C-3 Drop Spindle

[mfain]

I recently bought a 1960 Vintage Race Corvette, and after one test and tune session I decided the front king pin suspension required an upgrade. I am building a new, bolt-in front suspension so the car can be returned to its vintage form at any time. In order to retain the Duntov racing brakes (C-3 calipers and rotors), I decided to use as many C-3 components as I could. These are the new VanSteel 1" drop C-3 spindles - CNC machined 6061 and 1" taller for better roll center. They appear to be high quality, and they are compatible with stock C-3 control arms. I will not use the steering arms as my project will use a front steer rack and pinion, but VanSteel has indicated a willingness to fabricate steering arms of my design for me. I will follow up with photos of the assembly installed in a 15" rally wheel.

 

[BBShark]

Very nice. It's about time someone did this. I thought Detroit Speed would do it.

Are you going to use an aftermarket R&P?

 

[phantomjock]

Pappy -
Your stable must be filling up! A lot of nice choices too.
Would that the VanSteel Drop spindles used C-5 Bearings.
Hmm - I'd better go look - especially since they will fit 15 inch rims.

[BTW - I thought they folded. You can tell it's nbeen a while since I looked.]

Cheers - Jim

 

[phantomjock]

Ohh - they do...


1.5" Drop, C7 SKF X-Tracker Hubs, but 17" wheels
To fit 15 inch would be smaller rotors, different calipers, and radial mounts.
"Deeper" Hats on the rotors might make up some difference.
But that brings its own complications.

Cheers - Jim

 

[mfain]

Ohh - they do...
View attachment 57788

1.5" Drop, C7 SKF X-Tracker Hubs, but 17" wheels
To fit 15 inch would be smaller rotors, different calipers, and radial mounts.
"Deeper" Hats on the rotors might make up some difference.
But that brings its own complications.

Cheers - Jim

Jim,
If you look closely at their website, there are two options - either C7 hubs/brakes OR stock hubs with all C-3 stuff. Here is a comparison of the VanSteel spindle and an OE one with factory hubs and a stock C-3 rotor inside a 15" rally wheel. I will run the VansSteel uprights, custom made steering arms, Global West lower C-3 control arm, Howe upper control arm, and a Sweet Manufacturing front steer rack in the suspension I am building for the 1960 Corvette.

 

[phantomjock]

Pappy -
Thanks for that. Nice Drop. Shows clearly what you get - but you get what you pay for...
Looks like an easy option (design & manufacturing required) to make these drops for a C5/7 bearing.
-- On a 15" wheel. That would seem to be a "winner" in Pro-Touring and other C-3s for a "stock look."

Cheers - Jim

 

[metalhead]

Really nice looking gear. I'm curious, is the steering arm geometry stock, or does it move the tierod down and back a bit like with bump steer blocks? I assume it does move it to match the lower balljoint re-location, but am wondering if it might also improve geometry further.

 

[mfain]

Really nice looking gear. I'm curious, is the steering arm geometry stock, or does it move the tierod down and back a bit like with bump steer blocks? I assume it does move it to match the lower balljoint re-location, but am wondering if it might also improve geometry further.

If you look at the tie rod mounting point with respect to the wheel (a 15" rally wheel), you can see it moves it down, much like the bump steer blocks. It also shortens the effective steering arm length which will make the steering response faster. I have not done bump steer measurements with this set-up yet.

 

[rtj]

Very interested to see the front end with the lowering spindles installed.

 

[mfain]

OK, after a couple of test and tunes I decided the front suspension is definitely not up to par with the horsepower and slicks - no real camber or caster. So, I am building a new front suspension - bolt in so the car can be returned to its original vintage configuration. I will use some C-3 components so I can retain the C-3 vintage race brakes that are currently on the car as well as the Torq Thrust D wheels. Basically I will have a Global West lower control arm, Van Steel billet upright with 1" drop, Howe upper control arm, coilovers, and a front steer Sweet Manufacturing rack. I am shooting for 7 degrees of caster (adjustable) and camber that is adjustable around 2 degrees negative (+/-). I built a fixture simulating the frame rails using an old C-1 crossmember as a buck. I can use the fixture for ride height assembly without having to do it on the car, and I will be able to use it to perform off-the-car geometry set-up/refinement. Project creep - one more time.

 

[mfain]

A little progress on the front suspension. It will be all C-3 configuration with Global West LCA, Van Steel spindle and hubs, and Howe UCA. The front steer rack will be from Sweet Manufacturing and sway bar from Speedway Engineering.

 

[BBShark]

Nice. Good idea using the fixture for off car setup.

 

[ZO6er]

[BTW - I thought they folded. You can tell it's nbeen a while since I looked.]

VBP folded. Van Steel purchased their composite molds.