coil over rear

Just starting out a new build and would appreciate some advise on using a coil over rear suspension rather than the torsion bars.
Front is A-arm with adjustable coil overs.

Any advantages to the coil overs.

If so what is shock length and spring rate?

Thanks
Robert

Coil overs are quicker to change and can be had in a wider range of spring rates. These are advantages for racing but not so much for the street. If you do change to rear coil overs you should brace the shock mounts since they weren

My thought was related both to the performance aspect of the standard torsion bar rear VS coil overs, and comparative cost of rebuilding the stock set up and new shocks as opposed to coil over rear.
I am starting with a blank sheet of paper and must assume that the donor has been ignored for 30+ years.

If no performance gain on the street, bench racing rights aside, then it is strictly economic.

Comments?

Any advise on shock length compressed/extended and coil over spring rate would be appreciated.

since I have coil-overs on the front I want to look into this for the rear, and include in my sea shipment if possible.

Thanks

OK, I have a new reason to use coilovers as I have decided on a 915 gearbox. One easy way to do this is to cut out the centre of the torsion bar, and use coil overs.

I think I need 15" extended x 10" collapsed and a spring rate around 325 lbs using a Subaru engine in the rear.
Any experts out there?

My big problem is finding somewhere on-line to buy these in the same brand as the front 14" x 10".
Can someone please suggest an online shop so that I can get these into my sea shipment and avoid paying 80% duty on the freight.

Thanks
Robert

Carrera shocks or Carrera racing has coilovers that will fit VW trailing arms. I don't have their number anymore, but you should be able to find them on-line. They'll also be able to suggest spring rates for the weight you are estimating. As suggested, you will need to reinforce the shock mounts.

which leads me back to my question of what is the axle weight front and rear?

There is a tube frame maker on "thesamba.com" maybe he could shed some light on you
loads.

I'm confused, I just bought adjustable coil overs a few years ago and bolted them right in on both the speedster and ghia. About 30 minute job. The result on both cars is a stronger, straighter drive (if you know what I mean) it makes a big difference. The ride flattens out a lot faster with less bounce and corners with a little less sway on the Ghia.

The Ghia is a 66 Swing Axle and Fern is a 69 IRS. Both shockes were the same type.

The questions are:

What are ideal spring rates front and rear?
I could answer this if I knew the axle weights, and even calculate a WAG given a 915 box & Suby motor moved fwd 75 mm.

What are the extended/compressed shock lengths at both ends?
I think that 14/10" fronts and 15/10" for the rears is OK but I would like confirmation.

Intresting that you "just bolted them on". What did you do about the spring plates and torsion bar, or are your coilovers just "helpers"?
Seems to me you need something like this on the rear to control side load and position of the trailing arm.
http://www.eagleperformance.com/CoilOverKits.html

robert

I wouldn't want to replace the torsion arms since it is an integral part of the design of the suspension and works very well. The coil overs bolt right on (in my case on both cars) and help with the up and down travel of the suspension. Just replaces the shocks since there are shocks there anyway...I have a sway bar on the Speedster as well.

http://www.bader-racing.de/de/the_build/the_build_antrieb.htm

http://www.bader-racing.de/de/media/media_gallery_hq1.htm

OHHHhhhhh and it's the same color as my Ghia....Quite possibly one of the coolest retrofits around.

That is one of the coolest Ghia's I've seen- I want THAT!!