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Hey everyone. This was my first Summer driving my '84 Z28 build, and it was awesome until the 10-bolt yoke grenaded it's self a couple weeks ago. Since then I've been looking into new options for a rear end and I kept diving deep and deeper into researching until now I think I've decided on what I want to do with the car. Currently, the car has a LQ9 w LS3 heads and puts down 470 wheel. Paired with a T56 Magnum, Full UMI suspension, 6 point roll bar, etc. I initially built this car when I was 15 years old and to say a lot of mistakes were made is an understatement. I'm definitely not anywhere close to what I would consider a good car builder is, but as I'm learning more and more and gaining experience I believe I'm slowly getting there. This is part of the reason I want to rebuild the car just for the learning experience and my next plans for the car would definitely be a big one. I'm going to do a pro-touring build on the car for the main purpose of street driving, autocross, and road course. I'm going to put in a N/A 408 CID LS into the car that makes 650 hp and save my current motor for a different build. I'm also going to re-use the T56 magnum and I'm going to keep stock suspension geometry up front for the most part. I'm planning on doing a tube chassis front end from the strut towers forward, and from right after where the sway bar and steering box bolts up forward. This means I can still run the sway bar in stock location and keep the steering box setup. I'll have to make my own radiator brackets and I'm also debating on whether to do a fiberglass bumper/fenders, since I know they would probably be a pain to fit right. Moving to the rear of the car, is where the most work would be done. I'm planning on cutting out the inside of the car starting from behind the doors where the main hoop goes into the floor, all the way to the back bumper. I'm not sure yet if it would be best to keep the stock frame rails, or to cut them out and make my own from scratch. I'm planning on running rectangular metal tubing horizontally across the car where I make the cut and weld it into the rockers. I would leave a break in the middle for a driveshaft loop that would go over the driveshaft and connect to the other side. I also want to ditch the torque arm setup and go to a 3 link design since I'm already cutting up the car. I'm not the most educated on this setup, but I've heard that 3-links are better than torque arms for road course and autocross. I'm open to hearing different opinions on this topic. I also have UMI subframe connectors installed and I would tie the frame in the rear and the cage into them. I'm then planning on making a sheet metal firewall behind the driver that goes all the way to the roof with a plexi-glass window installed to see out the back window. I saw a second gen Camaro with this setup, and I thought it looked super cool looking through the back window and seeing the rear end setup. I think it would look even cooler on a third gen with the huge hatchback window. I know something similar to this has been done on a third gen, but I'm wondering how do-able it is for a 17-year-old with not a lot of fabrication knowledge. I know the amount of work for making a 3 link to get rid of the torque arm would not be worth it performance wise, but I want to do this for more as a learning experience and just because I think it would be super cool and fun to build. I'm open to all opinions. Thanks
I've never seen a 3-link in person, but I think they are hard to package, might protrude into interior of car. You can find the parts to build one at stores that sell chassis parts to circle track racers. Keep us posted what you learn, this could get pretty darn interesting.
This forum is full of very talented and knowledgeable people that can offer you a wealth of information for your build. What you are considering is a very complex project and I would suggest finding a mentor with an Engineering background and fabrication experience, maybe someone from your sponsor. I've used their products on several builds because I trust their recommendations. Bottom line, what you are proposing requires years of experience, knowledge, time, and money so getting some reliable help would go a long way toward your success. I undertook a similarly complex build on my '84 Z and I am still working on it 18 years later with an Engineering background and aerospace fabrication skill set and the resources associated with them, so I cannot stress enough about find some assistance with your project. Good luck with your project, I really want to encourage the next generation of builders and possible future business owners into this field.
Since they don't actually sell a 3 link suspension specifically for a third gen, so you would need to do a lot of fabrication to make your own. Personally, for what you are doing, the torque arm suspension will work just fine. Upgrade the torque arm to an aftermarket version that also moves the front mount off the transmission tailshaft housing and onto the transmission crossmember.
Save a lot of time and money if you still want to do a 3 link and just buy one of these generic kits and make it fit.
Decided to make a new account for documentation of this build. I really appreciate all the advice on this. Since I'm planning on going to college next fall, for the time being I'm going to skip doing the 3-link rear end and instead stick with all stock suspension geometry. I'm still planning on doing all the other mods I talked about plus a lot more to the car. If anyone is interested in following the build, I'm going to start a new thread in a couple days and I'm going to post everything I do to the car on there. Thanks again for the responses. The goal is to have the car done by next May but that will be very tight since I'm still a high school student.
Most of the rear suspension mods and floor/frame mods you talk about I have done and documented here on the fabrication forum under "home brew road racer" . 3 link rear suspension using a ZR2 rear axle from 2000 S10. Rectangular tube frame from centerline of rear axle forward to front sub frame. This requires an extreme amount of work and dedication to see the project through to completion. I started in 2010 and next drove the car in 2017. I have thousands of labor hours in it and over 60lbs of mig wire. THIS IS NOT A BUY AND BOLT ON type of modification. Everything is hand built or adapted to work. The structural modifications are immense and if not done right or taken to completion the car is basically junk. Once you start there is no turning back. Check out my build thread to see what your getting into.
Most of the rear suspension mods and floor/frame mods you talk about I have done and documented here on the fabrication forum under "home brew road racer" . 3 link rear suspension using a ZR2 rear axle from 2000 S10. Rectangular tube frame from centerline of rear axle forward to front sub frame. This requires an extreme amount of work and dedication to see the project through to completion. I started in 2010 and next drove the car in 2017. I have thousands of labor hours in it and over 60lbs of mig wire. THIS IS NOT A BUY AND BOLT ON type of modification. Everything is hand built or adapted to work. The structural modifications are immense and if not done right or taken to completion the car is basically junk. Once you start there is no turning back. Check out my build thread to see what your getting into.
I’m really glad you found this thread. Reading through your build threads was the original reason I decided I wanted to start doing custom fab work on my car. Since I made this post I’ve decided that this plan was way too much for my time, money, and experience restrictions. Currently, I’ve still gone in pretty deep on rebuilding the car. I started a build thread under drag racing and Autocross labeled pro touring 84 build. I’m planning on bringing the car to Road America, Gingerman, and hopefully Vegas for SEMA. I’m most likely way off on how much time this will take since I still think there’s a hope for getting it done by the summer. I saw you recently started another build thread and I’m excited to follow along. Thanks for the inspiration to get me started on my own car.
Well yes and no. It's similar to a 3 link but the correct term is torque arm suspension.
With a 3 link suspension, the upper arm pulls against the front mount similar to the way a 4-link does. Raising and lowering the upper and lower rod mount positions can change the IC point. Our torque arm suspension, lifts at the front mount. The LCAs with relocating brackets can sort of change the IC however the torque arm front mount is relatively fixed so it always lifts in the same place.
Well yes and no. It's similar to a 3 link but the correct term is torque arm suspension.
With a 3 link suspension, the upper arm pulls against the front mount similar to the way a 4-link does. Raising and lowering the upper and lower rod mount positions can change the IC point. Our torque arm suspension, lifts at the front mount. The LCAs with relocating brackets can sort of change the IC however the torque arm front mount is relatively fixed so it always lifts in the same place.
10-23-2022, 10:14 PM
