I posted a earlier thread about BB swap i'm doing in a 88 GTA,and someone turned me on to the Hooker headers,Now i need some suggestions with front suspension

This is what i'm going with for running gear
468 BBC
700R4 3000 Stall Converter
410 gear

Now with that said i'm really confused with all the Tubular K members and all the options and companies

Ive seen front ends from

Racecraft
UMI
BMR
PA
spohn
and AJE

im, not going to drag race the car (Maybe take it down the track a hand full of times) or road race it..i just want a boulevard bruiser .
I will go with tubular control arms,i have strange 4 wheel disc to use if i have to, i have subframe connectors and a new torque , what do you all think?

 

Why are you changing anything in the front suspension other than wear components like struts, bushings etc? I don't understand the urge to spend money replacing things that don't need replaced.

That being said, the LAST place I'd put tubular suspension components is underneath a big block... The stock stuff is stronger by far than anything tubular. If it's just a street car then you don't need better access and weight savings anyway, which are the only 2 benefits of going tubular.

 

I need clearance. i have everything bolted up and i'm having problems with header clearence, So your saying a tubular K member isnt strong enough to support a big block?

 

There have been way too many stories on here and other places where tubular K members and a-arms have failed on the track and on the street. Now I'm not saying every tubular part will fail, lots of people run them successfully. I'm saying there is a much higher risk of failure of these major parts compared to the stock stuff which never fails ever.

Based on your stated use of the car, and the added weight of a big block I wouldn't even consider running tubular stuff up front. Notch the stock K member if you need to, I notched mine for header clearance on my small block.

 

To save weight i put aluminum heads-water pump-Billet bracket kit-proform carb-deleted the ac-relocated the battery. but i hear you..you have a valid point.notching the frame is easy enough, But the UMI Torque arm should be fine along with subframe connectors,.
Just that the headers are right up against the frame you look at the engine in the compartment and its tight tight. .32 feller gauge between header and frame rail