My Thoughts so far - FF UFA, Solid mounts, Heavy steering gear

[Bruceynz]

Can a moderator please change the title from FF UFA to FF UCA, dam typo

Hi Guys,

Ok its been a while but I am making progress, a simple engine fix has turned into a full restoration, I hear you sigh "yeah we know what you mean"

Ok my thoughts on the work so far. Since the engine was out I jumped at doing as much as I could in one go simply because of easy access and not fighting against the weight of the engine.

To start off with my Cordoba was a PIG!! a down right accident waiting to happen it was baggy and would wander like a dog on heat! It was like a drunk driver walking the white line on New Years eve in front of an officer trying to touch his nose! I tell you it was shit box horrible! Not to worry I knew the suspension was of sound design, not perfect but pretty dam good!

So what have I done to it, Had the steering gear worked to the max, I had 2 steering gearboxes and had one good one built from the 2, I had the steering made to feel heavy as well (A FF steering gear in other words) I have FF UCA fitted, FF solid sub frame mounts, KYB gas shocks all around, 17inch wheels.

Did a home alignment job, got the toe in/out within a couple mm and camber right, can't measure caster but marked it up before I took it apart and stuck it back to where it was. Really needs to go on the alignment machine.

WELL WELL today I set the timing on my car at 34 degrees and decided it was time to get it on the road, what can I say it steers so much better! I am impressed, the steering and turning now feels more like a modern car! I am so impressed, I am not sure what has made the biggest improvement but I haven't finished yet, I still have torsion bar bushings to do and fit addco front/rear anti sway bars and a 8.25" 3.21:1 rear end and see what I can do with that ISO clamp stuff.

I think the 360 will explode the 7.25" if I am not careful, a 2.2:1 must load up with that tall gear!

So far I am impressed how it goes! Anyone else wanting to go this route I can so far let you know its a game changer!

BTW when I removed the sub frame isolators they were soft and spongey so I can imagine the sub frame wanted to go one way and the body the other, well that's fixed now!

Thanks
Bruce

 

[Aspen500]

I do know what you mean, my 12 year project started out as a trans overhaul, lol.

Yeah, don't get to over zealous with your right foot and the 7 1/4"

Bet it felt good to drive the car again, even if only a short distance

 

[Bruceynz]

I gave it a bit of stick once and was hoping it would hold, those 2.2:1 7.25" really kill performance! Got to get the 3.21:1 in there soon, but just want to get the car road legal so I can drive to paint shop and get wheel alignment done properly! Then I can start work on the rear end

 

[Justwondering]

bruceynz,
when you get your front end alignment finished, would you swing by my place and take mine in as well.
You'd have all this experience with yours and I'd hate to see such good experience go to waste.

 

[Bruceynz]

You gota do what you gota do to get your car to run how you want it to. Someone said to me that car engineers have known all they needed to know about suspensions since the 1950's and if you look at it what has changed, they still use the same stuff, Chrysler use torsion bars and so do race cars, 4WD trucks, etc. Chrysler were a company that decided to use them across the board rather than on the odd model. My Cordoba is starting to go good! So what I am getting at is that torsion bar suspension can work very nicely just all the old rubber bits and sloppy steering gears. I am sure in their first few years of life before the rubbers went soggy and the power steering gears wore they drove ok.

 

[BudW]

I can’t see the suspension while driving, but I can feel the K-frame moving well before the rest of the car does, on quick turns. Getting those Iso-clamps off and solid K-frame mounts are on top of my list.

Oddly, the steering gear on my ’77 feels light and perfect.
The one on my ’86 feels heavy and leaks like a sieve. I have a FFI gear (somewhere) in my garage with the solid mounts, ready to be installed.
Now, where did I place that magic wand?

BudW