new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia

[Ian Godfrey]

As you would know a Quaife weighs a ton, so that got some 'treatment' too

Quaife.jpg

Quaife lighter.jpg

I drilled the clutch shaft and arm, and used the plastic throwout sleeve, took a bit out of the bowden guide etc.

clutch shaft and arm.jpg

[Ian Godfrey]

The final result is I couldn't get the 5 speed down to the 4 speed weight but I got close, 5.7 higher
But it is a 5 speed with Quaife and bus output splines. I've got a ZF LSD, which is lighter, but I worry a bit about it breaking in a car heavier then a beetle.

old box.jpg

new box.jpg

[H2OSB]

Not bad at all.

H2OSB

[Bruce2]

I drilled the clutch shaft and arm,

How long is the lever arm (center to center)?

Drilled cross shaft:
By my eye, you drilled it 3/8". My calculation says you've reduced the strength by only 5%. However, it is still 2.3 times stronger than the early 16mm shaft.
If you drilled it ½", its strength would be reduced by only 16%. And it would be a hair over double the strength of the early 16mm shaft (that never breaks).

[Ian Godfrey]

Bruce, the lever arm is 70mm centre to centre, and the minimum diameter of the clutch shaft is 19mm (where the circlips are).
I had drilled it to 10mm (3/8") but after thinking about what you said and looking at my graph, I drilled it out to 12mm
Probably still conservative with a stage 2 Kennedy which is not that heavy.

[Ian Godfrey]

I've been working steadily on the Ghia
cut open the pan for new fuel lines and to take some weight out

tunnel and cover.jpg

and put in harness mounts while I was in there

harness mount in tunnel.jpg

I got the Mendeola front end lined up, but it took a lot of work as my frame head was not in line with the centre of the pan

leveling front end.jpg

Welded in with some extra bracing

front end welded.jpg

[Ian Godfrey]

on to the front suspension:
arms in

arms fitted.jpg

shocks, hubs (944) and disks (early 911)

close up shocks and hubs.jpg

steering rack, Golf 1 with a Quaife quick steer kit, also available in LHD

steering rack mounted.jpg

how it all looks

caliper face.jpg

I was able to get 6 deg caster, and 0 - 4 neg camber as needed. I've gone for a 'crack' of toe in at this stage.

[Ian Godfrey]

these are the parts to support the spring plates (Elephant racing poly bronze bushes):

suspension parts jpeg.jpg

I've used uniballs (I think they are Rebel racing) on the trailing arms

uniball.jpg

and cut down the pivot bolt to fit

pivot bolt new.jpg

Torsion cover made out of 944 ends

torsion cover assembly.jpg

[Ian Godfrey]

Rear arm first fit

rear arm first fit.jpg

With a disk, also early 911, with a few holes

disk face.jpg

sway bar on, (rebel racing, 'cut and shut' to suit VW)

rear sway bar detail.jpg

and the caliper (UK wilwood for Ford Escort)

rear caliper and bracket.jpg