GTD40 suspension upgrade

Howard Jones

Supporter
You guys got me hooked on finally redoing my standard GTD suspension parts that still had the original bushing in them. I decided to do this as best as I could with still using the original uprights. Granada's at the front and the fabricated steel panzer parts on the rear. This was partly to retain the original wear parts such as the wheel bearing and more importantly the stub shafts at the rear. At least in the future all that needs to be sourced is what came with the GTD kit as far as bearings go.

I made the top transverse links on the rear several years ago along with the bolt-on relocating brackets that are in the pictures above, post #3, as well as new upper a-arms for the front. These pretty much fixed the lack of caster and camber adjustment on the front and the far too-extreme camber gain curve on the rear as well s adding camber adjustment. So it was time to finish the job and get rid of the rest of the bushings.

I considered doing the A-arms with sleeved adjusters like the ones in post #18 but since it's going to remain a street car I really don't need the quick adjustability because once it is set it really doesn't change with rod ends. I am going to continue to adjust the rear toe with the shim method used on the original parts at the inboard pickup point of the lower a-arm. Frankly, once I had it all back together and measured things I found that I was right a 0 toe and all I had to do was place a washer or two in the stack at either side of the center rod end. Good enough and it really cant change unless something comes loose or bends. Not likely.

At the lower front things got done a bit differently. I considered using screw-in ball joints when I made the lowers but the desire to keep things original overcame the "make it better" gremlin so I used new Garanada ball joints. I just cut off the bent tang and drilled two new holes in the flat plate. Now the ball joint can be removed without changing the rest of the suspension setup. They just drop out of the bottom once the stud is pushed out of the upright. I also moved the roll bar lower pickup point for the vertical link a bit toward the center of the assembly to reduce interference with the wheel/tire when the car was at full lock.

Here are some pictures. The old stuff is crome and dirty and the new stuff is grey.
 

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Howard Jones

Supporter
Here are a couple more as well as the jig for the lower front. Making the parts off of a jig that fits the original piece makes it pretty straightforward as well as correct dimensionally. It's all made of 4140 with a .083 wall/1 inch OD. The flat plate is also 4140 and .125 thick. I'll add the front uppers when I get them off to repaint.
 

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Neil

Supporter
Here are a couple more as well as the jig for the lower front. Making the parts off of a jig that fits the original piece makes it pretty straightforward as well as correct dimensionally. It's all made of 4140 with a .083 wall/1 inch OD. The flat plate is also 4140 and .125 thick. I'll add the front uppers when I get them off to repaint.
Not 4130N?
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
I finished all the parts and got them on the car. The front antiroll bar got a modification so I can remove it from the car more easily. All that's left is to reinstall the interior coolant pipe cover and the carpet in both foot wells. Huggggg I really hate working in the foot boxes............then re-aline the car. I should have it all done just in time to wait until fall. Summer IS NOT GT40 weather in Texas. Here's a picture of the new lower A-Arm installed.

Oh, and I have a complete, unmolested set of GTD suspension arms and links. If anybody needs these contact me.
 

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Hi Howard,

I just noticed you are using the Granada spindles in front, what caliper and adapter on what diameter disc are you using?

Best regards, Sebastian
 

Howard Jones

Supporter
The knockoff adapter came from PS Engineering with the BRM wheels I bought from them about 20 years ago. The rotors are 12.19 X 1.25 Willwoods on the front and back with their suitable hats. I can try and find the part numbers for the hats I used. If I do I'll post them here. The calipers are an older version of these. 4 X 1.75 on the front and 4 X 1.38 on the rear. I made the caliper mounts myself.



 

Howard Jones

Supporter
No not really, but I can live with it now that the car is only used for street driving. In the end, I decided to just build a track-only car and quit redesigning the GTD. As has been said "They are great cars ......once you change all the parts................

Just so as to not leave it hanging. What would be the most preferred front upright replacement?
 
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