Who has DEEP DISH OFFSET wheels on an FFR Cobra?

decooney · #1 (**permalink**) 12-27-2010, 05:03 PM

I'm currently helping a friend on his FFR Cobra, looking at various modification options to reconfigure the car to accommodate WIDE DEEP DISH OFFSET (but fitted & tucked In) wheels; using something like 9" wide front wheels and 10-12" wide rear wheels with 275 wide front tires and 315 or 335 wide tires in the rear. I've never done this on an FFR myself but have done so on other cars. Maybe others here have been through this already. Looking for the opposite of the front-wheel drive look.

Question:
Looking for anyone here on CC who has achieved this successfully (no hack jobs) and maintained good handling characteristics with any of the three options below, with photos.

A. Frame modifications to pull the control arm pickup points inward?, or
B. Narrowed axles and control arms?, or
C. Front & Rear fender flares?

Particularly interested in option A. Thanks in advance for your secrets.

Photos anyone?

wideglidejoe · #2 (**permalink**) 12-27-2010, 07:06 PM

I've got a MK3 FFR. Pin width front control arms and pin width IRS rear. Team III's 17X8 w/245's front and 17X11's w/315 rear. The only problem is, I'm still in go kart mode, I haven't set the body on yet. But, by all measurements, everything will be OK.

For some reason, I can't attach pic's, I've tried several times. PM me with your e-mail address, I'll reply with pic's.
Update: I've tried to upload pics to "my gallery" and it says the files are too large. I took them w/digital SLR set on high res. I'll be able to e-mail them to you tho'.

regards,
Joe

decooney · #3 (**permalink**) 12-27-2010, 07:17 PM

Joe,
Thanks, just to clarify, you just moved your control arm mounting points inward using the pin-drive hole/mount setup - correct; for both front and rear?

This is what my buddy is doing next but we are not sure about the handling changes yet, and if we can use the same shocks/springs or not, probably having to go from a 2.5" setup to 2.0" front shock, not sure yet. When you have the body on and ready to take a photo, take a few pics and send me a PM. I think he is remounting his today, but we'll see. If he decides to revert back to outboard mounting, only a few other options exist. He's currently running 275 fronts and 315 rears.

Hexnut72 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-27-2010, 07:21 PM

FFR sells two different widths, or lengths of control arms. The pin drive width allow for a deeper dish/offset. This way you don't have to jack around with suspension mounting points.

wideglidejoe · #5 (**permalink**) 12-27-2010, 07:33 PM

As Hexnut mentioned, the control arms (both front and rear) are narrower for pin width. The frame mounting points are the same; no mods to the frame at all. My wheels have 4" backspace, so the backs are very deep dish. It may be a while before I get the body set on mine, we've got some family health issues that are top priority.

sharkx · #6 (**permalink**) 12-27-2010, 10:04 PM

Here you go. This is a FFR with pin drive width control arms and deep dish wheels.

Bruce

jmimac351 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-27-2010, 10:15 PM

decooney · #8 (**permalink**) 12-27-2010, 11:45 PM

Thanks for the feedback and photo gents.

My buddy currently has 275s up front on T3 17" wheels that stick out a little. He does currently have the standard (non pin-drive arms) control arms, and looking at pulling them inward now (using inner mount points) to see if he can get 3/4" more narrowed out of it. He really wants to figure out how to make 275s up front and 335s in the rear fit, and tuck in a bit under the fender lips, while keeping the longer control arms for handling/geometry purposes. Aint gonna be easy without further customization, or as it seems.

Anyone with anything wider than a 245s up front?

Hexnut72 · #9 (**permalink**) 12-28-2010, 08:33 AM

Duane,

Contact Richard at North Race Cars in Missouri. richard@northracecars.com or 816-436-1610

He is kind of a wheel fitment guru with the FFR cars. One other thing, is your buddy's car a MkI, II, III or IV?

Joe

PS, if you keep the longer arms for geometry, you will have other issues when you start moving the mounting points and don't change the steering rack etc... Is he just going for looks or does he need 275s in the front? Just something to think about.

decooney · #10 (**permalink**) 12-28-2010, 10:24 AM

Hex,
Its a MKIII. The wheels were already custom made, now its a matter of making them fit under the body, even if it means reshaping the body on front/rear. We were in the process of design/reshaping the body going back through a last few options before we do. Thanks. D

jmimac351 · #11 (**permalink**) 12-28-2010, 05:47 PM

Duane, you can move the front lower pickup points in but that may require a different IFS bracket. You'll likely also have to redrill the front upper shock mount point as it's likely you'll experience an interference problem between the spring coil and the upper ball joint bracket. You may also have to grind the frame in the front on the inside to avoid an interference problem there. Redrilling the front upper mount and grinding allows you to get the clearance you need.

In the rear, I don't know who you get around not going with shorter shafts / control arms.

Here is a suggestion... sell the body and contact "Mr Bruce" here on the forum. He is currently making a 289 Lemans body for me with comp flares in the rear and FIA flares in the front. His molds are modular and I'm sure he can do whatever flares you want and it won't be a hackjob. Not to disparage your fiberglass abilities, but Bruce Chervenak knows what he's doing.

Good luck.

Jim

decooney · #12 (**permalink**) 01-08-2011, 11:57 PM

Thanks for the feedback you guys; we looked at several options, ideas.

For the front, the solution was to reposition the lower control arm inward, and adjust the upper; which worked okay with some body repositioning to be completed. The rear will be flared so we can drop it. Car went to the paint/body shop today.

If I had to do it again, and if it was my car, I'd also slightly cut and modify the upper & lower control arms just a tad further inward, and flaring the rear wheel arches is a must (IMO) when running 315s or 335s on the back - especially behind the tire. Thanks again.

Three Peaks · #13 (**permalink**) 01-09-2011, 11:18 AM

If he is using front spindles later than 95, he is adding approximately 3/4" to the overal front track. The fox and 94/95 spindles are slightly narrower and may help with the fitment problems up front that he is having.
All of these questions can usually be answered on the FFR forum pretty quickly.

gjp1 · #14 (**permalink**) 02-14-2011, 07:20 PM

I own a FFR MKII and am in the process of mounting 19x12 Kinesis wheels w/345/30/19 Pilots on the rear. Currently running a 4 link suspension, removing the coil springs and going with Koni coil over's for more space, a little more height and better performance. Narrowing the live axle by 2.5" on each side and cutting and moving the rear cross section along with the front bar inward 1.5" to accommodate the huge tires. The wheels have a DEEEP 7' lip and look unreal when tucked under the fender (I know this look isn't for the purist).

We have to relocate the base of the rear roll bar which means reshaping the bottom section which is no problem. Most of the sheet metal in the trunk is easy enough to re-cut and rivet, will end up looking like a "mini tub" and will be finished off nicely, no hack job here. And all of this to be done with the body on!! I'll post pics as we get closer..

Posted a pic of a FFR MKII w/19x11" Asanti rear wheels w/5" lip and 315/25/19 tires, I'll be going with a DEEPER 7" lip!

Greg
FFR MKII