I've been tossing around the idea of completely changing my front end. My thoughts are to use a front end setup like a C5 (upper/ lower a-arms, short spindle, rack and pinion, etc...maybe even using C5 stuff). Kind of like what you see for the 1st gens. Basically I'll be removing the factory subframe and replacing it with a fabricated one. The end result would be a max effort road race suspension. I have coilovers on the front, and although I have not had issues with the strut towers, I don't want to have to worry about that. Plus choices on dampers increase exponentially over the factory struts.

I'm looking for input from those who have done something like this...on a third gen preferably. The only issue I forsee, is finding a rack and pinion that is the right length so that the tie rods travel at the same rate as the a-arms. Advice and POSITIVE opinions are appreciated.

 

It would be a whole lot of effort and expense, but it would be interesting. If you're going to do that though, why not tube-frame the whole car?

 

There is no factory subframe to remove. You can unbolt and remove the k-member but the front "frame rails" are steel and sheet metal including the inner fenders and are all welded together into one unibody. The front struts are attached to the reinforced inner fenders making the body part of the frame.

It would probably be cheaper to cut the front of the car right off and buy a complete aftermarket front subframe assembly. You would then have to remount the front fenders and front end to the new subframe.

You need a complete front suspension package like this (second page).
http://www.swracecars.com/Files/pdf/...0and%20sus.pdf

By the time you're done, it would probably be easier to just build a tube chassis car. The third gen unibody design doesn't make it easy to do major changes like the older models were able to do.

 

What you've linked is basically what I'm looking at doing. But I will be keeping enough "strut tower" to give the fenders and such to bolt to.

A full tube chassis is an option also. Anyone have any info on that (for a thirdgen of course).

 

I don't think you'll be able to keep any strut tower at all and still have room for an upper control arm.

 

I might not even need the strut towers the more I think about it. The fenders actually bolt to another piece that extends from the firewall. I could always brace everything to the new frame rails.