1rad55

Just curious.....did you install C-5 calipers on a stock C-2 rear susp? I installed C-5 ZO6 on the front of my 66 but was never could find a bracket to install the rear ZO6 calipers. I ended up going with Wilwood aluminum calipers in the rear which are a direct replacement that goes on factory caliper bracket. Please advise how you installed the C-5 rear calipers on your 64! Thanks in advance for your response!

SWCDuke

What do you mean by "more modern"? What do you actually want to accomplish? Do you want the car to "ride" or "handle" better? What does "ride" and "handle" mean?

There are always a zillion responses in these "suspension upgrade" threads, but I don't ever remember one that ever talked about tires, which are the foundation of any "suspension upgrade" because tires are part of and, in fact, the foundation of the suspension. Spending hundreds if not thousands on "suspension upgrades" is like building a house on dirt rather than a solid concrete footing. There's no point spending a lot of money on "suspension upgrades" if the car has junky rock hard compound, S-rated "van tires" that most guys run.

The vintage Corvette suspension is quite amenable to "tuning" for better steering response, overall grip, and stable limit behavior while maintaining the original good ride quality as long as it has high grip tires, but you first have to be sure that the OE suspension is sound. Maybe it needs a rebuild including new OE type bushings, and especially at the rear the spring liners and spring link cushions probably need to be replaced, and don't forget the steering gear and linkage.

The right tires and OE suspension tuning can allow a vintage Corvette to handle as well as a base suspension C7... maybe not as well as a Grand Sport, but you have to cut some slack to a 50-plus year old car, especially tire width and availability if you want to retain the stock body contours.

Take a look at the following thread for my suggestions on how to turn a vintage Corvette into a "g-machine" with just tires, shocks, and appropriate alignment and anti-roll bar tuning.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...systems-2.html

Something else I'll add is I haven't found a "suspension vendor" that appears to understand vehicle dynamics and how to set up a suspension for a given set of road and driving conditions. At SEMA when I start asking about wheel rates, ride frequencies, and roll stiffness distribution, they all go catatonic.

Duke

68hemi

Yes, tires. There has been tremendous improvements in tire the last 15 years that will make a huge difference on there own. The problem is that they are made in larger sizes than a mid year car will take unless you have flared fenders. If you do then you can get a wider wheel and the newer tire technology that will make a big difference with the tires only. The basic 1963 suspension was the same until they started making changes with C4s basically with just lighter components so with flared fenders it is easy to make a mid year handle as well as a C4.

SWCDuke

The Avon CR6ZZ is a DOT legal racing tire made specifically for vintage sports cars and is available in typical current replacement sizes suitable for OE wheel widths, but I recommend using at least a 6" wide wheel. Either the 205/70R-15 or 215/70R-15 that are both about the same OD and revs/mile are suitable, but the 215 has both a wider section and tread, so measure first.

If you want a vintage Corvette to really "handle", the CR6ZZ is the only logical starting point I'm aware of.

Duke

63Corvette

Hoosier makes a Street TD-S which is very good, and has a new upgrade called Hoosier TD-R. Goodyear also makes a vintage race tire, but it's more expensive.
Many do not understand that a RACE tire is so sticky that you don't NEED a really wide tire. A Hoosier (radial) H20 rain tire in a 225-60RX15 will allow you to hit the bump stops on any Corvette with a stock suspension. If you only drive a few thousand (street) miles each year, they will last you years.

68hemi

Yes all of the above tire recommendations are good. However we all know that wider wheel/tires availability offers much better handling but they won't fit in the stock wheel well of a mid year, hence my comment about flared fenders. The sticky race tires are fine unless you daily drive your car as you don't get many miles out of them.