Suspension experts, is this a mistake?

[GhostTown]

I have a 1950 3100 that I've been wrestling with for the last 5 years. I'm closing in on finishing up the chassis part of the build, but I fear that my wishy washy decision making has finally done me in so I've started this thread because I'm second guessing myself, yet again.


Let me give a quick run down on what I have.

• '79 Firebird clip (that is too wide)
  
• Triangulated 4 bar in back
  
• Ride Tech E3 system
  
• Ride Tech Shockwaves on all four corners (specifically to fit a Firebird in the front, and "Hot Rod" spec versions for the rear, whatever that means)

All of the chassis stuff has recently either been powder coated (frame) or painted (everything else), and after assembly and seeing it all kind of work together for the first time, I'm rather concerned. The front sits higher than the rear at full suspension drop. The Firebird clip runs out of travel well before the rear end does. In fact, the front running board support sits 3/4 of an inch higher than the rear (the front is 4 1/2 inches from the ground when measured at the top).

I know that I can lower the front more with drop spindles. I also know that I can narrow the front track width with control arms. But, both of those parts together will run me about $1,300. Frankly, that frosts me a little bit because that is the cost of a new MII front end which would have been perfect, and specifically made to fit this application. One that accepts REAL air ride stuff, and gets LOW.

Now for the rear end. The c-notch and shock tower you see in the pics below was a suggestion from the guy who build it. He got me all excited about air ride stuff, and I jumped on it immediately. I agreed way too fast, I fear. I didn't do any research at all, and if I had I would have gone with a full notch kit to get it on the ground. But, that probably really would have screwed up the front end, which can't keep up as it is. Any hoooo, about the rear..... I don't trust that dang thing. It just looks to thin and flimsy.

Here are some pics so you can keep up:

Note the running board support differences. The front and back are sitting all the way down right now, save for some cloth between the frame c-notch and the axle.



An angled shot:



The front right:



Front left:



Rear end:




How I got to this point....... I'm a rookie who is impressionistic, unfortunately. Until I grew a brain and learned to research this stuff myself, I simply listened to other "expert car guys" and did what ever they told me to do. The Firebird clip was never planned, it just happened. The 4 bar was a "my stock rear end that came on the truck is destroyed, now what?". Some guy said "put a 4 bar in it!" during a night of beer drinking. Then, another guy comes along and said "You should put an air ride in it, man!". So I spend $2,800 bucks on that. Long story short, it's a hodge podge conglomeration of crap, IMO, that isn't really working together. Or at least, I've come to fear that after reading THREAD after THREAD after THREAD of Advance-Design truck builds.

No one runs shockwaves.

No one has a shock tower in the rear like this thing has.

No one is running an air ride on an F-body clip.



I'm beginning to chicken out on this truck. I'm thinking that I could simply put the factory coils back in the Firebird clip, buy some cheapo shocks for the front, and some coil overs for the rear, finish putting it together as cheaply as possible and sell it, then start over and save all of the expensive Ride Tech stuff for something else. Or, I could continue on.

I just don't know. I fear that this thing is going to be a laughing stock in the end. Please give me your opinion.

Yeah, it's shiny and what not. New parts and all, BUT............... is it a cluster bomb of stuff that shouldn't go together? That's the ten million dollar question.

Be honest with your opinion please.