Although the power train would remain somewhat factory-based, the suspension was opened up to the catalogs of available parts. I will let you in on a small secret, I really have no idea about damper valving or spring rates. But others do and one day I will learn. In the mean time, the classic combo of Koni Dampers and Eibach springs as recommended by GenuineSaab serve to help keep mass transfer, moments, kinetics, dynamics, and all the other good suspension lingo, under control.
I had the front McPherson struts power coated to help preserve these unique Viggen parts. New wheel bearings all-round as well. I chose to keep the stock rubber bushings for now (a trick from RX-7 land where compliance sometimes is worth it) because funds were better spent elsewhere.
I took the angle grinder to the front struts to carefully remove the lower spring perches. I after ensuring that the bare metal surfaces were prep'd I used 3M Panel Bonding Adhesive (watching the two parts mix in the baffled mixing cone is always a good time) to permanently bond the coil over threaded collars to the strut bodies.
The car had arrived at the 'shop with brand new cross drilled front rotors. All I read is terrible stories about crack propagation. And yet all see on How It's Made: Dream Cars are cross drilled rotors fitted to well engineered cars. So I kept them for the time being and will watch them carefully. Brake pads are Hawk HPS...I need to find a way to cut up the Raybestos race pads.
All told, the factory camber and caster are pretty much totally fixed. So I will keep on the lookout for some more trick suspension parts...
The original 6" springs were too tall to permit lowering of the rear (65% front, 35% rear weight balance, ha), so now I am running Eibach 4" springs (0400.250.0400) on the GS adjustable lower perches to get the rear down.
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