The Malaga Bomber (no rust this time)

[AbsorbantNut]

This is going increase your scrub radius quite a bit, it will be a handful when one wheel hits a bump or water puddle, etc.


Modifying a suspension usually creates compromises and we each get to pick our favorites. I'm enjoying your build, thanks for sharing.

This is around what most people on the 02faq shorten. I don't recall many complaints about an increase in scrub radius's, and they've been doing this for decades(shortening housings for shorter struts). Not saying that it doesn't increase it, but if it does I don't hear many negative comments based around scrub radius. Are you basing this "handful to drive" judgement soley on how the strut housing looks or do you actually have empirical evidence that you're matching up to numbers I haven't posted?

I'm just curious to know, because if it's going to be an issue, I'd rather know ahead of time. I hope that I haven't compromised too much! Thank you for the kind words :D

-edit-
also, if it helps, I'm not running the collar at it's lowest position, I actually have it at it's highest. And it sit's further up than the picture below if that was confusing. Finally, I plan on switching to 8" springs in the near future.

[LJ851]

If you plan on lowering the car and maintaing a decent amount of strut travel you'll realize that you need to shorten the housing and move everything downwards. Not really a big/tough to fix issue, but it's good to be aware of.

This is going increase your scrub radius quite a bit, it will be a handful when one wheel hits a bump or water puddle, etc.


Modifying a suspension usually creates compromises and we each get to pick our favorites. I'm enjoying your build, thanks for sharing.

[AbsorbantNut]

how are you reinforcing the lower stud the rear shock attaches to? it is not designed to support the weight of the car in a coilover configuration.

Oh really? I never would've guessed



Don't mind the sarcasm, I get asked this question at least twice a day, so saying the same answer over and over gets old pretty quick. I'll be reinforcing the upper tower by adding material to the top & sides of the tower as well as adding some gussets. Then the stud on the trailing arm will be converted from single shear to dual shear.

[mlytle]

maybe i missed it, but how are you reinforcing the lower stud the rear shock attaches to? it is not designed to support the weight of the car in a coilover configuration.

[AbsorbantNut]

On the original setup, the inside of the tire is very close to the outside of the strut tube. The way your new coil over setup looks with the spring very low is the the tire cannot get very close to the strut tube because it would contact the spring first.

Normally the spring is above the tire, yours appears to have the spring beside the tire.

Yes, you are seeing this correctly, the spring perch moves downwards when you shorten the strut. So in order to avoid hitting the barrel of the wheel on the perch you have to mind the width of your barrel. If it's too wide you'll need to add a spacer to push it outwards, away from the strut.

If you plan on lowering the car and maintaing a decent amount of strut travel you'll realize that you need to shorten the housing and move everything downwards. Not really a big/tough to fix issue, but it's good to be aware of.

[LJ851]

The spring and strut tube are parallel....the tire is next to both of them.... I'm not quite sure what it is you're saying?

On the original setup, the inside of the tire is very close to the outside of the strut tube. The way your new coil over setup looks with the spring very low is the the tire cannot get very close to the strut tube because it would contact the spring first.

Normally the spring is above the tire, yours appears to have the spring beside the tire.

[AbsorbantNut]

It looks like your tire will be next to the spring as opposed to the strut tube like it was originally. Am i seeing that correctly?

The spring and strut tube are parallel....the tire is next to both of them.... I'm not quite sure what it is you're saying?

[LJ851]

It looks like your tire will be next to the spring as opposed to the strut tube like it was originally. Am i seeing that correctly?

[AbsorbantNut]

Wow, awesome update.

Thanks! I will probably drop the rear subframe and install the new Condor bushings next week

[rzerob]

Wow, awesome update.

[AbsorbantNut]

Any updates? How's she running nowadays??

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

I don't drive it much at the moment, I've been caught up with doing the stuff I've posted below. But when I do drive the car, it's exciting.

The sign was turned into a fan shroud ;)

Without a shroud, the fan just re-circulates hot air.

Exactly John :mrgreen:

So I've been keeping busy over the past couple weeks. I pulled a set of Volvo calipers at the junkyard to use on the front struts. This allows you to upgrade from a solid rotor to a vented rotor.

IMG-20150404-WA0003 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Next my friend found me his old set of vw mk4 calipers. These will be used in the rear to convert from drums to disks!

IMG-20150404-WA0006 by jasonbelina, on Flickr


IMG-20150405-WA0028 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

IMG-20150405-WA0029 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Next I ordered a brake biasing valve

CAM01617 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01618 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Next I began the process of finding/making coilovers for the car. Most of the options on the market will cost you well over $1000. I managed to do the following for quite less.

