suspension & brake questions

[goofycarp]

Hey, I am about to really expose my ignorance here. I am interested in upgrading the suspension and brakes for spirited street driving and perhaps ocassional track time. I have a 70T with black front struts. What inserts can I use and what recomendations, same goes for the rear. Torsion bar diameters? I have seen on various sites that 21mm front and 26mm rear are a good balance. Also, I saw an older post that said that there are Wilwood calipers that will work and if so where are they available? No doubt you can tell...a new and excited owner. Thanks, Cort.

[HarryD]

Hey, I am about to really expose my ignorance here. I am interested in upgrading the suspension and brakes for spirited street driving and perhaps ocassional track time. I have a 70T with black front struts. What inserts can I use and what recomendations, same goes for the rear. Torsion bar diameters? I have seen on various sites that 21mm front and 26mm rear are a good balance. Also, I saw an older post that said that there are Wilwood calipers that will work and if so where are they available? No doubt you can tell...a new and excited owner. Thanks, Cort.

Do a search here and at Rennlist (http://forums.rennlist.com) and pelican (http://forums.pelican.com) for much of your information. Steve Weiner posts here and the other boards and knows a bit on the topic as well.

[LeafGreen]

A buddy of mine who is a member here (GreenT) did a major suspension upgrade on his 70. I don't know the details, but I do know he was very happy with the result....and I think it was all late model OEM stuff he got out of a salvage yard.

[HarryD]

Hey, I am about to really expose my ignorance here. I am interested in upgrading the suspension and brakes for spirited street driving and perhaps ocassional track time. I have a 70T with black front struts. What inserts can I use and what recomendations, same goes for the rear. Torsion bar diameters? I have seen on various sites that 21mm front and 26mm rear are a good balance. Also, I saw an older post that said that there are Wilwood calipers that will work and if so where are they available? No doubt you can tell...a new and excited owner. Thanks, Cort.

Cort,

I should add that the best investment you can make is not hardware for the car, but seat time for the "nut" behind the wheel. Even in stock form, these cars, in skilled hands, can exceed the performance of many other cars that have had "performance upgrades". Them Porschie engineers did not leave much on the table.

[ttweed]

I should add that the best investment you can make is not hardware for the car, but seat time for the "nut" behind the wheel.

I concur. However, if you are determined to update before you learn to drive it at the limit, the most cost-effective option might be (as LeafGreen suggests) buying the entire front end from a 3.2 Carrera and bolting it on.

The 21/26 torsion bar choice is a good compromise for a street-driven car. Don't forget that wheel and tire choices could make the biggest difference in your car's performance, however.

TT

[Zeke]

Here are my choices after a good study on the subject. Hopefully, I will have found a nice balance of components. 21/26; 19mm sways, both ends; 4 Koni Sports; all on narrow body riding on 15 x 7s all around.

Oh, and new Elephant polybronze bushings and adjustable drop links.

[goofycarp]

Thanks for all the good points. Regarding tires, here's what the car has on now, Michelin "Energy MXV4" 195/60/15 and not sure on the width of the rims, is there a stamp on the inside of the rim? Tire recommendations? Thanks. Cort.

[Zeke]

Yes, there are a couple of stamps on the inside of the rim if you have Fuchs. One might say 15 x 6J, and there is a part no. that will start with 901 or 911.