Lopsided 64
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 112
Likes: 1
From: San Diego/Pontiac CA/MI
Lopsided 64
I have recently purchased a 64 convertible. It has had a body off restoration with new springs, body mounts, etc, etc. It is an exact duplicate of my first new car that I traveled Rte 66 from Michigan to California.
I am trying to figure out why this car is 1" lower on the passenger side. With the car sitting level, the fender wells are off 1" as well as the frame measured at the cross member running across under the door. If I raise the car up on jack stands it is level (wheels off ground). Of course the distance from the concrete to the top of the jack stand is equal on both sides.
I read a post here suggesting the use of a large socket placed on a floor jack. I raised the car up taking the wheels off the ground with the socket positioned center of car first in the rear then in the front. I still have a 1" difference between the drivers and passengers side. I assume this means the suspension is NOT the problem but the frame is the culprit.
I would appreciate your opinions before I start wrenching. If it is the frame, I guess I will cut the coil on the high side and use 8" bolt on the 7 leaf rear spring. Hopefully that will give me an even stance.
Thank you.
Gary
I am trying to figure out why this car is 1" lower on the passenger side. With the car sitting level, the fender wells are off 1" as well as the frame measured at the cross member running across under the door. If I raise the car up on jack stands it is level (wheels off ground). Of course the distance from the concrete to the top of the jack stand is equal on both sides.
I read a post here suggesting the use of a large socket placed on a floor jack. I raised the car up taking the wheels off the ground with the socket positioned center of car first in the rear then in the front. I still have a 1" difference between the drivers and passengers side. I assume this means the suspension is NOT the problem but the frame is the culprit.
I would appreciate your opinions before I start wrenching. If it is the frame, I guess I will cut the coil on the high side and use 8" bolt on the 7 leaf rear spring. Hopefully that will give me an even stance.
Thank you.
Gary
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,079
Likes: 541
From: Woodland Hills CA
frame
I suggest you take it to a high quality alignment / frame shop to determine what the issue is before you start "wrenching". Prior to that, make sure you loosen the upper and lower control arm bolts that go through the bushings, then push the suspension up and down to settle it, then take your measurements. Sometimes the bolts hold up the travel. Do not loosen the nuts that hold the shims!
Boyan
Boyan
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 106
From: North Carolina "life is good"
2025 c3 ('68-'73) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Yes, front spring sets in a recess pocket on the top.
Are we talking the front of the car or the rear? Not sure, maybe I missed something in the description. Whne the car is up on the jackstands is the complete car up or just the front or rear?
If it's the front, check for a broken spring. May be hard to see but give the front coils a good once over.
If it's the rear, check the spring bolts and see if there is equal threads on each side and the bolts are of equal length.
Are we talking the front of the car or the rear? Not sure, maybe I missed something in the description. Whne the car is up on the jackstands is the complete car up or just the front or rear?
If it's the front, check for a broken spring. May be hard to see but give the front coils a good once over.
If it's the rear, check the spring bolts and see if there is equal threads on each side and the bolts are of equal length.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 112
Likes: 1
From: San Diego/Pontiac CA/MI
I thought I eliminated the springs from being the problem when I placed a socket on the cradle of the floor jack and raised the front with the socket centered on the front cross member raising the tires off the ground. I then placed the floor jack in the rear jacking the car up with the socket centered on the bolt that holds the leaf springs together. Each time the car was still lopsided with the wheels off the ground. I'm sure if I raised both the front and rear at the same time (I can't because I have only one floor jack) the car would still be lopsided.
When I placed the car on jack stands, I took the wheels completely off the car.
When I placed the car on jack stands, I took the wheels completely off the car.
Yes, front spring sets in a recess pocket on the top.
Are we talking the front of the car or the rear? Not sure, maybe I missed something in the description. Whne the car is up on the jackstands is the complete car up or just the front or rear?
If it's the front, check for a broken spring. May be hard to see but give the front coils a good once over.
If it's the rear, check the spring bolts and see if there is equal threads on each side and the bolts are of equal length.
Are we talking the front of the car or the rear? Not sure, maybe I missed something in the description. Whne the car is up on the jackstands is the complete car up or just the front or rear?
If it's the front, check for a broken spring. May be hard to see but give the front coils a good once over.
If it's the rear, check the spring bolts and see if there is equal threads on each side and the bolts are of equal length.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,474
Likes: 16
From: Houston Texas
St. Jude Donor '10-'12-'13
I would take it to a body shop and have the frame check on a frame machine.
Then I would follow the AIM manual regarding proper frame height measurements.
Until you do that, you won't have an accurate baseline.
It's most likely your springs.
Then I would follow the AIM manual regarding proper frame height measurements.
Until you do that, you won't have an accurate baseline.
It's most likely your springs.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 112
Likes: 1
From: San Diego/Pontiac CA/MI
Thank you.
Gary
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,693
Likes: 3,683
From: Central Arkansas
Thank you to all who have given me advice on this. I jacked the car up both front and rear on the centerline of the frame. Once I took all weight off the wheels, the car and frame sit even. I'm assuming that eliminates the frame being bent. Also I noticed the front left tire drops down much more than the right one. The left side is the high side. One question I have now is will a front spring mislocated in the A frame raise the entire side of the vehicle?
Thank you.
Gary
Thank you.
Gary
Yes it will. The front end springs seem to influence how the car sits much more than the rear spring. It is very common for mechanics/owners to install the springs indexed on the lower a-arm which can cause this problem. Also, a weak spring on one side in the front will do it too. If new springs were installed during the frame off, that shouldn't in itself be a problem.
Finally, if you do find a problem in this area and get it corrected - you should still not expect perfection. These bodies are basically glued together and by now many have a lot of repair history. They are not real symetrical as a result usually by now. How the car is shimmed to the frame can throw your wheel opening lip heigths off from side to side. If you eventually get it within a 1/2 inch from side to side I would declare victory and move on and worry about something else.
I should add that the shop manual instructions for checking the ride heigth of the car will eliminate the body as a variable.
Last edited by DansYellow66; May 17, 2012 at 01:27 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 112
Likes: 1
From: San Diego/Pontiac CA/MI
Yes it will. The front end springs seem to influence how the car sits much more than the rear spring. It is very common for mechanics/owners to install the springs indexed on the lower a-arm which can cause this problem. Also, a weak spring on one side in the front will do it too. If new springs were installed during the frame off, that shouldn't in itself be a problem.
Finally, if you do find a problem in this area and get it corrected - you should still not expect perfection. These bodies are basically glued together and by now many have a lot of repair history. They are not real symetrical as a result usually by now. How the car is shimmed to the frame can throw your wheel opening lip heigths off from side to side. If you eventually get it within a 1/2 inch from side to side I would declare victory and move on and worry about something else.
I should add that the shop manual instructions for checking the ride heigth of the car will eliminate the body as a variable.
Finally, if you do find a problem in this area and get it corrected - you should still not expect perfection. These bodies are basically glued together and by now many have a lot of repair history. They are not real symetrical as a result usually by now. How the car is shimmed to the frame can throw your wheel opening lip heigths off from side to side. If you eventually get it within a 1/2 inch from side to side I would declare victory and move on and worry about something else.
I should add that the shop manual instructions for checking the ride heigth of the car will eliminate the body as a variable.
Gary