new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
After a few years break I'm rebuilding my '69 road/track Ghia with more brakes, better suspension, a Berg 5 and a weight loss program.
Below you can see how the car looked last time I raced it. My speed was up to 190 Kph and I thought it was time for a roll cage and more brakes as the main straight at my track (Phillip Island, Australia) is down hill at the end!
First up I'm working on spindles, axles and brakes. I'm using early 911 unvented in the rear and 944 turbo vented in the front with Wilwood calipers.
I've been working on the rear, focusing on reducing rotating weight, drilled the stub axle, drilled the hub and make and modified some Ti bits, studs, fat washer and nut. I converted the 944 axle to cotter pin like a beetle so i could use an off the shelf Ti nut. I got 700g out of the assembly. I'll ad some more pix and details as i go along. Sorry about the photo order!
Below you can see how the car looked last time I raced it. My speed was up to 190 Kph and I thought it was time for a roll cage and more brakes as the main straight at my track (Phillip Island, Australia) is down hill at the end!
First up I'm working on spindles, axles and brakes. I'm using early 911 unvented in the rear and 944 turbo vented in the front with Wilwood calipers.
I've been working on the rear, focusing on reducing rotating weight, drilled the stub axle, drilled the hub and make and modified some Ti bits, studs, fat washer and nut. I converted the 944 axle to cotter pin like a beetle so i could use an off the shelf Ti nut. I got 700g out of the assembly. I'll ad some more pix and details as i go along. Sorry about the photo order!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Posts: 7087
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 1:01 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
Looks like you have steel wheels. If your bolt pattern is 5x130, Fuchs will remove 1.5-2kg per corner.
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
the steel wheels are very heavy, light wheels on the 5x130 stud pattern will be a big improvement.
-
- Posts: 490
- Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2014 12:07 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
Ian I hope you get to bring your Ghia to Raleigh raceway next July for the VW Spectacular .
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
No matter where you go , there you are !
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
Well that is wild, 2 Godfrey's in OZ with '69 Ghia's. That is a fine looking car you have as well. What size tyre do you have on the back, 16" sticky tyres are hard to find.Did you have to roll the guard a bit? I have 7's and 6's as well, but 15". I don't know if I'll be done rebuilding my car for July, but we'll see, but as a Victorian the thought of going north in July is very appealing
-
- Posts: 490
- Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2014 12:07 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
This year was supposed to be the "year of the Ghia" , sadly cancelled to Covid , so hopefully next year will go ahead . It would be funny to have 2 white 69's at the event with our names , confuse a lot of people !!
I'm using 205/50r16 Yokohama AD08s I did roll the guards slightly . The wheels are off a Commodore( B45's ) with 4inch inch inner bands on the front to give the 16x6 instead of the standard GM 16x7 fitment .
My car is more street now . I was aiming at Hill Climbs but finances have changed and the thought of an expensive "Off" has changed my mind a little .My 2 Local hill climb tracks are very unforgiving . Mt Cotton and Noosa . plus I'm a complete rookie driver .
For the master cylinder , I made set up a twin set up with bias bar . A good friend is builds Rapier Formula Vee's so it's nice to have that experience to at hand .
I'm using 205/50r16 Yokohama AD08s I did roll the guards slightly . The wheels are off a Commodore( B45's ) with 4inch inch inner bands on the front to give the 16x6 instead of the standard GM 16x7 fitment .
My car is more street now . I was aiming at Hill Climbs but finances have changed and the thought of an expensive "Off" has changed my mind a little .My 2 Local hill climb tracks are very unforgiving . Mt Cotton and Noosa . plus I'm a complete rookie driver .
For the master cylinder , I made set up a twin set up with bias bar . A good friend is builds Rapier Formula Vee's so it's nice to have that experience to at hand .
No matter where you go , there you are !
