new, dumb and some scary handling

[one finger john]

I wasn't trying to be mean. My questions are meant to be a means to an end.

When I ask who built the frame, I am looking for an original constructor. You purchased the car from someone. Was the person you purchased the car from the original constructor? Did they license the car? If they are, go back to them and DEMAND to have repairs made to your vehicle. These cars are NOT designed to ride, steer, or brake poorly, not go straight or brake unevenly. Especially when it is a kit car. (And don't let them tell you that thats the way they are built or thats the way they handle. These cars have been refined over the years to get rid of 90% of their bad habits. Call or email Spirit, RPM, or California Custom Roadsters [they are in Chino,CA] and get their take on repairs and licensing).

The car is licensed in California, correct? It appears to be licensed as a 23 automobile, correct? Who licensed the car as such? Did you buy it from a dealer? How was it represented?

People fall in love at first sight all the time. Especially with something they have wanted for a while. This appears to be an impulse buy that is now showing it's warts. If the car was sold to you as a fully functioning, street legal vehicle, then you shouldn't have to fix things after you have purchased it.

If you purchased the car from a new car dealership, then it would be a fully functioning auto. Get in and drive. This car should be the same.

Just out of curiosity, why is it in the shop now?

I live in L.A.. PM me with pictures (put it up on a rack and use a good camera). Maybe someone in the San Diego area who is on the board could look at it.

Again, not being mean, know it all, or superior. Just trying to help. The more the board is told, the more you can be helped.

John

 

[EX JUNK]

You have to have a rear pan-hard. Otherwise body will sway side to side all the time. I do not have front pan-hard and it drives nice.

You probably don't have cross steering.

Jim

 

[sanarchy]

impulse buy? no. i just don't know enough about these cars to know what they should or shouldn't have. bought it from a guy who for the most part built it himself - looks like he didn't know much about suspension either. it is in the shop because i am having the inside of the bed finished better. have a couple of sources here that i will contact to have them look at the car. will share the diagnosis. thanks again for the input.

 

["The Bat" out of hell]

As allready stated,you must have a panhard bar,but you need one both front and back. There some one here that don't run one on the front,but your car has a 1/2 rack cross and must have one,also even if you had a box with a side rod,your spring shacles are hanging to low and that lets front axle move back and forth to the center line of frame/a panhard bar stops that

 

[409T]

Looking at the 4th picture in your first post, it looks like there might be a rear panhard bar already on there. Is the end of a panhard bar attached to the frame on the passenger side, just in front of the shock mount?

 

[sanarchy]

yep, there is indeed a rear panhard bar! but no front. adjusted the air pressure down and it has helped, but it still hops sideways over things like manhole covers - run over one with the left front and it hops left, run over it with the right front and it hops right. still need someone in san diego to take a look at the thing.....