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I have a 1988 z52. I am currently doing a poly conversion and new bilsteins as the suspension was past it's prime. I am restoring the car. As some modifications will not bother me, I do not have to be a purest.
I have a lowering kit from vbp. The cost was free as they were making more than good on a previous order.
Will lowering the car effect the performance of the vehicle? Will lowering the car decrease the lifespan of my springs and new bilsteins? I did order the more aggressive than z51 with the z51 length of operation shocks if that helps. Would it be better to stick with stock? I am staying with the same tire size and rime size 275 40 on a 17x9.5
Unless you are going to race or auto cross the car, lowering is a bad idea because you will bottom out and/or drag your air dam even more often than you do now. C4s are about as low as practical for street driving as delivered. Any lowering for a street driven car, while it looks cool just increases the "GRUNCH" count.
If you don't buy an aftermarket spring which is stiffer and less arched, you will actually degrade your handling. The VB&P front spring looks good from what I have seen. Cutting the bushings off of the stock spring (especially on base FE1 suspension) makes it so soft that you are riding on the shocks compressed limit and the rear bumpstops so the car is prone to bouncing off the ground on big bumps and/or spinning out.
...or you could do coil-overs which gives you useable spring rates. Cutting the rubber off of the stock monoleaf is almost like cutting a coil off of a coil spring which amounts to a high school teenage lowering job.
People say that it looks good, but I say that it looks like the person who did it didn't know what they were doing. Every hack job I have experienced could not out perform a stock C4 on a rough road.
Alot of very smart folks put a lot of time and money in designing corvettes to be the best that they can be buchering it up is not going to improve on this!!!!!
Every answer confirms my feelings. I have never lowered a car yet because of all of said reasons. I guess I just needed to hear some voices of reason. Thanks for the help. Anyone want to buy a lowering kit lol
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20
Originally Posted by mike100
If you don't buy an aftermarket spring which is stiffer and less arched, you will actually degrade your handling. The VB&P front spring looks good from what I have seen. Cutting the bushings off of the stock spring (especially on base FE1 suspension) makes it so soft that you are riding on the shocks compressed limit and the rear bumpstops so the car is prone to bouncing off the ground on big bumps and/or spinning out.
...or you could do coil-overs which gives you useable spring rates. Cutting the rubber off of the stock monoleaf is almost like cutting a coil off of a coil spring which amounts to a high school teenage lowering job.
People say that it looks good, but I say that it looks like the person who did it didn't know what they were doing. Every hack job I have experienced could not out perform a stock C4 on a rough road.
The truth in this matter is that no-one here can make you fell the way you do. Perhaps, the stock ride it is to high for you, but to remove all rubber bushings may be too much.
Few years ago, I bought the VBP sports monospring system for Betty Boop. It is designed to remove all aluminum shims, and the rubber part off the metal shim. All was great, but the front tires were rubbing the hood/inner fenders a bit, and I installed one of the two shims per side.
On The Ghost, I installed the same system, but for some magical or difference reason between the 95 and 96 it never rubbed. Later on I installed coilovers. The fever has worn out, and after I installed new C6Z06 shocks in my C5Z06 from DRM I learned a lot more about suspension travel than ever before.
My C5Z06 is at stock height and I will never lower it. It is already low enough, and by experience with The Ghost, I know that lowering it will change geometry, and will end up with harsh ride.
When I had all shocks removed I made a cheap experiment, and marked the shocks at fully compressed, and fully extended.
The new front shocks have about 3¼" of travel.
Extended:
At ride height:
Noticed that at stock ride height, it has about less than an inch of travel.
The new front shocks have about 3-1/8" of travel.
Extended:
At ride height:
Notice that at stock ride height, it also has about less than an inch of travel.
Now that we know what's the shock travel, let's see what's the illusion.
Rear:
Front:
My goal is to rise The Ghost to about the Z06's ride height of about an inch of travel.
As it is now I can fell the shock/coilovers bottoming out most of the time.
I would say absolutely lower it ! Stock ride height is awful looking imo . The question you should be asking is how low should you go. I have lowered all my sports cars and have not regret it at all
I would say absolutely lower it ! Stock ride height is awful looking imo . The question you should be asking is how low should you go. I have lowered all my sports cars and have not regret it at all
Ok I will buy this it is your choice if you like the look or want to drive it to it's fullest
I would say absolutely lower it ! Stock ride height is awful looking imo . The question you should be asking is how low should you go. I have lowered all my sports cars and have not regret it at all
When I bought my '86 Coupe new the rear was higher than I thought it should be and didn't look right. I bought the VB&P bolts for the rear and adjusted it just a bit lower. I had to do an alignment afterwards, however. I did not notice any decline in handling. In fact it improved.
Note pic
Ok I will buy this it is your choice if you like the look or want to drive it to it's fullest
That's where I'm at on it. Looks are for garage queens and I fully intend on breaking almost every known speeding and moving violation in the car. As they have refused to open some Form of legal way on oahu, I gave up and bought the corvette last year. Hopefully I will get to run the car and put it through its paces bandit style in the next 2 or 3 months. The entire suspension is being cleaned up and restored to the best I can achieve using as much original parts as possible.
That's where I'm at on it. Looks are for garage queens and I fully intend on breaking almost every known speeding and moving violation in the car. As they have refused to open some Form of legal way on oahu, I gave up and bought the corvette last year. Hopefully I will get to run the car and put it through its paces bandit style in the next 2 or 3 months. The entire suspension is being cleaned up and restored to the best I can achieve using as much original parts as possible.
Nice clean up just remember hard to get away on a island
I just had mine lowered 3/4 of an in in the front and 1 in on the back . in my opinion car handles tons better . looks better too. . I cant believe how it goes around a 90% corner now .jmho
03-31-2015, 03:03 PM
need advice to lower or not lower the car
just increases the "GRUNCH" count. 
