anybody tried the Total Cost Involved front suspension?

willyv · Oct 21, 2008

I have a 65 FB that needs some help up front. I saw an article on the Total Cost Involved MII type front and it looks great in pictures. How does it work?. I have done a Rod &Custom MII and it is great except for the ride quality. I've done 2 with the Shelby drop, negative wedge, Grenada discs and power R&P (1 Ttl Control, 1 Steeroids) but they don't hold a candle to the R&C, at least turning corners. I'm drawn back to the R&C but really like the install of the TCI. Anybody have experience with this TCI set-up?

xoxbxfx · Oct 22, 2008

never heard of TCI's MII...but I bagged my 66 with a MII front end. Havent driven it yet but Im sure it will be SMOOTH

10secgoal · Oct 22, 2008

They are the same thing as Heidts. We put a TCI suspension on Heidts crossmember. I wouldn't be surprised if they both had the same supplier for the arms. They both looked robotically pulse tig welded. We had to trim the round stock on the crossmember to fit their arms was all. TCI honestly other than the crossmember, was the same with better brakes, and SS lines for less than Heidts.

Rusty67 · Oct 22, 2008

Have you seen this setup ? It replaces the lower arm with an A-arm but keeps the stock style setup. I gota say, my 67 handles great with it.

Disc Brake, Steering and Suspension Products for classic Chevy and Ford cars and trucks

hipo_p51 · Oct 23, 2008

hey rusty67- do you have pictures??

Pooley · Oct 23, 2008

Air Ride

I'm Saving up for the Air Ride kit, but I think that looks cool I'd like to see a picture of it too I may change my mind.

Rusty67 · Oct 23, 2008

Pics of these installed on my car:
Untitled Document

hipo_p51 · Oct 23, 2008

interesting set up rusty, but it looks out of place. know what i mean? did you have to remove the mounting points for the strut arms? hard to tell from the pics where they were originally mounted. it seems the new crossmember hides that area. what did you have prior to this set up? oem or some other after market?

Rusty67 · Oct 23, 2008

You have to drill out the spot welds for the stock strut rod housings. The crossmember mounts in place of where they were.

I had all BRAND NEW good quality (Scott Drake) suspension parts. New upper and lower arm, poly bushings everywhere, new spring perches (rubber) and new springs and shocks (KYB Gas-A-Justs).

I still have the same springs, perches (bought some Opentrackers but havn't put them in yet) and shocks in there now but its a totally different car to drive.

Edit:
I will say that after removing the strut rods, the car does look like its riding high because there is so much clearence between the ground and the crossmember. I'll try to snap a pic this weekend.

1sick65 · Oct 23, 2008

from what i was told by tci the spindle is different, it actually lowers the car. once again this is just what i was told

rywild · Feb 2, 2011

Found some sweet prices on TCI IFS

I'm sure you guys are done looking but if others find themselves stumbling upon this page, I want to say I have got the Mustang Coil-Over IFS and I love it! The site I got it from beat the price Total Cost Involved was going to give me for the exact same product. Check out their site www.mjshotrod.com I'll take some pics and try to post them!

Wicked65 · Feb 2, 2011

Looks like you can get the TCI setup with coil overs for about 2500 right now. Thats actually a great deal.

willyv · Feb 3, 2011

happy with my TCI IFS

Well, I finished a TCI on my 65 fastback a few months ago and I love it! Handles great (coilovers) and the brakes are awesome. It sits really low, so the coil-overs need to be adjusted several inches up from the bottom. Better done off the car. I asked about some non-dropped spindles but they only have one choice and they told me they weren't dropped. The install was pretty easy because of all the hard points on the original frame rails. More welding than the R&C set-up but a lot more support on the frame rails. I think it rides better than my R&C but it has springs, not coil-overs. No negative on the R&C, I love it but would use coil-overs if I had it to do over.

The TCI parts are high end pieces, particularly the trick sway bar. Support from TCI was great and they provided detailed pictures to take you through the install. I did have a problem with the motor mounts. I liked the fact that the crossmember was available with mounts already mounted. I (thought I) ordered small block mounts. I started with a 98 4V Cobra motor and figured I could adapt to those mounts and have a small block fallback. Not much room but I connected the 4V, got it running and found it had more problems than I could fix easily. Yanked it and put in a 392, which is awesome, but the mounts didn't fit. More fabrication. My problem, because they didn't have 4V mounts at the time and I probably got things confused- just make sure you get the right mounts.

