Mendeola Front end suspension? IRS rear suspension in 550 spyder

I think @aircooled is right in the middle of that build.

Hi Bairedge.....Vintage Motorcars in Hawaiian Gardens Ca is installing a Mendeola Front Suspension for me right now. It was fitted up last week to my Spyder frame which he is currently building as well as installing an IRS rear Suspension in the rear. This is Greg Leach's first commercial installation endeavor of both. I will be posting progress photo's as it happens each week. Greg sent me two photos this week which I want to post but I'm on the roar for the Holidaze so I can't till next week when I'm home again. I'm pretty excited about this project as it ,for me anyway, has been only a "pipe dream" for me for a while. Be patient, I will try to provide as much info and photos as I can thru the process. This is Mendeola's first time to have thier system installed in a Spyder too............Bruce

thanks Bruce and good luck in your project,i will be posting some pictures of my build soon using the mendeola front end suspension.i hope this thing will work since the chassis and body is too light( alloy body),well elt see...thanks bruce

Here's a couple pics from Greg at VMC taken last week. This was the first fitment if the unpainted front support frame. Other suspension parts to follow.............Bruce

wow thanks BRUCE for your update,in my project my builder was trying to fit in the mendeola front end since its there first time to do this,usually they are using the beetle front Sus

 If that's a recent pic, we are running parallel in assembly.  That's pretty cool !  My guess is that I will be taking the transaxle and engine down to VMC very soon for fitting exercises. Have you decided on what type and what sizes of wheels and tires you will using ? I'm leaning toward Vredestein Sportrax 5's in the 16 inch size with Fake Fuch's. A lot more availability than in 15".

All the wiring will be done by me. The fuse block will be in the frunk if I can get it to fit up there. The wiring will be bundled tied with waxed, flat braided linen line using an old Navy aircraft method. This will take some time but it will be very nice, neat and secure when I finish. LED's for all the "Edisons"

Here's some pics of a CJ5 I did a few years ago. This one had Cole-Hersey thermal circuit breakers for fuses. I built the entire dashboard from scratch (including the glovebox). It was hinged to fold down if you had to work under the dash. I could sit in the seat and work on anything under the dash that way. This was two year project. Four Wheeler Mag published it as their Centerfold. It now resides in a vineyard outside Brussels Belgium...Talk more later...............Bruce

hi bruce ,any updates in your project?

Heres the update pics of our mendeola front suspension installation BRUCE They send me this updated pics today from my Mitchel Shop builder....i hope i can hear from your build too....bai

 

Having trouble trying to fit up the Mendeola Assy. I’m in Florida right now. Be back in SoCal next week and will follow up with a visit with Greg then. The problem is that I would loose up to 3” of front firewall distance (it have to be moved back toward the driver). Front frame on a Spyder is very different than a Speedster with a VW floor pan. Additionally we will have to work around for room for the steering shaft and gas tank. These may end up being custom made.
Thanks for your interest. I most definitely will post more info as it progresses. Right now it’s slow......Bruce

Greg needs to figure placement of a-arm pivots and add them to his existing frame rather than add all that extra steel. I don't see why he can't just use the Mendeola A-arms.

DannyP posted:

Greg needs to figure placement of a-arm pivots and add them to his existing frame rather than add all that extra steel. I don't see why he can't just use the Mendeola A-arms.

Agreed. But why stop there? Everybody and their uncle in the muscle-car world makes a "Mustang II" front end (there's generally not a single Ford part in 'em) using proven geometry, steering racks, etc. and coil-overs. It seems like it would be a lot easier to adapt to a Spyder than the Mendeola front end.

I've often wondered why I couldn't cut the tubes off on a standard beam, weld some plates with pick-up points for the Mustang II stuff, and run a cross bar side to side between the plates (behind the beam mounts). You could hang the rack off that.

I don't know squat about suspension design or I'd probably be able to see the folly of my way-- but still. It seems like everybody wants to adapt something that was an adaptation to start with. 

YES! Maybe Chuck Beck, suspension and fab master, should be consulted. Greg and Carey collaborate with Chuck for the betterment of ALL.

Hey now, please let him finish the current project first, m-kay?

I believe it may have to do with the length and width of the Mendeola “A” Arms. In order to maintain the correct wheelbase and track width.  Those arms infringe into the area where the pedal assembly would go. 

I have been thinking that an “A” arm with an offset ball joint position for the steering knuckle. (Probably positioned more rearward would allow the “A” arm rear pivot to be moved forward out  of the pedal area. 

I hoe Greg is reading this as I was thinking of suggesting this. ...........Bruce

aircooled posted:

I believe it may have to do with the length and width of the Mendeola “A” Arms. In order to maintain the correct wheelbase and track width.  Those arms infringe into the area where the pedal assembly would go. 

I have been thinking that an “A” arm with an offset ball joint position for the steering knuckle. (Probably positioned more rearward would allow the “A” arm rear pivot to be moved forward out  of the pedal area. 

I hoe Greg is reading this as I was thinking of suggesting this. ...........Bruce

IIRC, once you start moving A-arms, you gotta refigure the Ackerman, and then modify the A-arms and other parts accordingly.