Look at what I've been doing...
 

Here's a couple of pics of the 9" I've been working on. Gotta finish welding the brackets and make caliper brackets, won't be long now!!


http://www.geocities.com/mastertone50/07-30-05_2138.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/mastertone50/07-30-05_1932.jpg

Lookin good - obviously takin the cheaper way rather then shellin out 2200 bucks for a new one

Good work!

Exactly, I aint paying that much money for something I can do myself. Plus I really enjoy building stuff. I've got $1150 in it, that's the axles, gears, locker and few small things. I'll be glad when I'm done with it so I can drive the car again!!

It'll be fun to give it all the hell you want once its together.... I smell hard street launches in the near future

are you beefing up the LCA mounts on the body?

Using the PeteZ bar type set up so no TA going to be used?

Let us know how it does!

Nope I won't be using a TA and no I won't be beefing up the body mounts. Might have to in the future, we'll see. The motor will be the next project after I get done with the rear.

Keep us or at least me posted!!

Eager to see how it works out for you.

The torque arm mount is the biggest obsticle in modifiying a rear to work in our cars, if this setup works well that could be eliminated.

Hope it works out for you, but usually when something sounds too good to be true...

I don't understand why you think it's too good to be true. Several people are already running this setup (Pete Z bars) I just made mine instead of buying them and they are a lil bit beefier than those. I really want a 4 link but there just aint enough room for that without backhalving the car, that's not an option.
I'll keep you posted. I got all the brackets welded up today and it's starting to look like something now. Soon as I get the milling machine running I'll be making aluminum caliper brackets and then I will be done, finally!!:eek2: I took a few pics along the way and will post them on my webshots.com page when it's done.

i was looking and i figured out a way to 4 link it but you loose the back seat/and speakers. and there is a lot of fab work.

I really hope it does work well, do you have any more info on the Pete Z bars?

This could really save alot of money if it worked well, not having to buy an $2000 12bolt/9'' and then not having to buy a $600 torque arm.

Pete Z bars (or types like those) are sold thru Jegs and Thunder and probably a few other sponsors.

Any sites or any literature behind the theory of the Pete Z Bars? (Spring rate changes, geometry changes, etc... )

I think Steven, Sar2k, runs them. He should be able to be found here or Thunder.
I think madman has used them on some cars.
It is going to be tough to get information about them b/c not alot of people run them.

here are some mentioning of them:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...ht=Pete+Z+bars
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...ht=Pete+Z+bars
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...ht=Pete+Z+bars
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...ht=Pete+Z+bars

Gosh, there are 33 post from a search just as you could do.....

Thanks Shon, I'll give a yell at Steven if I get a chance.

Not sure but seems like I read somewhere that madman reccomends leaving the TA on with his setup in case something breaks. You have to take the front end of the TA out of it's mount and box it in to keep the suspension from binding. This is why mine are a lil beefier than his because I won't be using a TA.

i thought that the TA still had to be mounted to the rear/TA mount near trans for some sort of locating but it was ran loose and probably was noisy but others that actually have one might (would be!) better to ask...

Not sure exactly how they do it because I've never seen it, this is just what I've read.