Mid engine Karmann Ghia

[vwbloodline]

Thank you evil c for you valuable information. The Opel front axle is a double a arm suspension set up with a leaf spring running across from one side to the other forcing a loss of friction of one side onto the other. The corvette c 4 uses the identical design for a front axle. I may however end up fabing up my own a arms depending on how much the Opel axle weight, I already have the ope axle is the reason why I assumed using it, however I did plan on adapting the factory spindles to which ever brake design I go with. Chassis wise I am going to buy a full tube chassis from RLR, I am waiting for an estimate to get one fully welded and shipped to me. What size brakes would you recommend running, along with wheel size? I was looking to run 16~17" wheels as they seem to match the car best to me. The only brakes I have now are off of a n/a 85.5 944. I imagine I should upgrade, however I don't know how large I should go, or how many pot calipers I should run. Here is a c4 front axle however the opel is steel and definitely doesn't have 13" brakes.

[evilC]

Interesting. The Opel GT was never known for its suspension IIRC and was an off shoot from the original Kadet design? I realise that the 'vette uses a transverse leaf spring but its the only performance car to do so. That means that transverse leaf spring knowledge is a bit specialist.
I would junk the idea of leaf springs and apply the KISS principle and use double A arm or struts that there is masses of info about. Besides do you know could fab up a custom leaf spring? also, the Opel front end looks a bit weighty - I suppose it had to hold up a front engined car with the Opel cam in-head 1900cc that was a bit heavy - I know I've rebuilt one.

For 16" wheels the easiest fitting disc size is 300mm (12") although it might be just possible to squeeze 330mm discs in. the 17" will accommodate the 330mm discs and I would run 4 pot alloy calipers front and rear. The Porsche 944 turbo setup will work quite well, is alloy and all the parts are readilly available. If your after a custom set up then Wilwood, AP Brembo etc all offer whats required. With such a one off you might consider a racing discs with alloy bells that would allow you to tailor the set up more closely as well as providing performance improvements. The 944 set up also provides for a separate rear parking brake that is very effective and better than any of the separate disc mechanical calipers.

evilC

evilC

[vwbloodline]

Hmm, A arms it is, I will probably just do a similar design to the ones RLR sells then with a lower a arm and upper coil over. Thank you for bringing up the point about the transverse leaf spring and not getting one special made. I saw a link somewhere going to the aulstrailian website that sells the lock out kit to make a subaru transmission awd to 2wd, does this ring a bell to anyone. Also has anyone seen a write up on making shifter linkage? I have seen a few mid engine sand rails and imagine someone has pictures close up somewhere.

Vwbloodline