cusz28

I need to find numbers about the camaro/ firebird's chassis, like wheelbase, track, i/c (instant center), center of gravity, roll center, scrub radius, blah blah blah... If anyone knows where I can find this, it would be much appreciated. I'm fabbing a custom suspension and i want it to be perfect.

AlkyIROC

Wheelbase is 101".

Just about everything else depends on the particular model and what options are in it. A car with 15" wheels will have different characteristics than one with 16" wheels. IC and CG of a V8 car will be different than one with a V6 or 4 cylinder. Automatic transmissions have different weights than an automatic. Different spring rates in the different models will change how it handles. etc etc etc.

cusz28

thank you for the wb. my car is an '83 z with a 305, 700r4, 15 inch wheels, and a quick ratio steering box. i completely understand how different things will affect suspension characteristics, but other things like the torque tube, front and rear control arms, panhard bar and the like all have rigid attachment points and are not structurally different between years. I believe even if the car has a four banger vs a v8, the suspension geometry will remain the same, the only difference would be springs and shocks. You are completely correct with saying the cg would change, eating too much food would throw it off, but instant center would remain the same. I'm looking for a "blueprint" if you will, showing lengths, angles, and attachment points for the suspension components for both front and rear end. I've found pages that show you suspension set up, but not pic (or numbers) for the third gen. I'll add pics as i find them about what i'm talking about.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

Pick up (Herb Adams Chassis Engineering) more then a handful of people who post on this board own it. even the most knowledgeable. Its worth while just to pick up to read if you happen to be at a book store

AlkyIROC

I doubt you'll find what you need unless GM gives you the blueprints for a third gen. There is no torque tube on a third gen. Old Monza's had a torque tube. Third gens have a torque arm.

Try asking a chassis, alignment or body shop if they have any specs.

CG will be different for every car. IC changes whenever the car is in motion.

If you really want to know what all the numbers are, get onto an alignment rack with a measuring tape and a digital angle finder and start measuring.

If you're fabricating a custom suspension, what difference does factory specs make. If it's custom, you make it to the specs that best suit what you intend to do with it.

The Herb Adams book is good. The Dave Morgan book, Door Slammers: The Chassis Book is better. It explains everything there is to know about how a chassis works.

cusz28

My mistake, Torque Arm (same deal, just not boxed in around drive shaft). At no point did I ever say CG stays the same, I think i acctually agreed with you about this -BUT- every trim model third gen had it's own (albiet very close) CG. An example would be a v8 automatic car with full power versus a v8 manual car with no power anything. Both trim models would be very close, but different. And, let's say for example, every v8 automatic car that is factory identical (same options) would have a CG close enough together to say it's at the same point. I want to know where mine is. I also agree with you that the instant center of a car changes in motion, but if every chassis engineer where to go by the basis that IC always changes, there really wouldn't be a reason to design a suspension with any antisquat (if it always changes, who gives a F**K). The point I'm trying to get at is that IC is measured on level ground NOT in motion, preferribly a frame bench at ride height. I would also like to point out that not everyone has the ability to crap out an alignment machine and start goofing around. Being a Diesel Mechanic, my money is invested in hand tools, car parts, and student loans, not shop equipment i would have to sell my house to purchase. I do understand that my suspension will be custom, and to any tolerances I may choose, but I always like to see what i'm dealing with (sometimes factory engineering is rather hard to improove upon, i.e. the three link third gen suspension). You also may run across the rare case that, if this part is moved just this far the left or right, the car will handle like this or that. All of which can be worked out on graph paper without hacking up the car in the process or RENTING an alignment machine. The Herb Adams Chassis book is an excellent book, Thanks FueledSoul for the reference, I do have this book myself. What i'm REALLY looking for is an approximate CG and IC/RC.