MII front suspension & Koni coilovers

[Jack21]

Many of the Cobra front suspensions are based on the Ford '74-'78 Mustang II front suspension, as is mine. Coil over setup is Carerra spring & shock. It works.

Has anyone used a Koni coil over spring and shock for this? Options, part numbers, and sources please?

[jayscobras]

JACK, CALL RCC SUSPENSION IN FT. WORTH TEXAS. I THINK THEY CAN HELP OR KNOW WHO CAN. SORRY I DON'T HAVE THEIR NUMBER HERE CLOSE. TELL DARYLL I SENT YOU.

JAY

[Jack21]

Thanks, but RCC supplied me with the Carerra setup and have nothing in Koni. Figured at least one of you guys might be using a Koni coilover/MII setup, or would know a suspension shop that would, and save me some work.

The Carerras aren't bad, but Koni is better. Posed this to Koni Tech Support so we'll see what they come up with.

But if I do find a Koni solution, I will share it with Daryll at RCC.

[Turbo II]

Jack,

I'd be interested in what you find out as my current project is a '78 Mustang II (restyling it like a Daytona). I have never seen any Koni coilovers and I do know the regular Koni red shocks are no longer in production. I was fortunate to purchase NOS fronts and rears on Ebay. Part # is 80-2287 SP1 for the front shocks (MII AND Pinto).
You may want to check for coilovers with Lee Grimes (tech support with Koni North America..his email is: lgrimes@koni-na.com I found their support very fast and informative.

I have seen the Carrera and Alduns (spelling?) coilovers for the MII...just out of my price range right now



Francis

[Bill E]

You should consider the HAL coilovers They are easier to adjust and have more travel and have a knob to adjust for dampening and rebound. Real trick, and under, about 500 for the kit. Then install a pair of pole position upper adjustable control arms with screw- in chrysler ball joints. Then if you want to go whole enchilada,order a set of adjustable lower control arms and strut rods. This will clean off about 14 pounds of unsprung weight. Then the next step would be the 13"rotors and Alcon calipers.And so on ans so on and it never ends and this is a good thing.If you wont any of this stuf let me know and i will tell you where to get it. Bill E EMS

[Jack21]

Thanks for the reply Bill

Looked at the Hal shocks. Haven't found anyone who has used them on a Cobra to tell me how he liked them. What I didn't want was an otherwise stock passenger car shock, Monroe, Gabriel, NAPA, with domestic passenger car (baby buggy) control. I know Koni's work because I've used them before. The difference in suspension control is like night and day. Does the Hal give you that? RCC does carry the Hal line, but not the Koni.

Looked at the Pole Position adjustable upper control arms. The Classic Roadsters upper spring and control arm housing is larger than others and requires a "D" arm. An "A" arm won't clear. Using Heidt's tubular "D" arm right now. It has what appears to be the Chrysler screw-in ball joint for replacement. Not being adjustable, the most caster I can crank in is 4 degrees instead of the recommended 6 without elongating the mounting slots. And I have to make some stop brackets to keep the front suspension aligned. The MII does slide after being adjusted. Definately not one of Fords better ideas. Does Pole Position offer an adjustable "D" arm? Stop or alignment saver brackets. FFR cars seem to use alignment saver brackets nearly universally.

Am using RCC lower control arm made for coil over shock. Heidts lowers for OEM Mustang/Pinto spring went into the dumpster. Got tired of cutting up springs and reassembling front suspension to dial in the ride height. Using OEM strut rods with urethane bushings. A strut rodless lower arm could be used if the frame were modified to use one. The stress points on the stock CR frame (in my engineering opinion) aren't strong enough to hold a retrofit arm without structural modification.

Got a point with the brakes. 10" rear, and 11" front rotors do look anemic inside 17" wheels. Actually, the car does stop well as far as I've pushed it so far. 13" front and 12" rear Baer Claws would slow it down in a hurry.

Hardest to resist temptation was to 393 the motor before dropping it in. Do miss the extra torque on the bottom end, but it was leave it alone and get it on the street, or keep building and wait another season. As I get the car sorted out, and start learning it's (and my) limits, there are always "improvements and upgrades".

Do you like your Hal's? Anybody using Koni's?

[Bill E]

Jake I did use the koni they work but are a pain in the butt to adjust and the durability and the travel is not there. The Hal. s are better. We have modified 3 CR. cars to the pole position uppers. It dose require some cutting and welding but well worth it. The lowers we build our selves allonge whit the strut rods. I will try to get you a pitcher. Bill E

[78CobraII]

The Pole Position upper has another neat feature (other than ajustable arms)...it has the cross shaft rotated 90 degrees so that the attaching bolts are horizontal instead of vertical. This allows the use of shims to set alignment instead of just moving the bolts.

I have seen another case where a custom front suspension builder used this setup claiming that it ended problems with alignment changing after it was set.

I wonder if your crossmember could be modified to use the horizontal bolts. Maybe weld in a stout piece of "L" bracket drilled for the MII crosshaft bolt spacing with some additional bracing supports?

Hi Turbo II...I'm looking for a set of those Koni Red MII fronts now too! I found some Yellow's...at $100 each.

[Ron61]

Jack,

I have the HAL coil overs with the 12 way adjustable dampening on my car and like them. I took the Koni shocks off that I originally had as I didn't care for the adjustability and the way you have to do it. I still have the stock Mustang II control arms but I have seen the ones that Bill E. has put on those cars and they are really nice. I am just to old to need all of that high quality stuff. I did have a friend cut down the front shock tower mounting and make it lower so I have more travel. I am always playing with the adjustments on mine and the HALS have really been great and have stood up very well. Everything that Bill said about them is true and if you are going to really drive your car hard I think they will work for you. I drive mine with care and very easy so they don't get a really hard workout.

Ron

[stevehaygood]

Get Aldans. 12 positions or Spax

[Jon Miller]

If any of you guys would like to upgrade from those junk Carerra shocks, I am here to help.........Let me know what spring rate you have, and how much you want for them!

Thanks,
Jon D. Miller
a guy on a budget....