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I have undertaken upgrading my suspension on my 82 C3. Wanted coil overs front and rear, bigger sway bars, tubular upper and lower control arms and big brakes.
I spent a considerable amount of time last year researching about the suspension on C3's and looking for parts. Granted you can go and pretty much buy off the shelf parts and spend a absolute fortune getting to where I wanted to be. But I'm a tight wad and on a budget. I looked at the ZR1 and Z06 brakes on several of the newer corvettes. 14 inch rotors was about the max I could find, plenty of stopping power. But the cost was still way up there. Then I ran across a craigslist add for 4 Brembo 6 piston calipers for sale, $500 for all 4 including 15 inch rotors. I could not pass this up. They needed rebuilding.
Yes these are off a 2016 Mustang GT350 with the Brembro package. Even came with yellow stuff pads. So more research. Come to find out that the Dodge Jeep, HellCat and few others out there have the big brake packages. Only problem is you have to make your own brackets. Began tearing down the calipers using both grinding and blasting to remove the old paint and powder coating.
I could not allow the name FoMoCo be on the brakes so I ground them off. I had decided that I wanted the car to be candy cobalt blue. I wanted the calipers to be the same color. Got the powder and its a two step process. First you have to powder coat it chrome or silver and bake, then once that is done you have apply the blue and bake.
This is the rebuild kit that I got from RockAuto.
Here is the candy cobalt blue once finished and I ordered the stickers off Amazon.
I used a standard 30 inch oven that I purchased for like $50. The blue is absolutely stunning.
For doing this at home I think it turned out great.
Next I started tackling the control arms. I did a bunch of research as I found out that the 1964 Impala has the same control arms. The only difference is on the lowers the sway bar location was on the back side and would have to moved to the front. I found some tubular control arms brand new both upper and lowers with bump stops, bushings and ball joints for less than $300. These are much beefier than what you can get the corvette versions for. These bars are massive. A friend has a 70 model with tubular control arms and his are several sizes smaller than these. I blasted and then powder coated the uppers with Eastman extreme chrome.
The lowers I'm just now getting to. Here is before grinding and blasting.
I spent hours mocking things up measuring, tearing down, adjusting to make sure that everything fit properly. Here is the 15" rotors. I have already drilled the holes. I had to clearance the inside diameter so that the rotor fit over the hub correctly. I have a small mill / lathe that can swing 17 inches.
Had to drill the correct bolt holes also.
Here is some of the mock up with the rotor and the calipers.
Now I have to powder coat the lower control arms, start cleaning under the fender wells, paint the area then begin installing the suspension. I have QA1 coil overs for the front and rear. 1.25 inch sway bar for the front and 1 inch for the rear. My over is not big enough to powder coat these so I will probably take them to be coated. The bracket that I made is only 1/4 inch thick. I was surprised at how easy it was to make the bracket. I only had to add a .0625 shim and everything lined up perfect.
I will provide a drawing of this caliper bracket soon as I get my CAD program back on line.
I also starting making my own gas tank lid emblem. I had seen this on another older C2 and though it was perfect. Still got a ways to go to finish it.
I'm doing everything myself so its not perfect.
Stay tuned for more updates and pictures.
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Upgrade Suspension 1982
