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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Front suspension

Anyone using Hawk/NG cars front suspension setup?
Looks very impressive but how good is it?

Mark
Mark Rawlins

I'm surprised that someone else hasn't tried the same thing. There must be a lot more MGBs out there than there are kit cars (which is where the setup started from) just waiting to have a top and bottom ball jointed king-pin plus the option for coil overs and the tuning they can offer.

I am surprised at the price. Perhaps if they could sell more the price of the front and rear replacements could be more competitive.

Alan
Alan Boother

The MGOC SuperSports uses it but it doesn't have ball jointed king pins, a shame they didn't fit the IRS as well.
Geoff
Geoff King

Mark,

Whats the price?

MG is moving forward in all directions!

Paul
Paul

Any info on the Hawk cars suspension systems?
Jarrod Hills

http://www.ngcars.co.uk/options/optionsframe1.html

Rear independent suspension kit
£1550.00

Front independent suspension kit
£695.00

Exchange cross member
£50.00

Geoff


Geoff King

Jarrod,

The chap at NG moved to Hawk and as far as I know the system is the same, and the same system as advertised and tested by the late Trevor Taylor.

I think the diff halfshafts, which have to be shortened, are all extras.

Paul
Paul

Hawk appear to be similar pricing too (About £50 cheaper).

http://www.hawkcars.co.uk/mgb/index.html

Ian Johnston

I added all the prices up 2 years ago of the various
suspension kits,brake kits,bush kits etc. saved the money up and bought the RV8 front axle from Moss.
I figured a factory developed integrated system was going to beat seperately developed equipment,so far I haven't had any reason to doubt my original opinion.
Kev.
KEVIN GILLESPIE

Kevin,

The RV8 crossmember assembly sorted the front (and very nice it must be) but what about the rear? Still all that unsprung weight with a live axle on leaf springs?

Geoff
Geoff King

Whoa! Thats pretty expensive! 2142.20 and the thing isnt complete? Ive gotta add brakes, the actual diff and halfshafts to that? Wow, I think with that kinda money i could probably take the Jag rear or maybe even grab the rear out of a Corvette or something and make it work for less money than that. I realize that it probably isnt expensive if I lived in the UK but its pretty steep here. After looking at the front suspension, I am disappointed to see that it still uses kingpins and the like much like that OE steering system. How come they didnt go more modern and go ahead and use easier ball joints? Puzzling. I think I am going to take a stab at designing my own, perhaps using Jag components for the front and narrowing a Jag or Vette rear much like Nick Smallwood has done. I would like to thank you Paul for the informatin that you supplied.
Jarrod Hills

Check out the pictures on the bottom of this page of an RV8 front end.


http://www.mgcars.org.uk/spurious/gallery.htm
Jim Miller

I agree about it being expensive "even" here in the UK.

Alan
Alan Boother

I considered the RV8 crossmember but apart from the cost the lack of possible adjustments to camber and castor are offputing.
I phoned NG cars who gave me the phone No of John Hoyle
who developed the system in conjunction with Hawk Cars. With the ride height adjustable independently I could get the wheel weights right.
Price quoted £ 645+ VAT @ 17.5%.

Mark
Mark Rawlins

Doesn't the rear IRS setup greatly limit suspension travel? How could it not, without drastic mods to the chassis rails?

The other thing I would worry about -- maybe for you guys in the UK it's less of an issue -- is where to get replacement parts. We V8ers have gotten pretty used to asking for a fair amount of non-standard parts -- but I wouldn't want to build a one-off hot rod using esoteric pieces.
Ted

As always Ian Pender comes up with an interesting twist on suspensions. By the way farther down the page, one can observe the lack of suspension in in Ian's shorts.
James Johanski

How does this front suspension compare to the coilover conversion carried by Moss and others in the States for about $800? Has anyone any experience with the front suspension from Moss? It converts to double A-arm suspension with coil over shocks. Does anyone know what this does to sway bar needs or applications?

TIA
Luke
Lukedds

Ted,
Interesting point about the limited suspension travel of the Hawk/NG IRS.
Looking at the photographs on the web the mounting point for the sub-frame is the vertical plate with a couple of holes outboard of the top of the spring, this bolts to the inside of the chassis rail using the existing lever arm damper bolt holes. The pivot point for the top wishbone is not much above the axle and is just inboard of the sub-frame mount. I can’t see a bump stop platform but it looks like the wheel travel would be at least as much as a live axle.
Is there anyone who is actually using the Hawk/NG IRS? I’m tempted, very tempted, but the price! I don’t know how many they have sold but if the price was more realistic I’m sure they would sell a lot more.
Geoff

Geoff King

This thread was discussed between 01/11/2001 and 05/11/2001

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