I lowered the upper control arms two inches and installed caster correction wedges and 429 springs with 111/42 coils removed. I intend to install five-leaf performance springs out back, which will lower the rear 111/42 inches. The shocks are KYB all around with Midolyne bushings throughout the suspension. The stock front sway bar is 151/416 inch, and the rear is 11/42 inch. Will increasing the front to 1 inch and the rear to 31/44 inch make a big difference? I will also add subframe connectors and possibly rear discs down the road.Steve SlutzkerPittsburgh, PA
I agree with most of your proposed modifications, assuming you're building a vehicle for both limited street and road racing purposes.
The stock Boss 302 will certainly benefit from increased displacement, as the large ports and valves can easily handle 347 cubes. The stock camshaft should be replaced with a modern computer-aid designed unit, as much has changed in camshaft technology since 1970. The Hooker four-tube headers will work better on a race-prepared engine than the tri-Y design because the long, equal-length runners will be necessary to handle the exhaust flow from a high-rpm engine. Race-designed tri-Ys are available and make good power; however, they are quite expensive compared to off-the-shelf Hooker headers.
I suggest a new blow-proof racing clutch, as the stock Ford units were never designed for track use and are prone to explosion at high rpm. Racing clutches are still quite streetable, inexpensive, and readily available for your application. Use of a scattershield for extra insurance, even with the racing clutch, is highly recommended.
Your suspension modifications are OK and will be complete with the addition of the lowered leaf springs. You may find the front spring rates are a bit much and the stock sway bar a little too small. However, fine-tuning the suspension must be accomplished at the racetrack. Small changes in sway-bar diameter can affect the car's handling considerably, so wait until you run the car before making a sway-bar change. Because any improvement in body stiffness and overall braking enhances track performance, subframe connectors and rear-disc brakes are also good ideas. Try to make small changes, and remember streetability will suffer with each race-only modification.
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