I have a '65 Corvette that my grandfather restored in the 80's/90's and I am reckon to say that the suspension has not been refreshed since that period. In the last two years, I put on new tires, brakes, and fluids.

This year I would like to do some TLC, what are the recommended suspension upgrades I should be looking at? From what I can tell, the car was restored to mostly "oem-spec" form.

 

Rubber (and especially poly) bushes can crack, perish and fall apart, even with little use over time.
So go over it with a fine tooth comb and don’t scrimp on quality “rubber” parts if needed, also check ball joints, wheel bearings and tie rods etc.
Pay special attention to the trailing arms, they’re often overlooked, being a real PITA to rebuild.
Some popular upgrades are.
Good quality gas shocks, power brakes and Borgeson power steering.
Just those, will transform your driving experience.

 

A good OEM rebuild with good tires will have better handling then most drivers can take on a public road obeying local laws

 

Probably good to define how you will use the car. If by "upgrade" you mean changes that will make your c2 from the steering wheel to the tires feel like a C7, that's a lofty expectation. As mentioned, visual/physical inspection is the first step in determining what needs immediate attention.

 

Look, I'm no stranger to cornering at greater than 1G in my vintage racer..... take a look at my avatar.

Note that in addition to my vintage racer, I also have a street driven '63 roadster. Most (but only "most") of the suspension bushings have been replaced and I drive it in the Sierra Nevada twistys on 28 year old tires. In spite of the limitations from my lazy approach to maintenance, my roadster will still corner at speeds beyond what I'm willing to drive on public roads!

So, to the OP, before you throw money at "upgrades", evaluate honestly how you will actually drive your car. If you aren't planning to track it, a boring stock suspension rebuild will give you more capability than you will ever exploit.

 

28 year old tires? I know people get WAY too concerned about five or six year old tires, but 28 seems pretty extreme. I trust your judgment more than mine, but man, that seems a bit risky to me, especially on some of those Sierra Nevada roads with sharp dropoffs.....

 

We're on the same page, believe it or not. I would never recommend anyone else go this long on a set of tires. "Do as I say, not as I do", you know.

The point I hope I made was that even on rock-hard tires which have almost no grip remaining, and even with a few 63 year old bushings in the suspension, my roadster inspires enough confidence that I can easily leave behind anyone who tries to follow me here in the Sierra.

IOW, the stock suspension is extremely capable; there is no compelling reason to "upgrade" it even if you drive thru the twistys like I do.

However, bowing to peer pressure, I am going to replace the tires this spring.

 

Unless you are looking to track the car this would be the most practical approach.
Spend the money on tires. That's where you can really feel a big difference.
Read jim lockwood's last post.

 

The cars handle very well and better than most production cars of that era .

 

I agree, they’re not too bad, compared to most cars of the 60s, but with a few easy “bolt ons” they can be a whole lot better.

 

How much better does anyone really need a street driven Corvette to be? For that matter, define "better".

Keep in mind that any change which increases the perception of better handling, is likely to negatively affect ride comfort. In stock trim, a C2 is an extremely comfortable car. Don't screw that up.

Note: The reason I wrote "perception of better handling" is that "handling" describes how the vehicle behaves at the extreme limits of tire grip. Do the front tires want to plow off the road in a turn? Does the back end want to come around? That sort of thing.

I seriously doubt there is any public road where it is safe or sane to discover how a street-driven Corvette actually handles.

 

Good shocks are a nice addition and often noticeable in ride and handling. The rear spring rubber cushions on the bolts break down and compress over time, making the rear suspension ride a little harsher. They are a reasonably easy to replace as long as care is used in securing the spring from getting loose. If the steering is loose, look at tightening the steering lash nut a little as long as quite a bit of the lash screw is still showing above the nut. If not, a quality rebuild will tighten up the steering and provide a better driving experience. The bushings and ball joints if replaced in the late 80s, early 90s are probably still fine if they were replaced with quality parts and if the car hasn’t been driven a lot. Jack the car up on stands and check each wheel for movement. If the front are loose check the front wheel bearing adjustment. If the back has a lot of movement when the tire is grabbed at the top and bottom and rocked in/out, that could indicate some excessive wear in the differential and affect the rear suspension handling. That can get into an expensive rebuild so hopefully you will find it has minimal movement. These are the repair/maintenance things that can keep a stock Corvette performing as they should IMO. Unless building a restro-rod save your money on the aftermarket stuff.

 

Like thousands of owners before (and after) me, swapping out factory style shocks for HD Bilsteins or Konis, swapping the antiquated steering box for a Borgeson and adding a power booster will make for a much nicer, better handling car, with better street manners and will add a level of convenience in city traffic.
I doubt there’s anyone that removed any of those and went backyards.
The OP asked what upgrades he could make and those were my suggestions, others may differ.

 

if the steering box is rebuilt correctly I can't see why anyone would change it out

 

I suggest you drive a C2 with that box and experience the difference, it’s night and day and unless you’re after points, there is no downside.

 

why? I enjoy driving mid years that are restored and rebuilt correctly.

 

Thanks all for your comments.