Time to do the suspension, info please? Options

[badm]

Ok so the sun is out and the temp is in the 70's, what a day for a drive. F#@k, hit a pot hole and toasted my passenger side front shock. I was going to replace the shocks, torsion bars and springs, over the winter but it seems like now is the time. I am hoping some of you with 6's can give me some info for a new set up. My 914/6 is in GT form with a 2.4 but it is driven on the road most of the time. I am looking for a hot road set up small amount of track time. I have mono balls up front with roller bearings and a set of trailing arms with bracing done by Chris at CFR set up with roller bearings in the rear. I am looking for shock type, MM on torsion bars and spring rate for rear? Rather than make a expensive mistake I am asking for info, so chime in. Thanks Ben. I am going to Drink now !!!!!!!!

[pcar916]

If you're a GT already then I assume you are a 5-lug as well.

I have '79 911 Bilstien struts. Great match those and they'll fit on the 914 lower control arms. Lot's of years will work but get the one with shock inserts you want. You'll find threads about which struts take which inserts (Koni, Bilstien, Boge)

If you have the needle-bearing mod then I'd make sure the pot hole didn't do any damage to them. They aren't as forgiving as something like poly-bronze but will crunch or bind if they have a problem.

There are many threads on spring rates that include shock and sway-bar information, both in this forum and the Paddock. Searches will fill your head with many things. But the short skinny...

A lot depends on how close you want your car to handle like a cart, i.e. how stiff you want it to be. Your engine is light so your spring rates, especially for a street car won't be as aggressive as someone with a later, heavier engine. I like a cart-like car. When I had a 2.7L motor in mine I had..

Front: This is slightly more stiff than many folks like but it was outstanding on the road and on tracks like Sears Point and Mid Ohio.
23mm torsion bars
22mm adjustable sway bar
Bilstien Sport shocks

Rear:
180# adjustable Coleman coils
Koni adjustable gas shocks
No sway bar

Note: You don't need a rear sway bar until you have either a cage with the suspension points tied together, an LSD/TBD or both.

With the 3.6L motor I made the rear springs 200# but could make them stiffer.

I've added an LSD and a rear sway-bar is likely in the future, but not until I think I need more oversteer than I can modulate with tire pressures and shock adjustments. My F-R balance is a bit better than stock because I have a 15gal fuel cell low and forward of the stock tank position and my battery (and other stuff is in the front. There is also my front oil cooler which holds 3qt's of oil at any given time, and an 11# fire bottle there as well.

Do some searching and this should get you started. Lots of these hooligans will tell you their stories.

Good luck

[badm]

I have a LSD, as well as the GT weld in chassis kit. The car is a real 6 with the stock 5 lug set up, GT rear calipers and 911S calipers front. I am looking for that Go Kart feel. Thanks for all the Info. Ben.