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
The next bit I've been working on is the rear gearbox cradle. I found an alloy one on the Samba that I drilled a few more holes in for a good weight saving and drilled the mounting bolts.
on to the front hubs next.You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
Time for the next instalment:
I've been working on my front spindles and brakes. My goal was to have something as light or lighter than the Type 1 disks (278mm), but vented and more thermal mass, and Porsche bolt pattern and still fit in a 15" wheel. I used alloy 944 hubs and vented disks, 282mm diameter, and wilwood Dynapro 4 piston calipers. Lanner in Canada made the bracket to fit the radial mount calipers to the VW (or Mendeola spindles).
I made some aluminium grease caps: and cut some meat out of the back of the disk: I used Ti studs and mounting bolts throughout and it turned out 1.332 kg light than the VW set up:
I've been working on my front spindles and brakes. My goal was to have something as light or lighter than the Type 1 disks (278mm), but vented and more thermal mass, and Porsche bolt pattern and still fit in a 15" wheel. I used alloy 944 hubs and vented disks, 282mm diameter, and wilwood Dynapro 4 piston calipers. Lanner in Canada made the bracket to fit the radial mount calipers to the VW (or Mendeola spindles).
I made some aluminium grease caps: and cut some meat out of the back of the disk: I used Ti studs and mounting bolts throughout and it turned out 1.332 kg light than the VW set up:
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
Back to the gearbox mounts, i just finished the mid mount for the Berg 5, hopefully the strength will still be OK. The plate is 10mm and the rest 5mm. The green urethane mounts are from Revshift, available in different hardnesses.
https://revshift.com/collections/e36/pr ... 1428542641
https://revshift.com/collections/e36/pr ... 1428542641
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
I've finished up my new axles to work with early alloy 944 arms.
I used gun drilled Vanagon axles and race prepped light weight GNK T2 cv's, and Stage 8 bolts.
I was hoping to match the weight but missed out by 46 grams
old T1 axle and cv's Drilled Vanagon axle and CV's
and complete with clips, grease and bolts
I used gun drilled Vanagon axles and race prepped light weight GNK T2 cv's, and Stage 8 bolts.
I was hoping to match the weight but missed out by 46 grams
old T1 axle and cv's Drilled Vanagon axle and CV's
and complete with clips, grease and bolts
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-
- Posts: 7087
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 1:01 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
Did you do the drilling of the axles? What size did you drill them?
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
Bruce, the Vanagon axles are 27mm so I got them drilled 13.5. I believe it's about a 10% strength reduction.
Fortunately there are a couple of gun drilling specialists in my city. It came out extremely smooth and doesn't need reaming.
they do quite a bit of motorsport work.
Though I did drill my rear stub axles myself on my drill press (from both ends)
Fortunately there are a couple of gun drilling specialists in my city. It came out extremely smooth and doesn't need reaming.
they do quite a bit of motorsport work.
Though I did drill my rear stub axles myself on my drill press (from both ends)
-
- Posts: 7087
- Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2001 1:01 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
I calculate a reduction in strength in torsion of only 6.25% IOW, drill them more! They're still 50% stronger than Type 1 axles.
Aren't the Vanagon axles a different length than Type 1? How did you make them work?
Aren't the Vanagon axles a different length than Type 1? How did you make them work?
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
Bruce, I did think about drilling them more, but erred on the conservative side, it is a amazing how much strength is left when you take out 50% of the diameter. My setup is a berg 5 with quaife with T2 output flanges and early 944 turbo arms so the 21.25 vanagon length was just right. I didn't want to use an Empi axle or spend the $ for a custom axle
I'm not sure what the length of the axle in a steel arm early 944 might be, but it should be close to T1
I'm not sure what the length of the axle in a steel arm early 944 might be, but it should be close to T1
-
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2010 2:52 am
Re: new suspension, brakes for '69 Ghia
The Berg 5 gear box was built some years ago by Dave Butler in OZ. I asked him to take out as much weight as he could without going crazy. he drilled all the Weddle gears:
here is the stack with the thrust conversion Dave worked out:
and he cut a fair bit of the ring gear:
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.