pan - sort of! - but doesn't really fit the cup seat. However, if you are handy with a grinder and a welder they can be swapped or fabricated. A 10" spring gives a good ride height, 9" if the roads are good.
Spring rates; Avenger Tiger and Sunbeam TI were 100lb, and uprated road generally was acknowledged to be 145lb. Although 175lb was often used. Anything harder is an acquired taste for the road.
Bilstien; 250/80 (called Forest rate) or 280/80 (Tarmac rate Hard) are the ones generally available today - it was possible once to get lower rates for the road and if you buy direct from Bilstien you still can.
The Rear:
Fit poly bushes.
Damper is an eye at the bottom and pin at the top. Word on the street is that Vauxhall Nova will fit but i have never tried. Spax again or Bilstien. Same rates again. Bilstien dampers come in two lengths, short foe Tarmac and Long for Forest!.
The rear spring is a smaller diameter spring and again can be purchased new from the specialists. Avenger Tiger used a 240lb rear and the TI used a 195lb (i think? or was it 210lb??). Anyway 195lb was a favourite for the Forest. Tarmac and road would use 210lb or 240lb. Some say 210" for the shorter rear overhang of the Sunbeam. I like a 240lb. 10" or 9" length springs for low height.
Brakes:
Because you will ask about those next :-) Use Cortina Mk3/Escort RS200 M16 front callipers as they bolt on directly. Then use a RS2000 disc or even a Capri 2.8i disc but you will need to space the caliper. Calipers are available new in both normal or with spacers.
For my taste i would use a 195lb front/240lb rear both at 9" BUT like a low car that is stiff on the road - My last road Avenger/Sunbeam used 225lb front springs. From memory i didnt find the Maltese roads to be conducive to a low stiff car though....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brakes: Because you will ask about those next :-) Use Cortina Mk3/Escort RS200 M16 front callipers as they bolt on directly. Then use a RS2000 disc or even a Capri 2.8i disc but you will need to space the caliper. Calipers are available new in both normal or with spacers. The M16 calipers bolt straight on, but Ford discs don't. You need to redrill the disc PCD to match the back of your hubs. That doesn't take long, although it does break the rule of not modifying consumable parts. I used the complete 2.8i disc/caliper/pad combination from Rallydesign, which was a bargain at £140 several years ago. As Nev mentioned, they now sell new calipers that don't need spacers for the vented disc. It's about as much brake as you'll fit under 13" wheels without a lot of grief, and works really well on the lightweight Avenger If you're going to larger than 13" wheels, then the usual Capri upgrades of RS turbo/Sierra discs and calipers apply. I've always found the basic adjustable shocks to be a waste of money on roadcars; Spax have 14 settings, but once you turn them past 4/5 you might as well replace them with a solid rod. But I also dislike stiff springs, my Capris(and other cars) always handled and rode better on 50% lower spring rates and new, stock shocks than friends used.
|
|
|
|
joez
Kinda New
Posts: 6
|
|
|
Wow, thanks for so much feedback.
I intend to fit a Cosworth YB. So spring rate and ride height will have to be adapted accordingly.
As for rims, I have a set of PLS modulars 13x9 rears and 13x8 fronts. Or a set of Compomotive Turbo in case the PLS don't fit for any reason.
|
|
from Malta,
1968 Vauxhall Viva HB 1971 Opel GT 1974 Ford Escort Mk1 1972 Ford Capri Mk1 1987 BMW 316 1979 Chrysler Sunbeam 1972 Toyota Celica 1994 Mazda Rx7 1992 Honda Civic 2003 Subaru Impreza Sti 2004 Landrover Freelander TD4
follow me on Instagram @ jz_auto_malta
|
|
|
|
|
You will probably need to fit arches to get those wheels to fit. I have fitted 8" rims under rolled arches but i had them made specially and i needed to modify the bottom arm at the back. As nickwheeler says you will also need to strengthen the rear bottom arm as it will fold up if you have much power and sticky tyres. Box it in, also box in the rear upper arms. I have found the drive shafts to plenty strong but a standard diff is not. Ford Atlas axle with a Cortina centre can be made to fit. Volvo 240/Dana 30 can be made to fit. The Pinto derived YB is a bit heavier than the standard engine so a set of 195 rather than 145 might be the way ahead, personal preference will be the deciding factor here.
|
|
|
|
joez
Kinda New
Posts: 6
|
|
|
You will probably need to fit arches to get those wheels to fit. I have fitted 8" rims under rolled arches but i had them made specially and i needed to modify the bottom arm at the back. As nickwheeler says you will also need to strengthen the rear bottom arm as it will fold up if you have much power and sticky tyres. Box it in, also box in the rear upper arms. I have found the drive shafts to plenty strong but a standard diff is not. Ford Atlas axle with a Cortina centre can be made to fit. Volvo 240/Dana 30 can be made to fit. The Pinto derived YB is a bit heavier than the standard engine so a set of 195 rather than 145 might be the way ahead, personal preference will be the deciding factor here. Good morning and thanks to all for the feedback, both in this thread and via PM's. Yes, the arches will definitely be needed. Will definitely take into account strengthening of the rear arms, both lower and upper ones. As for the axle, locally we used to fit Avenger shafts into Ford english axles with good results. IIRC they would keep up into the 11s quarters without issues on intermediate tyres. They did not however, resist slicks. For the Sunbeam project I intend to use road tyres. I still have some Avenger empty carriers and a couple of CROWN & pinion sets shelved somewhere in the bermuda triangle part of my storage. To this effect I would like to buy if anyone has for sale, a couple of sun gears. Please PM me. In line with diff tech talk, would a Quaife LSD for the Ford English axle fit the Sunbeam's axle?
|
|
from Malta,
1968 Vauxhall Viva HB 1971 Opel GT 1974 Ford Escort Mk1 1972 Ford Capri Mk1 1987 BMW 316 1979 Chrysler Sunbeam 1972 Toyota Celica 1994 Mazda Rx7 1992 Honda Civic 2003 Subaru Impreza Sti 2004 Landrover Freelander TD4
follow me on Instagram @ jz_auto_malta
|
|