Parts compatibility question (B3 content)

[Wilford Brimley]

I have a 1988 90Q, and I'm looking to do a G60 front conversion, as well as rear sway. I know there are multiple ways to do this, but my parts options are a bit limited at the local wreckers. There is a FWD 1990 and a FWD 1994 at the local yard, and nothing else. My 90 has stamped arms front and rear.

I was thinking of just grabbing the entire front suspension from that B4, but I know the ball joint is a different offset than a B3, which leaves me the option of spending an outrageous sum shipping parts from all over. Short of fabbing up the rear sway bracket, I have the rear bar option sorted (just swap the arm mounted bar from front to rear).

Input?

[scubagli]

The either should work, if change everything over. Uprights, knuckles, control arms, ball joints.

[Wilford Brimley]

The B4 ball joint sets the wheel an inch forward though.

[scubagli]

People have done it, I'm pretty sure the cast control arm compensates for the different angle of the ball joint.

[SEStone]

You'll have an issue with the axles. The FWD cars will have large inner joints (your car has small ones), and the B4 hubs require large outer joints. One solution might be to grab the axle flanges out of the transmission if they're all manuals.

[DE80q]

The forged arms will not compensate for the B4 ball joint offset. If you want to run the B4 ball joints, you would need to grab the fenders too. Same situation if you were to have a CQ to get parts from. If you want to run the forged arms on a B3, just get a set of B3 ball joints, they are pretty cheap. In late 90 and 91 most all B3 cars (80, 90, CQ both FWD and Quattro) came with the forged arms.

As for the G60 brakes, you will want to find a pair of rotors from a 91 90q 20v that had G60s from factory. The offset wont be quite right, but a simple washer between the upright, and the caliper bracket will take care of that.

As for the rear sway bar, sounds like you have that pretty well sorted. I would prefer to have the sway bar go to the strut housings, but that would require upgraded 2 piece rear strut housings, and the CV shafts to match.

[Wilford Brimley]

What about using the strut housings/sway bar from a later B3 with the end link tab in it with and the early B3 subframe/arms/corners? Or would it be easiest just to weld the tabs in to the early housings?

[DE80q]

Here are pics of the later housings, obviously, these have been modified for coilovers, but you get the point.




The tabs on the rears are welded on at an angle, and the fronts are kind of at an awkward spot. If you can get ahold of a 2 piece rear setup, you are good to go. As for the front, you would just need the housings, links, and swaybar. The front subframe in the B3 chassis didnt change, so all have the front sway bar mounts, and the control arms you have now will work fine.