When I had the 4V in, I didn't have room for a power booster, so I used a 1" dual master cylinder with an adjustible proportioning valve. Still have drums on the rear. Pedal feel is great and it stops! I'm amazed how light the pedal is. Those big red calipers look great, too!

Bottom line, the TCI front end is great and if I ever do another one, it will be TCI. I also got the rear end kit. Haven't put it on yet. Problem is that the car handles so well now, I will probably just sell it. I always make the mistake of hitting the road before I'm finished and like it tooo much to take the car off the street again.

S-Car-Go · Feb 7, 2011

I've got the TCI torque arm on my 68. It will blow your mind how well it will make your car handle over leafs (and get traction).

ccumbe · Feb 7, 2011

OK, I like what I am hearing. I just ordered a complete TCI system. I am very happy to hear that you both are pleased with your purchases. I am building a 66 Convertible. I was not happy to hear that you had problems with the 32valve 4.6 . That is what I was going to use. I will consider a 3vale also and maybe that is the better choice? I did order the motor mounts for the 4.6 and got the power rack steering. TCI was offering a lot of extras for free this month with free shipping. Just seemed like the right time to take the plunge. Now I just have to explain it to my wife. This is my 4th build and trying to make this car drive, feel and sound like a late modle Mustang.
I will try to post some pics of the car in the stage that it is in now. (rotisserie) I think I have attached one to this post.

ccumbe · Feb 7, 2011

Well that was a bad pic here are a few more. These are some of the mods that I am making, cleaning up the engine cow and the lower rails.

They did not attach. I will try again.

willyv · Feb 8, 2011

Ccumbe- don't avoid the 32V based on my experience. It's a great engine. I had 2 basic problems and both are easily avoided.

TCI didn't make mod motor mounts at the time I bought the kit, so I had to fabricate mounts.

The critical issue was that I bought a bad motor. I got a low mileage 98 Lincoln 4V off the net that was not as advertised. I should have opened it up but I assumed from looking at other mod motors, with it's low milage it would be fine. Wrong. Very noisy lifters (good oil press, though) and low compression on one cylinder from an open injector. Add a wiring harness with a bad diode and no ground for the fuel pump in the run position and I had a lot of unexpected troubleshooting. Looked awesome in there but after fixing each issue, the low compression was the last straw. The 32V needed a rebuild but definately at a later date. Not an easy decision but I had the 392. It looks great in there,too and runs like a rocket.

The car handles like it's on rails. Nice feel to the power R&P and it really corners flat. Took me awhile to not be tenative on tight curves because I kept expecting all the bump steer and body roll the car always had.

Good luck with your install.

ROB_D · Apr 24, 2014

willyv said:
happy with my TCI IFS

Well, I finished a TCI on my 65 fastback a few months ago and I love it! Handles great (coilovers) and the brakes are awesome. It sits really low, so the coil-overs need to be adjusted several inches up from the bottom. Better done off the car. I asked about some non-dropped spindles but they only have one choice and they told me they weren't dropped. The install was pretty easy because of all the hard points on the original frame rails. More welding than the R&C set-up but a lot more support on the frame rails. I think it rides better than my R&C but it has springs, not coil-overs. No negative on the R&C, I love it but would use coil-overs if I had it to do over.

The TCI parts are high end pieces, particularly the trick sway bar. Support from TCI was great and they provided detailed pictures to take you through the install. I did have a problem with the motor mounts. I liked the fact that the crossmember was available with mounts already mounted. I (thought I) ordered small block mounts. I started with a 98 4V Cobra motor and figured I could adapt to those mounts and have a small block fallback. Not much room but I connected the 4V, got it running and found it had more problems than I could fix easily. Yanked it and put in a 392, which is awesome, but the mounts didn't fit. More fabrication. My problem, because they didn't have 4V mounts at the time and I probably got things confused- just make sure you get the right mounts.

When I had the 4V in, I didn't have room for a power booster, so I used a 1" dual master cylinder with an adjustible proportioning valve. Still have drums on the rear. Pedal feel is great and it stops! I'm amazed how light the pedal is. Those big red calipers look great, too!

Bottom line, the TCI front end is great and if I ever do another one, it will be TCI. I also got the rear end kit. Haven't put it on yet. Problem is that the car handles so well now, I will probably just sell it. I always make the mistake of hitting the road before I'm finished and like it tooo much to take the car off the street again.

ROB_D · Apr 24, 2014

Hi, I know this is an older thread, but Im about to buy the TCI IFS for my 4.6 4v.
I really want power brakes and a clutch.
Anyone have a specific parts they used with success?
Thx

anybody tried the Total Cost Involved front suspension?

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