Wishbone front suspension

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 1:18 pm

My buddy just phoned & told me about this company, maybe its history to some of you guys, but I thought I'd share it with ya > http://www.red9design.co.uk/type1.htm Whats the verdict guys? personally I would stick with the old torsion bar set as was proven in Baja, but I guess some of the street buggy boys who have the monetary equivalent of a Ferrari invested in their buggy will take the plunge & buy one.

manxdavid · Post by **manxdavid** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 3:52 pm

May work good on a big-buck Manxter, but I've been a VW fan for as long as I've been a Buggy guy and prefer to keep my Manx as 'VW' as possible...Nice 'n cheap to build, run and fix...

73SpeedBuggy · Post by **73SpeedBuggy** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:29 am

That's pretty nice looking. If it were about half that price (actually that's euro's.. so if it where about 1/3 that price) I might take the plunge.

GotManx · Post by **GotManx** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:43 am

If you are interested in something like that, check out club member Pete's front ends: http://a-arm.com/

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 10:53 am

[QUOTE="GotManx;12794"]If you are interested in something like that, check out club member Pete's front ends: http://a-arm.com/[/QUOTE] Thanks for that Jon, I will pass those details onto my buddy that phoned as he plans to fit one to his Manx type, maybe with the exchange rate he could also save a few ?$ by going to Pete. Nice to keep things within the club circles too IMO.

fubar · Post by **fubar** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:04 pm

The Pete version looks like a better set up to me. Definately if you are going off road. The other one looks like it would only yeild a thinner wallet. IMO

CairoManx · Post by **CairoManx** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:54 am

I'm building a rail, single seat, street, 3-wheeler. I originally was using a VW front end, but I found a Mazda Miata in a junkyard. The whole front subframe with A-arms, rack and pinion steering, vented rotor disc brakes and a thick anti-sway bar all came out in a unit after I pulled 8 bolts. It cost about $150. Its definitely unsuitable for off-road but it fit right into my street rail frame.

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:44 am

[QUOTE="CairoManx;12799"]I'm building a rail, single seat, street, 3-wheeler. I originally was using a VW front end, but I found a Mazda Miata in a junkyard. The whole front subframe with A-arms, rack and pinion steering, vented rotor disc brakes and a thick anti-sway bar all came out in a unit after I pulled 8 bolts. It cost about $150. Its definitely unsuitable for off-road but it fit right into my street rail frame.[/QUOTE] Nelson, when I first saw that site your 3 wheeler project instantly came to mind, I had wondered what vehicle that front end was from. Not that Im aware of the model 'Miata'. $150 sounds a great deal, did you save much weight over the stock VW front?

CairoManx · Post by **CairoManx** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:32 pm

I don't think it saves much weight, if any, if you use the whole stock subframe. However, if you only used the subframe as a pattern and then dumped it and mounted the A-arm pivots and steering in the same relative locations, directly on the rail frame, then you'd save a lot. I am using the subframe because I have my engine mounted on it. Something you can't use from the Miata are the springs and shocks. They're too big for a buggy and the upper end mounts to the Miata body. I plan on using a pair or Monroe airshocks. They're cheap and easily height adjustable. In the UK you could use any of the dozens of good coil over shocks they sell there.

manxdavid · Post by **manxdavid** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:04 pm

A Miata's a Mazda MX5 Mel...

mel hubbard · Post by **mel hubbard** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:38 pm

[QUOTE="Manxdavid;12803"]A Miata's a Mazda MX5 Mel...[/QUOTE] Ah, thanks Dave, your wife had one of those I seem to remember. I read someplace that they are the worlds most popular sports car. Reminiscent of the old Lotus Elans of the 60's I always say, or as we would call them > a hairdressers car! Worse way, at least you know its worth 150 bucks when she's done with it.