To start, the rears were converted to a true coilover. The stock springs needed to be removed after setting the car up on jack stands.

CAM01611 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Here's a pic comparing the stock 2002 rear shock mount to the new ones I'll be using.

CAM01605 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01609 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

After a quick test fit I saw that I will be reducing my droop considerably with these. They're shock height adj, spring height adj, and dampening adj. Not bad

CAM01607 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01608 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01610 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

This is full droop with the shock adjusted all the way down. Looks like I found a good match :D

CAM01613 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

So after wrapping up the rear coils I moved onto the front. Springs and perches
IMG-20150410-WA0009 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

I decided to use a coilover sleeve/perch for an e30 with a 2.5" spring. Struts were switched out from stock to a vw mk1 rabbit strut & the housings were shortened. Big thanks to Carlos @Condor for helping out with the welding

CAM01620 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01621 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Next I had to shave the brake line brackets off

IMG-20150418-WA0012 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

IMG-20150418-WA0014 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

To align the two tubes, an easy thing to do is use a section of a stock e30 strut housing. Nobody seems to have mentioned/done this before, but the ID of the e30 strut tube is the OD of the 02 strut tube. And coincidentially the coilover perches that everyone says to use(on 2002faq) fit e30s. So the OD of our e30 strut tube works with the sleeves and such.

IMG-20150418-WA0016 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

IMG-20150418-WA0015 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

IMG-20150418-WA0013 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

So here's the finished product. One thing that I didn't mention is that when you section the 02 housings you'll also add a spacer underneath the shock. This is so the gland nut can properly tighten the shock down down.

CAM01626 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Here they are with the volvo BBK on

CAM01638 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01637 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

So now I was able to begin to install the front coilovers. First comes the removal of the stock strut assembly. But while I was in there, I replaced the ball joints & did the whole Condor Speed Shop front end bushing kit. I previously saw that someone installed poly swaybar links and that the tie tods were in great shape.

CAM01644 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Here's a pic comparing stock to not

CAM01646 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

New ball joints were installed and then greased for easy removal in the future

CAM01643 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01647 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Brought the control arms to the shop to press out the old bushings in preparation for the Condor ones!

CAM01648 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Next I saw that I needed spring hats but forgot to order a pair. So to reduce my cost more, I just worked with what I had. I drilled out the spot welds on the stock top hat to get rid of that inner dome.

CAM01649 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01650 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01651 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

Next I cleaned and greased the top hat bearings. With everything assembled after that I began the install

CAM01645 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

CAM01656 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

This is the front droop

CAM01652 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

With all the Condor bushings installed, the wheel bearings torqued, and the coils installed, it was time to put the car back on the ground!

IMG-20150425-WA0001 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

IMG-20150425-WA0000 by jasonbelina, on Flickr

[ForcedFirebird]

Well no wonder you were having cooling problems! that stop sign definitely didn't help air flow/heat exchange for you. Hopefully that fan will help things and you'll be good.

The sign was turned into a fan shroud ;)

Without a shroud, the fan just re-circulates hot air.

[kid325e]

Any updates? How's she running nowadays??

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[thatphysicsguy]

Well no wonder you were having cooling problems! that stop sign definitely didn't help air flow/heat exchange for you. Hopefully that fan will help things and you'll be good.

[AbsorbantNut]

I wanna see it . .

Ditto.

Ask and you shall receive

Had a banner made for the car. I've since then cleaned up the garage lol








I've been driving the 02 around lately, testing it out and seeing what needs work. My main issue by far has been keeping the coolant temps down




I hung out with a few friends at Ikea










And I struggled getting these to fit......until I got a fender roller and pulled the fenders :p







Then I swapped the large stock wheel out for a smaller one



I took off the bumperettes and the rear reflectors. That cleaned the rear end up a lot







But here's what everyone wants to see :eeek:




















Then, the inner adult in me came out, and I ordered a programable fuel gauge. This way I'd know when I'm running out of gas, instead of carrying around a jerry can




My friend Niko, with the black e36 on super advans above, gave me his old pair of ksports. Coincidentally they take the same size bolt for the eyelet on the bottom, and would work perfectly to make a true rear coilover setup. I have my parts list created to make a set of front coils, hopefully I can throw together a set within the month




Then a couple days ago I made a fan shroud for the radiator. It worked great, sadly I can'y space the fan very far off of the radiator due to size constraints in the engine bay :(



I'm literally splitting hairs with the current setup. Thank god for solid mounts