Guy's,

Any of you ever run across this spindle from Heidt's before. I got this info from www.hotrodsusa.com, (http://www.hotrodsusa.com,) 1-888-875-6666 while checking out the $500 bare aluminum heads and $70 HEI....

The use of a 1.5" taller spindle that uses second gen. spec's on a first gen car. INTERESTING to say the least...

"Heidt's Camaro, Firebird & Nova Spindles
$399.99 $349.99 Our Price!
HEI 2201009
Heidt's-engineered 2" dropped spindles for '67-'69 & '70-'81 Camaro - Firebird and '68-'74 Nova. This is 1.5" taller than the stock spindle to improve camber on the first generation Camaro/Firebird's. Uses same steering geometry as the '70-'81 Camaro. This taller spindle allows you the room to install those big 13" rotors without clearance problems. Does not come with the caliper bracket casted with the spindle, allowing your choice of brake kits. Price includes shipping to lower 48 states."

pdq67

The link doesn't work.
1.5" is still very tall, that sounds like a similar swap to the Chevelle swap.

Try http://www.hotrodsusa.com/

David,

Wasn't it gmachinz over on Larry's, "Pro-Touring" site that said we can use the Second Gen's taller spindles on our cars by swapping them side to side to put the steering arm's pointed rearwards AND evrybody said NO!!

It appears Heidt's think's we can use them per the info. I posted above.

I haven't figured out how to get to the spec's of the listed heidt's part number for the spindle, but I figure that if they can make a droppped one, they can make a stock height wheel spud one so we can have a taller spindle AND still have bolt-on steering arms b/c the arms don't appear to be cast with the spindle unless they are actually picturing a Tri-5 spindle AND not the First Gen. one they are talking about?????

Interesting to say the least...

Anybody have a new Heidt's cat. and would like to check on this little detail???

pdq67

Have you tried their website? I think they list it.

pdq67
I just bought wilwood disc conversion from that site. The guy who runs it is "Dean". We spoke last saturday on the phone for about 40 minutes. He was very informed and he was definately helpful. He will talk with you I am sure. I emailed him your original post hoping that he will add some info for you.

Rick

Thank's guy's for all the interest on this!!

I thought I was at Heidt's site but if I was, I didn't know enough to get to the cat.????

Duke, I hope Dean does chime in if he wants to b/c all info. we can come up with on this, the better it will be to me that is...

David, I'm looking at page 49 in Herb Adams "Chassis Engineering" book, are the numbers in Chart 7-3 for a stock First Gen. car??

Seem's like the measurements are close to say the least is why I ask??

pdq67

It looks like they took a second gen drop spindle and bored the balljoint tapers to fit a first gen.

They mention the steering arms are to fit a second gen so they will be high. They may have a bolt on adapter to lower the tie rod or a modified center link.

The guy on PT.com used a second gen spindle, don't recall how he bumpsteered it.

Also I don't like drop spindles because they put the steering arm into the wheel. Maybe this one raises the inner end of the tie rod instead of lowering the outer end. This would put the tie rod into the caliper area, the caliper would have to be in front of the spindle, I've heard from people who have accidentally put the caliper in front of the spindle and the caliper hit the sway bar on a hard turn.
David

Is anybody able to get to Heidt's cat.??

David, Heidt's spindle appear's to have bolt-on steering arms and caliper brackets therefore we can probably make up our own like we are doing if it comes in a stock, (non-dropped), spud height and then have a taller First Gen. application spindle!!

BUT have no idea how much a pair will cost IF they are available??

pdq67

website's workin now, no info other than what pdq posted, no picture. I like the taller spindle idea, same effect as guldstrand mod. An inch and a half seems a bit much. Have you figured a camber curve on it, David?

Wonder where the steering arms are and how they deal with bumpsteer?

What about using 2nd gen balljoints to mount a stock 2nd gen spindle? Anyone ever try it?

