Help me pick suspension for the Molvo

For those that might not know about it, its a Miata Station Wagon. With a ford 302.

While I cant specify springs until it is fully assembled and weighed, I do need a place to start from.

Coil-overs are a given as I will want to play with the ride height.

Do I get single or two-way adjustable shocks?

I see where FM has coil-over and sway bar packages available; good place to start? (The Fox stuff is a bit spendy for me)

Guessing the car will end up about 2800lbs with a 60-40 weight split.(wild guess)

From what I remember this car is being built as a cruiser so two-way adjustable shocks are overkill. For a cruiser you might not want sway bars at all, the ride will be smoother that way.

Two way means big money - more than the Fox. They're not really an option.

If the Fox is out of your range (pity), then the next best is probably going to be either a set of V-Maxx with the 2001-05 spring set or a Koni setup with Ground Controls.

Run sway bars, just don't go stupid on sizes. Otherwise you'll have to crank up the spring rates to control roll.

Why don't you weigh the thing with some dummy stuff in place just to get an idea of what the spring rates might be?

I'd just stick some worn out stock Miata bits under there until you get the weight back in, then corner weight it. You'd have a better idea of how to adjust the spring rates then. Given the long overhang on the rear and rearward engine placement, I'll bet you'll end up with a little more than 40% on the rear.

I support JoeTR6's message in this suspension system election.

FM springs are something like 390 F/ 315 R and work well for cruising on a 2300 lb 50/50 Miata.

With the extra weight of the wagony body and 302 engine I'd suspect firm-yet-comfortable springs will be 450 F/375 R.

But as stated above, I'd get closer to final weight and test fit some things if possible before locking into anything.

I will weight it when the real engine goes in, but that is a ways down the road.

Reason for starting the suspension shopping is that I need to see where the budget ends up. The nice Fox stuff is going to run about $2500 Canuk dinneros and my feeling were that it was more race material and hence not needed.

Was kind of thinking one of these options might fit the bill:

Kinda like $1000a go call girls: if there is something that the Fox kit does for twice the $$$ I am all willing to learn!

The Fox stuff is definitely good - not just race, but it's got a great combination of ride and mid-corner stability that isn't found on the lower-end parts. The damping is fantastic, and it'll handle a wide range of spring rates.

For this use, though, I'd go with the Koni Stage 2 or Stage 2.5 (depending on how you've got your rear suspension set up) but substitute the Ground Control kit for the FM springs. That'll give you more setup options for your unusual vehicle, both in terms of ride height and spring rate. It's a $200 upcharge. Get the Konis instead of the Tokicos because they work better with the GC.

Will a stock Miata sway bar fit? Depends on how far back that engine is.

Keith:

As of now, the entire stock suspension should fit.

Edit:

Now that I look, I might want to fit the AC condenser and Rad before I declare a victory there

Pete

If the sway bar interferes with anything, it'll likely be the crank pulley.