Greetings fellow corner carvers!
I was just given the coordinates to your forum here from a friend who evidently visits. My name is Rick and I'm the designer of our companies new Max G
suspension system. I have read some of your posts here and decided to answer some of your questions regarding my system.
Let me start by apologizing for our less then navigation friendly HDR website; its been recently overhauled and we're still tweaking.
First off; I believe we should all be able to agree, that by visiting our website, you should be able to easily disern that the level of design and fabrication work done here at HDR is high, with most of it revolving around current race design. We build race chassis and
suspension systems for Rolex series cars to top fuel funny cars; and no less expertise will ever be found in any other part or system we offer. I think if you think about it; someone of Mr. Satchells fame and well diserved reputation would not allow his name to be publically associated with me personally or my company if our ability in all these areas was not above par.
Before I start this; Please understand. I have come from the same place many of you are at right now. I'm the guy that bought into all these other companies parts expertise and laid in the same street or cold garage floor as you do trying in vain most times to get the parts in the car I had to drive the next day. I finally decided most of these companies parts were based on the tried and true WAG method of design. So, I started my own company and built it off my long time race background. With that, I'm very busy, and generally to the point, so I again apologize in advance for what sometimes may seem arogant. Also, please excuse my typo's. I type fast.
To answer some of your questions:
1. Some of you seem to be shopping price. If thats the case, move onto the lesser systems. The raw materials we use alone, before fabrication and powder coating cost more then most of these other systems completely finished.
2. Bolt in? As someone already stated; I do recomend welding it in a race dedicated car. However my system has been tested in my personal 74 SD455 TA for over a year on these PA roads 5 days a week for most of the year at 160 miles a day. The car is checked/measured for movement or settling a minimum of once every 2 weeks. Not one bit of movement has occured. And I drive the hell out of my car, as well as track it. I agree, most bolt in systems are weak. If this one moves on you because of my design, I'll buy it back and give you $500.00 for your trouble. Also, it should be understood. When I set out to make this work on my car. I decided right off, if we couldnt make it as strong as a weld in, then we wouldnt do it at all. My reasoning for the push to bolt in only was; no way am I welding anything into my SD T/A. Understanding that neither would you, or at least you shouldnt. So, if it couldnt be done to my quality expectations, you guys were basically going to remain stuck with the other brands and inferior designs.
3. The Mustang system is done; we are just waiting for our outsourced powder coating to come back on-line. A front bolt on under-sub-frame system which will utilize our long tested Cobra frt geometry is also in the werks as well. And if its any aid to you, we just had a Ford engineer check out and buy the rear system for his 70 Mk1 after many hours of questions and prodding to make sure I was the real deal.
4. 3-link, 4-link, Watts link??? Come on guys; 3 link if your racing a dirt car, 4 link if your drag racing and thats debatable, Watts link or Pan-hard if you hate low roll centers and flat cornering, and torque arms?? Man, where do I begin? . There is just no way, once you do any research at all on Mr. Terry Satchell and his geomerty, can you continue to believe that any of those systems can even come close to this systems ability. Way to many big race teams have utilized this geometry with great results. This is a long time race bred and tested system; What other brands can say that and back it up?
Our Cobra & Daytona Coupe replica's, which are NOT kit cars, and have been sold exclusively in turnkey form for over 12 yrs now; have been and continue to be considered the highest end, highest performance Cobra replica's in the world. Those cars have always enjoyed the exclusive use of Terry's geometry, which is allot of the reason they have been considered such.
5. Price?? Not sure where you came up with 4k? It should be 4k, its worth all of that amount. We have been selling it at 3195.00 which just isnt that much over our actual cost to produce the system initially. But again, we tend to cater to the higher end pallet and or those who stretch a bit to own the best of anything.
6. Similar performance to other systems? Not even close. My SD was turning in with an Audi TT at Road Atlanta this past July and staying with him hard, to his unbelief. In fact, you wont even be able to drive your car the same way anymore with this system. You will have to re-learn how to corner it hard, and gain confidence in yourself by slowly pushing more and more. This is no half hearted system; this makes some serious changes in your cars cornering ability. No more coming off the gas before the corner. Now powering on all the way through is typical as soon as you believe you can do it.
7. Testing for weakness? As already stated, the system has been thoroughly thrashed by me personally on the street and track, with zero issues. The basic parts and raw materials, as well as the other aftermarket parts have all been gleaned directly from our Cobra's long production run; which has had more then 12 yrs testing and production, the last 8 of which had no additional major changes. Again, if this system come apart in any way, or proves to have any design error's at all; I'll buy it back and pay you for the trouble.
8. Rusty67, two bolts??? No idea what you think you saw; but in all versions of this system, we utilize every single main bolt that was originally holding the OEM system parts in place, with the addition of other bolts as well where we deems the OEM failed a bit. Again, if the person doing the install follows the very detailed instructions with the many pictures, and has reasonable good mechanical skills, i.e. (dont drill a 1/2 hole with a 5/8" bit), Then you will all have the exact same results as I have had over the past 18 months.
9. Exhaust? Our Max G system has allot more to it then the others; its not just a rear
suspension link system, it connects from front to rear. The center bridge could have been made allot smaller or deleted; but that wouldnt have given me the desired result of some serious mid-section stiffening. With that, most guys will have to either tweak their current exhaust or have a shop bend up some new tubes. The exhaust can be terminated just through the rear of the mid-section chassis bridge with turn downs, or it can be taken over the rear and out. Either way, an exhaust rework is a small price to pay for the gain this system will provide.
10. Max G rear geometry math: 65% Anti-squat, 25% Anti-lift, w/less then 4% roll understeer. Please do call any or all of the other
suspension mfg's and ask for their final geometry. Would love to know if you actually get an answer.
11. Customer no-cut, no-weld demand? Didnt know there was such a demand outside of my self imposed demand. Again, for my system it was imposed mainly because I thought there may be allot of guys like myself who had nice collectable cars who (SHOULD'NT), be welding on them; but would still like to up-grade them with superior quality parts for drive-abilities sake.
12. Compromises? None at all on the Mustang or any other model system. If I had to, I just wont offer it for that car. The Mustang system is basically exactly like the F-body system, although I changed the center bridge a bit for an even cooler look.
Ok guys, I got way longer winded here then I wished to. All in all, if its just a softer ride your looking for, and again, shopping price alone and not actually a long term extreme handling solution, then the other brands mentioned is where you'll end up. If your car means to you what my SD455 is to me; which is the only escape I get these days for the 75 miles I drive between here and my house; then your not about settling.
If any of you guys have questions, or just feel like calling me to let me know how the 25 odd yrs I've spent thus far designing and building frames and
suspension systems was wasted; feel free to do it on my dime. 800-825-1359
Also; if you want an independent custom shops take on this system, call Dave Hall at ( Restor a Muscle car) @ 402-465-5756.
www.restoreamusclecar.com
Rick