Jim,

That's what gmachinz said that he knew a guy that did it and liked it is why I mentioned it to David. We both followed Pro-Touring site's thread about that conversion with interest but have never gotten more info about it.

Same thing with the Second Gen. S/F to First Gen. car swap. We know it has done SUCCESSFULLY but nobody has stepped forward with more info and/or pic's to show just how difficult it is to do..

And I'm also wanting to find more info on Heidt's, (PN HEI 2201009 number from hotrodsusa's site), spindles we are talking about.

I'm really interested in this b/c if the P/M's spindle extenders don't pan out over the long haul daily driving my car for some such unknown as of now reason, I want an option vs the Guldstrand mod. b/c I don't want to cut my S/F is all..

pdq67

Paul, Tubular arms and the extra caster they achieve are a good substitute for the Guldstrand mod. New vettes use more caster but very low neg camber gain as an example.

The taller upper balljoints are a good way to go too.

There is a Chevelle swap that uses the taller spindles but the Chevelle steering arms are very close to what the later spindles have. There is supposed to be a tall Impala spindle that is very close to working. I think that is what Global West is using in their kit.
David

Don't the tubular arms also drop the position of the upper Bjoint to simulate a tall spindle, or is this my imagination?

Where do you get these tall ball joints and/or ball joint extenders?

ohcscott,

I got my spindle extenders from:

Pro-Motorsports Engineering
9479 Sandy Sandy Parkway
Sandy, Utah 84070
Phone: (801)563-1111
Fax: (801)563-1110

And there are stock taller/longer upper ball-joints out there b/c I have looked them over at the parts store but I forgot what they fit??

Here is another source of them that David posted over at the Pro-touring site if you are still interested in this..

Per David P.:

"Marcus on Pro-Touring.com sells firstgen upper ball joints that are 1/2" taller. They are very high quality - made by Howe, and I believe are rebuildable!"...

I would either contact Marcus over at P-T's site or go to a friendly parts store and ask the Counterperson to pull some out and let you look at them b/c a longer one is out there and not just one-off, custom made, for the "roundy-round" guy's either..

Seems like it was a '77 "X"-body tall one???

In other words get a stock one in your hands and then start looking at the later "A/F/X" upper ball-joints for a taper and taller height match....

Ask specifically for a "problem-solver" TALLER upper ball-joint for all these cars and I bet it will turn up.. You know, your Grandma's old (he, he!!), '74 Apollo's frontend is sagging b/c it's old as dirt and you want a taller upper ball-joint ta bring her back into spec's sorta deal is all AND stand back and if the Counterperson knows his/her stuff, I bet it's found..

pdq67

Thanks.
Here's that catalog page if you were still looking:
http://www.hotrodsusa.com/store/
spindle page:
http://www.hotrodsusa.com/store/chev_spindles.html

I found those spindle extenders on P-SM's webpage, thanks:
https://www.pro-motorsports.com/store/product.asp?id=66
2" sounds like a lot, but I dont know. Any idea on the quality, reliability and/or performance yet? I know I would like to do something to compensate for bad stock geometry, but I'm not ready to cut the frame, or stray too far from stock appearence (by my personal definition). I'm also kinda cheap... er... frugal. An actual Tall spindle would be great... maybe some steering arms with better geometry too, judging from Mr. Pozzi's site.

I remembered seeing some ball joint spacers on a site with adjustable arms, but they only space up to 3/4". They also mention a 20* angle spacer for their arms. I know the Ford guys need to adjust their upper BJ angle on their version of the Guldstrand mod.

Ahhh, yes, a guy after my own way's -- "indeed, tigh-, eh, er, "FRUGAL"!!! He, He!!

This is why I am really interested in obtaining more info on the Heidt's spindle in a stock spud height configuration!!! Looks like a winner if we can bolt on whatever caliper brackets that we will need to run the biggest rotors we want to run and steering arms we want to use to correct bumpsteer if they don't hit the rim lip!!!

AND improve our poor roll front roll center at the same time FOR guy's like us that are not ready to cut our cars up either...

pdq67