Thanks for the info. Years ago there was all kinds of drama about front mount intercoolers. Lately it seems to be suspension parts. I'm just trying to improve the handling and braking some. I plan on mostly a street car and drags. I don't plan on autoX. I just need to lighten the car a little and want to do it with some frugality.
I spent 140$ on both AFCO rotors.
Stock g-body spindles.
Stock calipers.
New brake pads 30$.
SPC UCAs w/ Howe ball joints 670$.
I saved 26lbs of unsprung weight (er well, I think only half the CA is counted as sprung, I forget), but anyway I didn't spend 2000$ to get a light front end. That isn't including the savings of not running a swaybar either.
I'm doing the same thing you are, except mine is more a drag car. I used the SPA1 shocks (80$ used) and Moroso springs (125$) for the front. No swaybar.
I think I redid the whole front suspension for under 1000? Its all about knowing what you need, and knowing what is snakeoil.
I don't know much about it all. I relied on the help of friends who've been doing this for years to guide me to pick parts. I used to listen to 1 person and take their word as gold. It failed me in the past.
This time around I spoke with many people and asked as much as I could (trust me, I get annoying with questions..) and then came to my own conclusions. I don't know much at all, and most people here have forgotten more than I'll ever know. However I am good at reading people (I did get a degree in it, afterall ) and figuring them out, which helped guide me towards who to listen to, and who to be careful of. It isn't hard to spot out certain characteristics after you've been taught what to lookout for.
All this stuff is my opinion. As really with everyone's suggestions. Rarely, is there a definitive "best" piece for a car. I'm just beginning to barely understand all this, but if you've taken geometry/calculus/physics, it makes sense. Luckily my best friend is a double-major in physics and mechatronic engineering, so I can ask him all the stuff I never really understand! My other two are chemical and electronic engineers...man how stupid do I feel when they begin going off on stuff!!
I'm like you though. I want to save some weight, not break the bank, but get good pieces. I feel like I did that. Others may choose different parts, which is totally cool. This is what I chose. Thats all I can really say. If you ever wanna ask me why I chose them, I'd be happy to entertain a phone conversation so you can hear just how stupid or justified I am in my parts choices.
As for the drama-look back to when there was no drama, and look at it now..what things have changed? What different people are involved? What is the drama really about? If you take a step back and look at what the before and after, it almost points itself out.
Like it says under my name: "Still needs to Learn". I have quite a ways to come in my knowledge, however I know enough about people to know when I should be wary. Thats all I can say.
I wish you the best with your project. And like I said, you can shoot me a PM and we can BS over this crap all day. Anytime is Buick time!!
