Retro-gone. Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 is the new nickname for my car it goes like shit off a stick , im well impressed with it, i had it fine tuned by the local oldskool mechanic today and hes got it bang on, even he was impressed with the power, when that 2nd choke kicks in and i floor it it takes off like a pissed off wasp.. it has a lovely smooth tickover to boot, doesnt smoke at all , absolutely love it, altho i know it wont catch you big boys with the tuned 2.1 pintos (and some crossflows) its quick enough for me just one problem, its so lively now that i need to improve the handling, its all over the road at the mo , specially in damp weather.. what ive done so far is, new steering rack & bushes , new track rod ends, new track control arms , coilovers, altho ive fitted new bushes they are the stock rubber ones not polys.. so can i have some sensible suggestions to get a better handling car without spending a ridiculous amouny of money please chaps im seriously thinking of 15" wheels with modern tyres for a start, will that contribute to better handling? what else?
LEONMEX Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 best thing i put on my escort to aid handling was panard rod (x-bar from axle to chassis) & tramp bars (axle to chassis forward facing) they really transformed my car. I think you can get axle locating kits for capris that bolt on?? these will help keep the axle where it should be,which is nice
DAZZA Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 Sod the handling Mr Retro, get some side pipes
LEONMEX Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 Sod the handling Mr Retro, get some side pipes and flames i would leave the wheels as 13s 15s with lower profile tyres will help handling but 13s with lower profile will also aid handling (but they look pants)
Admin Vista Posted February 3, 2009 Admin Report Posted February 3, 2009 Dare I say it..................you could always put the Falkens back on?
Retro-gone. Posted February 3, 2009 Author Report Posted February 3, 2009 NO chance , they look awfull, id rather end up in a field than put them tiny laggy bands back on.
Toby Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 Panhard rod as suggested. Some Fat 13" ML's with 205 - 60 - 13 tyres Yoko's is my preference. Retro Ford Mag did a capri on ML's and for my money it looked
Toby Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 Come to think of it they did a big handling feature on the old boat too
Copey Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 good news tony!! as said location kits, and get some grippy tyres, i ran firestone on mine and they where great tyres, should be able to get them to fit your wheels, either that or get some wider wheels 6" sat on 205/60s will give the same profile you have now but the extra width will give more grip
antz Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 its expensive but polybushes do help. i did all the suspension on my car at once so from driving a soggy old escort with a broken front spring to a ground hugging one that was tight as a rusty bolt was a different world
SAF_Capri Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 Definately an axle location kit, best mod i have ( look in capri section at worthwhile mods-a few suggestions in there) Also look into lowering it if you can, and get the setup you have already re-aligned?
escortwithsunroof Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 poly bushes, i recommend them
5hane Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 what about a set of gaz rear shock's? bout £50 each , and take 20 min to fit
Retro-gone. Posted February 3, 2009 Author Report Posted February 3, 2009 yeah i been thinking bout new rear shocks.. just to clarify a few things, 205 tyres will not fit under standard mk1 arches, and the car is already lowered as far as i can take it without it grounding out on Bridlingtons super high speed bumps. i have to crawl over em as it is, whats an axle location kit? panhard thingy? anti trump wotsit ?this is all new to me lads.
antz Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 yeah i been thinking bout new rear shocks..just to clarify a few things, 205 tyres will not fit under standard mk1 arches, and the car is already lowered as far as i can take it without it grounding out on Bridlingtons super high speed bumps. i have to crawl over em as it is, whats an axle location kit? panhard thingy? anti trump wotsit ?this is all new to me lads. axle location locates your axle and stops it wobbling side to side. (i think) panhard rod does the same. stops side to side movement of the axle anti tramp bars stop the up and down skipping motion when you boot it.
LEONMEX Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 you get "axle tramp" when you accelerate hard as the axle winds itself up on the leaf springs so tramp bars are located from the axle facing forward & welded to the chassis & they pivot at the axle & the chassis. A "panard rod" locates on the axle & lays across the axle & bolts to a bracket on the chassis & stops the axle moving sideways. I beleive the kit for the capri bolts to the leaf spring mounts so is alot easier to fit but is supposed to be a good bit of kit. Any way of stoping the axle moving will make a big difference you will notice. & tired rear shocks won't help much,my escort is fairly hard suspension & handles alot better on hard setttings than soft,but not to hard
Retro-gone. Posted February 3, 2009 Author Report Posted February 3, 2009 ahh, its all starting to kick in now, il do some reading up on handling
Admin Vista Posted February 3, 2009 Admin Report Posted February 3, 2009 yeah i been thinking bout new rear shocks..just to clarify a few things, 205 tyres will not fit under standard mk1 arches, and the car is already lowered as far as i can take it without it grounding out on Bridlingtons super high speed bumps. i have to crawl over em as it is, whats an axle location kit? panhard thingy? anti trump wotsit ?this is all new to me lads. Sez who? You've seen my green mk1 facelift right? I had 206 /60 tyres on 7J minilites on that and they went under the arches.
Retro-gone. Posted February 3, 2009 Author Report Posted February 3, 2009 im goin on what ive seen , a mate has 205's on slotmags but had to have the arches flared, and then they only just clear. maybe its the offset?
Stu_B Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 Deffo the offset... my slots are 0 offset, as are most others I've seen apart from skinny 5.5"s.
caprinerd Posted February 3, 2009 Report Posted February 3, 2009 tony mate please dont think of flaring your arches it would kill the car mate go axle lacation kit / x frame but dont just get the cheapest as they aint that much cop the best ive seen i think come from capri sport not the cci ones
Retro-gone. Posted February 4, 2009 Author Report Posted February 4, 2009 ok il look into it, thanks rog
SmokeEm Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 Bear in mind Tony that whilst an X Frame is deffo the best thing for the least dough, it will only fit to single leafs and only then to cars with no more than 1" lowering blocks fitted.
vibrating_Cake Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 Bear in mind Tony that whilst an X Frame is deffo the best thing for the least dough, it will only fit to single leafs and only then to cars with no more than 1" lowering blocks fitted. and if its more than 1" lowered it screws things over royally!! axel location kit (will look prettier on yours) x frame has the same bars, one going forwards one going backwards rather than the single forwards that i have on. this also transforms the handling.... shows how BAD the capri is as standard. GOOD rear shocks TRANSFORM the handling 10fold! strongly reccomend them! nothing much else will make a difference to the mechanical grip you get from the wheels (bar the panhard rod and anti tramp bars which are kind of major with welding etc) bar wheels and modern tyres!!!!!
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