'65 non-adjustable strut suspension-- what can be done?

[eaton]

I have a '65 built 912 with a 2.2 T engine. Winter is coming (we think about this earlier than most in Montana), and I'm in the early stages of planning a winter project. I'd like some brakes that give a bit more confidence and a suspension rebuild. The car feels very twitchy at above 60. The front has the early non-adjustable strut (single bolt at tower). I don't intend to track the car, so I don't think changing the towers is the way to go for me. How far can I go in improving the suspension and brakes while utilizing the suspension I have? Or is this a fool's errand?

Thanks for any help you can give.

Joe

[ecostellodo]

I would post this question to the 912 registry as well. https://www.912bbs.org/forum/

[haul]

Are your tower shocks already reworked?
https://www.early911sregistry.org/fo...one-at-factory

[9er]

Elephant racing and Rebel both sell an adjustable lower ball joint that enables you to get some decent degrees of negative camber up front.
https://www.rsrproducts.com/product-...89-911-912-930

[Chris Pomares]

Here it is on my 67. They make one to fit SWB and LWB struts on a SWB car. The ones pictures are for LWB struts.

[raspritz]

I'm sorry to be wet blanket, but if there is either something very wrong with your car or with your driving. I race a ex-'67 912 converted to a 911 with a 2.0 E/S full race engine, and it feels rock-solid at speeds routinely up to 130 MPH. The stock 912 front suspension is spectacular (though better shocks and front and rear swaybars don't hurt), and stock 912 brakes will handle all you can throw at them and much more (I race with Pagid orange pads, which you definitely do not want for street use). If your car feels "very twitchy" at speeds over 60 MPH, something is likely broken or you have a major set-up problem. Make sure no suspension or steering components are broken or worn out, that your frame isn't broken, and that you have good alignment and corner balancing, and that your tires aren't flat-spotted or worn out. Upgrades are not the answer.

[bob joyce]

just for fun .... i would suspect the rear alignment ...If you are driving on the freeway, and you jerk the wheel to either side. the rear of the car should seamlessly follow. I you jerk the wheel, and the rear of the car kind of fishtails and seeks its true direction.... that means the rear is not aligned...
also on windy days the car will feel as you say.... if it is not properly aligned ...

[eaton]

Thanks for the tips. The towers are reworked. My plan is to go to through the components to check for wear/replace and then go have a good alignment and corner balancing. While I'm in there, I'll add the adjustable ball joints and adjustable spring plates.

[Haasman]

Joe,

Does the front bumper contain the ballast weight that's molded into it. Missing, the early SWB cars a a mess to handle. I tried running my earlier car without it and wow, scary.

Remarkably I had dinner with Helmut Bott years ado. I share that I had an early car, he asked for the Vin number. He then asked if the front weight were in place? I assured him it was. He looked relieved.

[Bobs 67S]

Eaton,
after driving, club racing and enjoying this 1964 car for 31 years I can say your car has problems that you have to find and fix.

First: how solid is the pan? If there is any rust at or near major attachment points, the metal can be moving. (After purchasing this car I drove it for two months with similar handling as you describe on yours. Starting the restoration, after those two months, was the first time I jacked the car, all four tires in the air. Some thing was not right, as I jacked the body moved up but the front wheels barley moved. Got under the car and the front torsion bar attachment was hanging in mid air. I broke out in a cold sweat. The rust was so prevalent. There was also thru rust at the rear of the torsion bar mounts near the back of the gas tank. Along with pans and rockers there had been dubious quality prior repairs.)

Yes get your car on an alignment rack - are the wheels all facing forward?. And, verify the corner balance. If a prior owner thought they could just crank away on the front torsion bar to set the ride height you could have a three legged dog handling.... sound familiar?

As you gain experience driving you can try different settings. For the street I had the front weights, also drove many years without the front weights. When driving across the country to race, the front bumper fitted was fiberglass and paired with a ducktail - no front weights. It had a front shock tower brace bolted in. As the wheels got wider 4.5" to 5.5" to 6" and the compound got softer alignments were tweeked and the need for the front weights were not needed. Race weight with a 1/2 tank gas was 2020 lbs.

When the 4.5" chrome wheels went back on the weights went back in.

Good luck. If your car is anything like the one I had you will love it.