Oh yeah, we mentioned a few captions back that we moved to low-impedance 72-lb/hr injectors from MSD. This style of injector is supposed to provide better control of the fuel flow, especially at lower flow rates, but it is incompatible with the injector driver in the stock EEC IV processor. Thankfully, we run the AFM/EFI Systems Programmable Management Unit to tune our setup. This arrangement makes moving to low-impedance injectors easy, as EFI Systems offers a plug-in driver box that works in conjunction with the PMS to drive the injectors. If you ran low-impedance injectors with the stock computer, you would burn out its high-impedance drivers. That would be bad. (Of course, this converter box works better if you plug it all the way in, right Mark?)
When our antiroll bar gave out on the Bowling Green staring line, we took that as a hint it was time to try a new rear-suspension setup. With Real Street racers like Jim Breese rocking 1.32 60-foot times with Steeda's Hardcore gear, we opted to give the stuff a try on our ride. Of course, we didn't want to lose all the rear-suspension settings put in place by Mark Anderson's uncle Ron (have you seen that Pure Street car wheelstand?), so we duplicated the settings of our old suspension on our new Steeda Hardcore setup, starting with the Track-Only Adjustable Control Arms (PN 555-4102; $179.95). These arms are adjustable, so you can set pinion angle to the track's liking, and they have no-give spherical bushings at the chassis.
Down low, we went with Steeda's Hardcore Adjustable Billet Aluminum Lower Control Arms (PN 555-4412; $499.45) with spherical bearings. These arms look tough as nails and you'd think toughness would mean heavy, but it doesn't-they only tilt the scales at 7 pounds. Moreover, these billet beauties are weight-jackers, so with the turn of a half-inch ratchet you can raise or lower your car one inch. This can come in especially handy if you need to make sure your chassis doesn't rub on your slicks.
After Mark spent some quality time grinding off our old sway-bar mounts, we enlisted the help of our pal, Randy Bolig. He's editor of our sister magazine, Mopar Muscle, but we won't hold that against him-because we've seen Mark's welding! Whoever you get to weld on your Steeda Hardcore antisway bar (PN 555-8102; $299.95), make sure they weld the mounts a little at a time so they don't overheat the roller bearing. After we positioned the bar, we clamped it in place, then had Randy lay down a couple welds. After that, we removed the clamps and let him go to town. Thanks, Randy!
With the rollbar welded in place, Mark installed the Heim joints. Adjust these links with the car on the ground. You want the driver side of the car to be 11/416 inch lower than the passenger side to counteract the natural twist of the chassis when you rev the motor and drop the hammer. Don't worry about weight or durability with the Steeda Hardcore piece-it's tubular to save pounds and powdercoated to resist corrosion.
Here's our revamped rear suspension, courtesy of Steeda Hardcore. After we get a legal pulley and headers and some dyno tuning done, we'll be ready to test this stuff.