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Car Forum / Antique and Collectibles / Studebaker / November 2005Phantom Frontend Suspension:First Impressions
Well, I mocked up my Phantom front end kit this weekend and wanted to report my first impressions. First off, Rene does a great job of labeling and organizing the parts so that it is easy to understand what does what and what goes where. The included instructions could benefit from a few more pictures but were for the most part straight forward and easy to understand. The components are top quality and well engineered with the exception of the front caliper brackets. When compared to those supplied in Jim Turner's rear disc kit, the Phantom front caliper brackets look and feel pretty wimpy. I may end up having some more heavy duty ones fabricated. My only other complaint would be the incosistancy in hardware as some of the lock washers and nuts were not zinc plated like the rest. I know this may seem picky but small details like this should not be an issue when paying a premium price for a product of this nature. Otherwise, with the exception of a little grinding on the rackmount bracket the kit fits like a glove. I opted for the dropped spindles and will be installing Shockwave air shocks up front to contol my ride height. In my opinion, this kit was well worth the money spent when compared to other avenues of front end modification. Rene has a good product and was a pleasure to do business with. Now if I can just get this car finished up so I can test this setup under driving conditions...stay tuned! Check out these pics of the installation: http://community.webshots.com/myphotosaction=viewAllPhotos&albumID=490509853 Try this link instead: http://community.webshots.com/myphotos?action=viewAllPhotos&albumID=490509853 Nope still can't see the pictures. Lee I think Webshots is on the fritz again :( He's offering instructions now? I called him and asked for some - his reply was that "if you need instructions you have no business trying to install it." I was underwhelmed. I have the front end stripped to the frame on the 62 'vert, have to weld up some small cracks before installing mine. I'm doing it with cop car springs and Turner brakes. I'll get pictures as I do it. > Well, I mocked up my Phantom front end kit this weekend and wanted to > report my first impressions. First off, Rene does a great job of [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > http://community.webshots.com/myphotosaction=viewAllPhotos&albumID=490509853  SignatureRemove all the x's to email. The only label that fits: http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_6966.shtml "The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." ---Teddy Roosevelt, 1918 1953 Starlight Coupe 1954 Starlight Coupe R1/4-speed 1958 Silver Hawk 1960 Frua Italia Larks (2 - they're here!) 1962 Lark VI 1962 Lark Convertible 1963 Avanti R2 R4324 1963 Lark Cruiser (R2 3/4 clone in progress) 1963 GT Hawk 1963 Daytona Wagonaire 1964 Cruiser (Survivor) 1956 2E7 2004 Porsche Carrera 4S 2000 Ducati 748 2002 Jeep Overland http://homepage.mac.com/pdrnec/PhotoAlbum81.html Geeeeeeez... I would think that the lack of installation instructions could be a basis for liability issues later.. JT > He's offering instructions now? I called him and asked for some - his > reply was that "if you need instructions you have no business trying to [quoted text clipped - 77 lines] > 2002 Jeep Overland > http://homepage.mac.com/pdrnec/PhotoAlbum81.html Try this link: http://community.webshots.com/album/490509853ZKlAzl is there any movement up and down on the R&P unit if you stand on it or lift the engineless frame with a floorjack? I have seen this issue in other streetrod R&P installs and it ain't pretty. The mount seems pretty solid although I have not yet completely bolted it down and jumped on it. It certainly looks a lot better than what used to be included in the kit. That worked, thanks. You gonna POR-15 that frame before you put it back together? Lee Hi Lee. Yes, I will be blasting the frame after getting everything mounted and mocked up and then apply flat black POR 15. As I understand it- I need to hit the frame with heavy grit sand so that I get a good cut on the metal as POR 15 bonds better to rough surfaces and best to rusty surfaces? > Hi Lee. Yes, I will be blasting the frame after getting everything > mounted and mocked up and then apply flat black POR 15. As I > understand it- I need to hit the frame with heavy grit sand so that I > get a good cut on the metal as POR 15 bonds better to rough surfaces > and best to rusty surfaces? That's what we did with my '61 Hawk. We used gloss black on mine (regular POR-15), it looks good and no sign of rust anywhere 5 years later. Pictures here: http://lee.cosw.sc.edu/fsrpage1.html Lee > > Hi Lee. Yes, I will be blasting the frame after getting everything > > mounted and mocked up and then apply flat black POR 15. As I [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Lee I'm kind of goin' against the grain here but personally, I prefer an etching primer and Imron on a freshly blasted frame. JT Started assembling the Phantom R&P yesterday, instructions sure would be handy. Took a lot of trial and error to figure out assembly order, what direction the bolts went in, etc. The good news is that it fits - mounting holes are exact, bolt lengths are spot on. Alignment procedure is a mystery - any chance of getting a copy of the instructions from the other person installing theirs? Does it include alignment procedure? >>>Hi Lee. Yes, I will be blasting the frame after getting everything >>>mounted and mocked up and then apply flat black POR 15. As I [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > JT SignatureRemove all the x's to email. The only label that fits: http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_6966.shtml "The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else." ---Teddy Roosevelt, 1918 1953 Starlight Coupe 1954 Starlight Coupe R1/4-speed 1958 Silver Hawk 1960 Frua Italia Larks (2 - they're here!) 1962 Lark VI 1962 Lark Convertible 1963 Avanti R2 R4324 1963 Lark Cruiser (R2 3/4 clone in progress) 1963 GT Hawk 1963 Daytona Wagonaire 1964 Cruiser (Survivor) 1956 2E7 2004 Porsche Carrera 4S 2000 Ducati 748 2002 Jeep Overland http://homepage.mac.com/pdrnec/PhotoAlbum81.html Hey Pat. The instructions don't cover too much about alignment -only that the lower arm should be about 1" lower than center at the spindle end. Do you have a fax? I would be happy to fax you the instructions. -Will By the time you add up everything, POR-15 comes out cheaper. You can do a frame and all of suspension, rear end, springs, etc. with one quart of POR-15. I went the POR-15 route because I was looking mainly for protection and the fact that 80% of the frame is not visible once the body is on. Lee |
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