Taming the Beast

[kingsburgphil]

Shocks?..... My car still has QA1 shocks F&R. Great eye candy, but impractical on a car which might see 1hr. per month on rough streets. I have  no plans for
match racing in the immediate future, so whats the hot set up with a little ride quality?  As it is right now I'm afraid I'll bend the race weight Erco's, not to mention
the Jaz poly seats get old real quick.

In the past I've run Koni,Bilstein,Boge's & KYB's.  Any suggestions for a 66' with 145's ?

While I'm asking for opinions...I need to put some street legal tires on the rear.  M&H cheaters or conventional radials?  In other words, sticky tires with poor
handling or great handling street tires with poor traction?  As it is now I tiptoe around corners and avoid wet streets/sharp objects, and still spin them when their
cold.

Style or function?     Opinions welcome 

[H67bug]

Avos ( non coil type ) rear and Koni front. Adjustable so can be fine tuned.

Can't comment on tyre choice as never been brave enought to try street s
Slicks

Caris fab

[kingsburgphil]

I decided to save my money and dial the QA1's to full soft and see if thats better.

Otherwise, I can't believe with over 230 views nobody has an opinion as to what
rear tires I should buy!!    Frankly I was expecting Padla Trax, Norsemans or Blue Streaks.

Not nadda zero point shit.     Sheesh!!!    

[Bill Schwimmer]

I would get some radials. You already have race tires. Although I have not driven the MH street tires I do know that radials will be a HUGE improvement over the slicks for street driving. Some 205 70's or 215 65's will be about the same size as your slicks so it will not mess up the gearing. As for shocks, I have Koni's in the back set about half way & some old Hurst drag shocks set at 50/50 in the front. I like pretty soft front shocks so that it rides decent. When I turn them to 90/10 it works good for the track, but I dont dig the way they ride. Hope this helps  Bill

[hotrodsurplus]

whats the hot set up with a little ride quality? Any suggestions for a 66' with 145's ?

I run Bilsteins on everything EXCEPT on the fronts of my lowered VWs. On those I run replacement-type Cofap with the screw-on tops (ball joint). Boge and twin-tube Bilstein replacements would be the same but they're not all that common anymore. Remove the big rubber snubbers before you install the tops, though. That way you're assured full wheel travel. The ball joints will bind at about the same point that the dampers bottom out so they won't interfere with suspension travel. And the ride quality is beautiful, especially on a car dropped with spindles.

I locked onto that setup in the late '80s and have run nothing but those ever since--even on a 13-second car (a '66, incidentally) in the early '90s. I run stock front dampers on king/link as well--you can get a kingpin car mini-truck (stupid) low and not bottom out stock dampers. Why the vendors sell 'lowered' dampers is beyond me. They're totally unnecessary and since they're adapted from other non-VW cars they usually make our VWs ride like poo.

In the rear I favor 'pre-owned' Bilsteins simply because I'm too cheap to buy new ones. If your QA1s are the series that I think they are, they're just twin-tube dampers in a fancy looking body. They're adjustable on rebound only. Compression is more than likely valved too stiff for your application. Volkswagen tended to over-spring cars anyway so they require very little compression damping. A stock damper collapses as if it doesn't have anything in it.

I also suggest nothing more than 20psi on those front tires. Any more and traction, handling, and ride quality tend to go away.

my $.02.

[So.Cal.Life]

    Phil, I love your car, shes a hot little bitch, go with the Padla Trax 

[Dave Galassi]

Phil, I drove the M &H street cheats for about 1500 miles on my car and they were squirrelly, and especially bad in wet weather near Ratto's house.  The radial option would be a good idea.  You've gone soft, you know, wanting comfort and all...........

The car looks beautiful, and thanks for posting Chip's shot.  I echo the sentiments.

Dave

[Sarge]

I hated my M&H's for the week I owned them... squirrelly when letting off the throttle at speed.  A street car needs street tires in my opinion... 205/65's but would consider 215/60's next time around.  You might consider some Drag Radials (http://www.jegs.com/i/BF-Goodrich/131/54003/10002/-1?parentProductId=750350#moreDetails)... Jim Kurlinski (DKP) has 'em on his '67.  I still like Koni's (set soft) best but only on the rear.  I feel the same as Chris (Hotrodsurplus) about the fronts.  Trimming the front shock rubber bump-stops is really important and often overlooked.  Good luck.... your car looks SWEET!

[dyno don]

Phil boy......awesome looking sedan...and its about time>drool.....   HEY KIDS>now THATS the way a nice muffler should fit..!!     congrats Phil..!!   Dyno

[kingsburgphil]

Thanks guys for the compliments, but I can only take partial credit on this car. Chip Wimer built/raced it, I'm like the topic says "Taming the Beast".

And thank you for all the good info...everyday's a school day   

[TexasTom]

Phil,
I've run DOTs for YEARS on my car. In fact, had 'em on when I got caught in that rain storm and crashed it! ... should've detoured and tried to go 'round.
Anyhow, about 4 years ago I broke down and bought an extra set of wheels and put regular old radials on it ... PRETTY NICE! Wow, and it'll go around corners too!
Don't want you to break the bank, but at least consider getting an extra set of rears if possible... unless you don't have any intention of running it anymore ... That way you can switch them out at will and do whatever!
Have fun!
TxT

[Zach Gomulka]

Those 235/60 BFG drag radials need the perfect width/offset wheel to "fit", and even then they don't really "fit".

I'd look for a sticky 215/65 radial.

[Sarge]

Those 235/60 BFG drag radials need the perfect width/offset wheel to "fit", and even then they don't really "fit".

I'd look for a sticky 215/65 radial.

Jim shoehorned his onto some Flat4 five inch wide BRM's... a commendable feat!  I was looking at my rig with short axles and Type III drums today and the 205/65's are under the fenders with the slimmest of margin on 5" wide BRM's.

[kingsburgphil]

WoW!  you're right...a lot of tire. Tentatively I'm thinking 6'' street weight Erco's with the same backspace as the race weight 6's
it has now. Tire size, a 215x65 (max) thats 26' tall should be a perfect swap.  Tire brand? maybe something cheap, light and sticky
like a Falken  http://www.falkentire.com/Tires/Passenger-Car/ZIEX-ZE-912-2    (Although I'd prefer something lighter)
Oh and I forgot to mention it has 311 brakes and a 1' tranny raise.

Your thoughts..

[Zach Gomulka]

Yeah... That's what I mean. The tire is buldging out waaayy past the rim, and even though the tread is under the fender,  the sidewall isn't. 

[TexasTom]

For me, I'd look for something cheap, light, and SMOKEY! LOL
TxT

[hotrodsurplus]

I'd look for a sticky 215/65 radial.

+1. I'm sort of partial to the taller/narrower 205/70, especially on a 5-inch rim. But the 215/65 has a bit more tread and you can get it in drag radial.

I'll never forget when that 215/65 tire came out in the early '90s. I saw 'em on a car running at Harbor/Imperial (short axles, TI drums, fake EMPI fives). I just knew that was the way to go. They fit the wells beautifully. 

[rick m]

I stuffed a 215/70x15 on a 7" alloy under the back of my 66 chop.  It really turned out nice and fits inside the rear fender nicely.  I am running a Pirelli tire.

Rick M

[Dano382]

Car looks great. Love that stance with those rims. Just put the DOT M&H slicks on 215/65/15. I don't think anything wider will fit. Winkslooker just put them on his ride. Looks good.......

http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,265.1920.html

 http://www.mandhtires.com/store.php?crn=73&rn=311&action=show_detail