I know there are a few people that have a Solstice or Sky but I cant remember who they are?
I have a Fiero related project but need some info on the KAPA.
Thanks, Rick

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[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 05-12-2010).]

I have an 07 GXP. What are you looking for? Do you need to see it in person?

My wife has a 2007 SKY Red Line.

I don't have to have the car in person, all I need is some detailed dimensions with the right or left side wheels removed. If the car were here I could get a hands on kind of feel for it, but I will take any and all pics of the suspension, front and rear with the wheels off as you can get. AND as detailed as possible measurements of the suspension pinnings as possible.

Depending on how soon you need then, I am painting my calipers the next free day that I get. I can get some pics and measurements then. Let me know what you need.

OK, the measurements that I need are for ALL of the suspension mounting points.





I want to put this in a Fiero. I have the entire suspension and brake system but I don't have any of the chassis mounting points.

Rick will probably also need the angles of things. So if whoever does this can borrow an angle finder, I'm sure it would be helpful.
Rick: I'm glad to see you pursuing this idea, I hope you make it out-handle the rare '88-only stuff, because I'm still not having any luck getting the '88 cradle and rear suspension for my '84, and I know that there's lots of room for improvement at the front of even the '88s, so I'm not even looking for '88 front suspension.
I hope you find a pre-88 cradle to butcher for the Kappa suspension.

[This message has been edited by Isolde (edited 05-13-2010).]

That is a VERY good point. I have a digital angle finder and use it all the time. So if anyone could help me out on this drop me an email for more details.

Rick,

While not on a Fiero -- I rrecently did an exercise very similar to what you are trying to do....

You really don't need too many measurements off of the donor car. What you do want to do is something along the lines of this....note that this won't initially need your car:

* Set cradle at ride height (I fibbed -- base THIS measurement off of a Fiero -- note any angle to the cradle front-to-rear
* Select the wheel/tire combo you want to use -- measure center of wheel at ride height
* Wheel/tire will set where the spindle wants to be.
* Set lower "A" arm to be parallel to the ground -- note where your inner pivot points will want to be for the arm.
* NOTE: for this initial measurement, you will want to know what the angle is for the upper "A" arm -- inboard/outboard angle as well as front/rear
- Set position of upper "A" arm based off >initial< measurements of donor.

Once you have all of the above done, you'll need some way to create a fixture to hold these mount points, as well as capure the toe link and upper shock mount point. Make sure you have the axle connected between the powertrain and suspension. Next, remove the spring and the wheel/tire. With your spindle set at ride height, run the suspension through its desired range of travel and note how your camber and toe change. You will need to adjust your suspension mounting points to optimize camber and toe throughout the range of travel.

My post-Fiero project car is a TVR. I built a custom frame for the car because I wanted to install an LT4/T56 and Corvette running gear. The rear suspension had to be narrowed 3" per side because the car is tiny -- that change forced me to have to find all new suspension mounting points in order to minimize toe and optimize camber change over the range of travel.

Engine swaps are relatively easy compared to doing suspension work such as this!

I didn't address any issues whether this will all actually fit under a stock car -- I hear there are widebody kits to address that (and custom wheels as well)

Last concern if it were me doing the work would be where that upper "A" arm is going to mount to -- you will need to create some pretty beefy mounts to hold it. Not sure where it makes the most sense to build that off of.

You want to do all this initial work on a chassis table/work area outside of the car so you can see how it all needs to go together. Once you figure that all out, it is then easier to focus on how it will all package inside of the car.

Ambitious project -- best of luck with it!!! Drop me a PM if you have any questions.......

-jeff d
Fort Worth, TX
1986 Fiero GT/V8
1973 TVR 2500M
1977 Puma GTE

I would do exactly what you recommend, IF I knew the what the caster, camber and toe are supposed to be thru the entire range of motion. Is it supposed to be the same throughout? or is there a change as the suspension bottoms out?

good suspensions for cornering tend to go more negative on the camber as the suspension compresses, to compensate for chassis roll.

Rick--Claude and Kathleen Turner in the Bay Area have a Solstice, but they don't read the Forum.

JC

I wonder if Colin Chapman started out like this?
I doubt it.
You guys are scaring me.
I really suggest you buy a program like this, then make your own mounting points per the new geometry requirements of YOUR Fiero.
http://performancetrends.com/SuspAnzr.htm
Wouldn't hurt to buy a book on suspension design as well, to find out what those geometry requirements will be.
http://www.amazon.com/Race-...s-R146/dp/1560915269
Or you could just slap on some bracket locations from a front engined car on to a tail heavy mid engines car and wing it.
Hoo Yaa!
Good luck in any case.

Thanks for the links, That is what I need. I could use it for my 4 link jeep setup too. But $400 wow.

The centroid axis inclination of the Fiero weight distribution is going to be exactly opposite that of the Kappa. Thus putting Kappa suspension on a Fiero will NOT make the Fiero handle like a Sky Redline.

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: But $400 wow.

maybe Google books has it?

Weight distribution is a matter of springs, shocks and roll bars. A suspension will serve well enough if it is strong enough, since the main point is to keep the tires always perpendicular to the road. Angling the front lower arms for good anti-dive applies the same wherever you put the weight in the vehicle. And that's just one example.
I see nothing dangerous about what Rick is hoping to accomplish. If my funds permitted, I might be trying this right along with him.

quote Originally posted by Will: The centroid axis inclination of the Fiero weight distribution is going to be exactly opposite that of the Kappa. Thus putting Kappa suspension on a Fiero will NOT make the Fiero handle like a Sky Redline.

I understand what you are saying. If I had all the KAPPA specs and the program I could input the Fiero specs. Then with the "optimum" desired specs I could come up with a better suspension, IF that were my goal

Either way, Ricks doing another project--gotta save this as a favorite.

quote Originally posted by madcurl: Either way, Ricks doing another project--gotta save this as a favorite.

No more crazy wheel off sets or wheel spacers to fill wide bodies and kit fenders The Solstice suspension is at least three inches wider than the Fiero and can have 305's in the rear with no problems. I think the fronts can go to 255's?

There are MANY reasons to go with a setup like this, but for me it is about something different and cool looking.