suspension options - what to get

So to stick with original Speedster design - you'd go kingpin and swing axle --- big aluminum brake drums and limit HP to 75-90.  Later IRS chassis is probably easier to live with though.  A tubular chassis offers far more options and gives greater interior room. Is intent a leisurely Sunday drive or spirited back road driving?

How about modern day stuff Like Mendeola Suspension. New car ride quality, safe handling and the ability to out preform a brand new Porsche around corners. I'm just saying folks. I know it is a shameless plug, but you folks have got to feel the improvements. It feels and handles so much BETTER the VW 50 year old suspensions.

I believe VW went to ball joints because they were less maintenance. For off road you can buy heavy duty king &linkpin components (which last longer), but on the street, I've got nothin'... anybody? 

The irs is better handling and safer. Swing axles are period correct, but we have plastic cars, so for most of us it doesn't matter. If fighting for tire clearance, swing axles (and their matching tubes) come in 3 lengths; '66 and older are the shortest. Irs trailing arms can be narrowed 1" and type 3 automatic axles (left side only) are the right length. This will provide more tire clearance as well, but requires cutting loose the bearing housing, repositioning (with a jig) and then welding the trailing arm back up.

Kevin of course is right of course; the Mendeola is far superior to a VW suspension (no matter how much you modify it). If I had an extra $7,000 (please Kevin, correct me if that figure is not correct) it would be the way to go. Al 

I think the best setup for the money is a ball joint front end with an IRS rear.  I'd also recommend installing heavy duty sway bars and decent shocks.

When considering shocks I'd stay away from gas filled models, like KYB.  Personally, I find them too stiff-especially in the front.  I ordered a set of Koni Reds for my car, and I've been very happy with them.  Having said that, they are on the expensive side and hard to come by.

If you have the coin go with Mendeola.

Thanks for the replies so far. I'm trying to get as close to the original as possible, but I do want to be practical for todays streets. I don't want it to ride/handle like a modern car, I want the 1950's feel. Some have said it's too hard to find someone to work on kingpins, that ball joints are more practical. I'm leaning that way. Undecided on the rear.

If you want it to feel like an old car, by all means go with swing axle, but make sure you add a camber compensator.  You get decent handling under fun, but not hard core driving, and the camber control will be a period improvement that also increases safety.  I'd do ball joints in front for ease of maintenance.  I doubt that you can tell the difference in other aspects.

Given the choice, I would take an IRS rear to swing axle any day.  I understand why you want the car to look like the original, but I can't understand why you would want it to handle the the original, when more modern (and safer) upgrades are available. 

Each to his own, I guess.

 Kingpin  setup wear out rather fast  Ball joints last longer

   A stock vw front sway bar is fine for the front  but a rear  beafy sway is a real plus on the rear . Most prefer 4 wheel disc brakes but the type 3 rear 2 peace drums are a fine also and not as querky to set up   with the pressure bleed valves you need on the master cylinder  for disc brakes   if you go with the Highball ENG, front end you a nice rack and pinon setu .(real good road feedback and it helps your ride adjustments and handleing.. Aadjusters on the rear trailng arms  for easy rear hight  adjustments  also make it a very tuneable suspencion

When I bought my previously owned 2006  Vintage Speedster I thought that I was getting an Irs because it was built on a 1969 pan. When I discovered it was a swing axle I called Kurt at Vintage and he told me that Irs is too wide for his bodies and he converts them to swing axle. I added a camber compensator.

Joel

Barry:

You're one of the unsung heroes of this site. You've built an amazing car with basically stuff you found at hand. I'm pretty proud of my car, but I've thrown a lot of money at it.

Thanks for posting from your depth of knowledge.

 What Stan just said x2! 

John,

To get that 50's feeling that you are striving for, no radials for you!  Put on bias ply 5.00 x 16 tires.  There are a few companies that still supply them.

I thought I would share this with you guys and gals. This was posted by one of our customers on another website. Just one of our happy customers

We have the full Mendeola suspension on a Manxter.  It rides better, steers better and tracks better than it ever did with the VW suspension.  Well worth the cost to us.  Tom & Kathleen I.