The original 289 Cobra used transverse leaf springs, front and back, using "legacy" uprights with trunions at the top and bottom, not ball joints, not to mention solid brake rotors. The net result was poor geometry and a very stiff ride. All this was OK for the track where you can compensate for such things, at least partially. The 427 suspension was completely redesigned, with coil-overs and ball joints. The E.R.A. 289FIA follows that tradition of improvement.

The geometry of the E.R.A. front suspension gives good anti-dive, excellent camber control, and near-zero bump steer over the entire generous wheel travel. The roll center height is designed to complement the rear suspension, giving handling characterists that are predictable and safe, or as safe as any car with this much power and a 90" wheelbase!

Our Front Suspension

*Bump steer is the toe-in change that the front or rear tire takes as it travels up or down. With poor bump-steer characteristics, a car will dart from side to side over bumpy roads and have potentially dangerous transient reactions. Through careful design of the E.R.A. 427SC geometry, bump-steer is near 0 over the full range of the wheel travel. (More details on the Longacre web site)
And our wheel travel is extremely generous: 3"+, in both jounce and rebound. You go where you point, even under poor road conditions.

The modified Flaming River rack and pinion steering gear has 3.1 turns lock-to-lock, with a 34 foot turning circle.. Effort, even without power assist is fairly light, and the steering has plenty of feel. Custom fabricated tie rods and lower steering column are also supplied with the kit. The optional E.R.A. steering column and wood steering wheel are visual duplicates of the original parts. E.R.A. makes the upper and lower control arms, and we supply a lightweight steering knuckle for quicker response.

This (427 chassis) shows the optional anti-sway bar and double-adjustable coil-over-damper. Yes, even damping can be changed with a screwdriver without removing the unit.On the FIA, we have duplicated the original car's leaf spring tower to support the original-style radiator expansion tank, but changed the original suspension fundamentally.

Front coil-over shocks are mounted to the X just like the original Cobra. We recommend our custom made Spax units with external adjustments for both damping and height, but you can use any brand that meets the proper specifications. Modified GM uprights, new upper control arm cross-shafts, ball-joints, bushings and fasteners are all included. They are ready to accept very large vented brakes on stock or optional pin drive hubs. A large anti-sway bar is optional.

Details of the uppper control arm mount and spring perch.

The tower is braced to the central structure too.

Return to the 289FIA home page!