Am desperately trying to make a final decision in regards to a front suspension for a 28 Pontiac streetrod. Has anyone here used the Fatman "affordable IFS" setup for these early fat fendered cars which don't adapt well to a traditional Mustang II crossmember?? If so, would really like to hear from you

Read this post on another forum BEFORE you spend any $$$.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubb/Fo...TML/021224.html

__________________
I went to the school of hard knocks ...
where the tuition is high but the retention is exceptional !

Bummer. After reading all those posts on the Jalopy Journal about how bad they are I guess I will have to rip out all the stock MII x-members I have installed over the years. Too bad since they all ride like Caddys, haven't required an ounce of maintenance, were dirt cheap to install, and have won best of show awards. How dumb can I get?

[quote]Originally posted by willys36@aol.com:
<strong>Bummer. After reading all those posts on the Jalopy Journal about how bad they are I guess I will have to rip out all the stock MII x-members I have installed over the years. Too bad since they all ride like Caddys, haven't required an ounce of maintenance, were dirt cheap to install, and have won best of show awards. How dumb can I get?</strong><hr></blockquote>


Great28 asked for other opinions. I simply pointed him to some, not my own. I do not own any MustangII/Pinto suspenion equipped vecicles. I think they are butt-ugly under a early vechicle where you can see the suspenion.

To address your statements in order:

1) No light, short 3000lb street rod can match the ride of a long wheelbase 5000 lb. factory engineered Caddy

2) All vechicles that are driven require maintentance

3) They are cheap......

4) Most people who have the talent and resources to build a Best of Show at at regional and up level (1000 cars and up) event do not waste the time and effort to adapt junk yard suspenions to their show winner. You may be the exception. A rare exception.

I have never seen a MustangII/Pinto suspended vechicle in the Top 25 at Shades of the Past, The Pro's Pick at Louisville NSRA Nationals or the Goodguys at Indy much less the Big Ones.

I could be mistaken.

__________________
I went to the school of hard knocks ...
where the tuition is high but the retention is exceptional !

Deuce; Lighten up a couple of nothces. I was making a (poor) joke! Actually, I don't have any horses in this race, have done stock suspensions, MIIs, etc. Love them all! I wouldn't waste my time with any suspension that DIDN'T come from a junk yard!! Building cars is my therapy so I love getting a piece of old iron and making it purty.

P.S. The '41 Willys tilt nose pickup I built did win a couple of awards, one being a best of show pick at the NSRA Western Nats and was a center spread in a rod magazine and the x-member is dead stock!! Also, I would not want ANY car I am associated recognized by GoodGuys and most cars I build are looked on as trash by the Big Ones. They always ask me to move my Willys to the back row at shows. Not politically correct. The shade is always better in back so I get the last laugh.

Ok, what did you guys do with the jalopyjournal site? I tried going there, it's gone.
Questions: Junk yard parts, are there any mustang ll's left in the yards? what are alternatives? I'm going Mustang ll in my 36 ford, I'm getting the chassis built, I don't have the skills ore equipment to do on my own. Arizona Specialties is the place suggested by the builder, he gets the parts a lot cheaper than anything I can find, jobber discounts he passes on to the customer. It won't be a show car but it will be a weekend cruiser and a "modern" ride is desirable. Willys and I discussed this a little in Famoso. He builds a nice car, I'd look good in the Willys. <img src="graemlins/drool.gif" border="0" alt="[drool]" />

Most Pinto/MustangII front end set ups installed by quaility shops use NO actual real parts off a MustangII. The parts are based on MustangII pieces. Reproduction stuff.

A 36 Ford weighs in at over 3000 lbs. A lot of them now use the MustangII. You need to upgrade the brakes (9" to 11"). I would upgrade to a better lower A arm to eliminate the strut rod required on stock MustangII's.

The Jalopy Post was mostly about MustangII's not being a cure all for all old cars and the problems with jack leg installations. It (the thread) may have dropped of and went to archived category.

This MustangII subject has been debated at lenght and sometimes quite ugly I might add on most forums. Some of the famous people who make their living selling MustangII parts and front end kits have lots of misleading(WRONG) information in their catalogs. This was also pointed out in the jalopy post. Have you ever put a Pinto?MustangII on the scales? They do not weigh 3500 lbs like the catalog says. 2400 to 2700....drive them up on The Scales. They come with 4 lug wheels, small brakes, and light duty pieces. They are short, not 112 wheelbase like 36's. Ackerman, dive and strenght are issues that most knowledgeable people have with stock MustangII stuff. Stock stuff is 25 years old and was designed for a cheap, throwaway car with a 4 cylinder engine.

Fatman's kit was bashed pretty badly, especially under pre 35 cars and later heavier 50's vechicles.

All of this was in that thread.

I do not own, nor do I sell MustangII pieces. I am not in the parts business so I am unbiased. I was merely trying to give great28 some other opinions.

As for lightening up a notch or two, I may need to do that but I do not consider suspension a joking matter. I try to only answer threads I have experience in or point the person to a more knowledgeable person or different point of view.

Sorry for the long thread....

__________________
I went to the school of hard knocks ...
where the tuition is high but the retention is exceptional !

Touche'. Friends?

[quote]Originally posted by willys36@aol.com:
<strong>Touche'. Friends?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Not a problem. I will give you a ride in the Roadster........How about a ride in a Willys?

__________________
I went to the school of hard knocks ...
where the tuition is high but the retention is exceptional !

It's a deal if you are in the Bakersfield area any time soon. My car dosn't stray far from home.

I own a 32 chevy with an market M2 it's not a show winner but I'm having a great time building it and I don't care what other people think .This hobby is not all about trophy's .Remember when your lost a baseball game and your dad said it's not just about winning.I bought my M2 because thats what I could aford. and I'm having a great time.Have fun

Dorsey; You're my kinda rodder!

AFFORDABLE! now that even I can understand. My wife has a tight grip on the checkbook. Dan

I've met Dinger and his wife. She's a lovely lady but WOW, that leash she has attached to the ring in his nose is really short!

[ October 21, 2002: Message edited by: willys36@aol.com ]</p>