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Leaf Spring setup for 69 AMX in the 10's |
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aussierogue
AMC Apprentice Joined: Nov/28/2013 Location: Perth Status: Offline Points: 37 |
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Posted: Mar/27/2019 at 7:13am |
I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with leaf springs on 68-70 AMX's in the high 10's? I'd really prefer not to run Caltracs even though it sounds like I'm doing it the hard way. Has anyone gone the Mopar SS style leaf spring setup in conjunction with the torque links? I'm trying to keep the car old school-ish.
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Ken_Parkman
AMC Addicted Joined: Jun/04/2009 Location: Ontario Status: Offline Points: 1814 |
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How about a Hornet?
Went 10.20s in a basically stock leaf spring setup and a 10 x 28 slick. But the big gain was in the tranny/converter. Used a glide with brake, and 8" ATI converter. That dropped the starting line torque spike from too much gear and allowed it to work. 60' was fair at 1.45 sec, but it was deadly consistent and would hook on a hot slippy track when the big tire cars could not. The log book has days of like 13 passes and 60' would only vary a few .000s. Rear suspension was conventional slapper bars lengthened to react on spring eye, conventional but stiff shocks (do it again I would get adjustable), Springs preloaded with extra leaf on passenger side, offset ballast the have car sit level. Front suspension was the most crappy used worn out shocks I could find, low rate 4 cyl springs (easy on a Hornet). Both front and rear suspension had spaced shocks just enough to increase suspension travel a bit. Tranny was a 1.82 glide with a 4.10 axle for a total ratio of 7.46 - way low in some peoples minds. But the converter made it work, and the low ratio killed the torque spike, with the converter "working" and spreading the torque over a longer distance in each gear. The converter was also able to work on the gear shift, and recover wheel torque there, making better use of the power. Don't try to run a glide without the very best converter. This was developed over a number of years and changes. Think I had 4 different sets of front springs in there. While this setup is not the plan with a class car, it was awesome on a bracket car. Won a lot of races, and gratifying when the big tire cars lost to me because they spun. It was so repeatable I could check the air conditions at home and dial the car. At the track (1 1/2 hour away) it would run within .01 sec. I remember one divisional final race I never missed my dial by more than .01 in a 15 hour day, and that was with no time trials, eliminations starting at 8 am. I have seen torque link guys run in the 10's, but note they are not great to apply initial hit at the line.
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WesternRed
AMC Addicted Joined: Aug/03/2010 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 5798 |
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Remember that the leaf spring Mopar guys usually have a pinion snubber to work with, which works on pretty much the same principle as slapper bars.
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I've finally given up drinking for good...........now I only drink for evil.
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pfordamx
AMC Apprentice Joined: Sep/13/2010 Location: OKC Status: Offline Points: 173 |
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There was a guy a cordova with a blue american running 9.70s with leaf springs and slapper bars. we've been 10.50 with as quick as a 1.41 60ft on leafs and caltracs. high 10s on leafs and a small tire is not an issue. Bill ketchum has been low 9.s on leafs and caltracs in his rambler.
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Phitown Hustler
AMC Apprentice Joined: Mar/14/2019 Location: Philly Status: Offline Points: 124 |
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Poor mans super stock spring setup....... use spring clamps in the front leaves to reduce spring wrap
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tached_out
AMC Nut Joined: Feb/08/2008 Location: Vancouver, BC Status: Offline Points: 328 |
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I built the slapper bars on my 360 powered Gremlin.
It had an 8 3/4'' Mopar rear with 3.91 gears and stock six cylinder leafs. 90/10 drag shocks and six cylinder coils up front. You can see them working in this picture. When the car was at rest they were angled down slightly and there was about an inch of space over the tire. I would stage at an idle and just wack the pedal to launch. Best E/T was 11.36 @ 120 mph with a 1.55 sixty foot. I'm confident they would have done me fine well into the 10s. |
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