Just got a set for the 79 and 81....Anyone using these shocks?....Are they easy to install or should I have MIDAS do the install? Seems after putting the composite spring on the 79 it bounces with every bump in the road....Brian at VetteBrakes said these shocks should eliminate this problem. Hope he is right. I also spoke with a firend and he said I need bigger strut rods for the type of power I'm putting back there on the rear. The wimpy 81 rear struts are too small and will bend inward when lauching car at drag strip. This bending would cause the car to get squirly during a hard launch.

 

replacing the shocks on a c-3 are really straight forward, although not always that easy. the fronts are just retained by three nuts. the one on the top (secured by a fourth jamnut) and two underneath. with the car up on stands, remove the jam nut and the top nut. then remove the two nuts from the bottom of the lower a-arm. the shock drops right out and the new one goes in reverse. when tightening the nut on top of the shock mount, tighten until the rubber bushing just begins to deflect then tighten down the jam nut. the rears are a bit tougher. if you've never had them off, start by squirting the bolts with wd-40 before you do the front and soak them again between right and left front shocks. on mine, i remove the top bolt completely then the nut and washer on the bottom of the shock mount. then you pry like mad to get the bottom bushing off :smash: once you've gotten the bottom out you may have to take a really big screw driver or prybar to "persuade" the top out. as with the front, installation is reverse. all together if you've never done it before, it's probably about a 4-6 hour job. that gets shorter with experience.
good luck with the bilsteins. kind of wish i had tried them instead of the konis i have. koni advertises my shocks as '5-way adjustable' but what they really mean is '2-way adjustable'--hard and really freakin' hard! :)

 

Thanks for the info Clutchdust,
Do you think these shocks will resolve the bouncy problem?

 

Funny thing Clutchdust,
I was over at another post offering to give you my computer out of my 81 and you were over here at this post helping me solve my shock install. I guess it was ment to be. :seeya Cappy

 

Tell me how it goes.
I'm running Bilsteins(not sure if they're regular or sport), but I do know that my car dislikes bumps and crevices of any kind. Can you take a pic of the shocks for me? TIA...
-Steve

 

Okay,
I'll try to get some shots and I'll E-mail to you....I still have to learn how to post pictures to the Forum.....What's that you're saying? The Bilstein shocks are hard riding or they just suck the big one? Please provide more data....Are they really hard riding? How does the car handle? Did it take the bouncy out of the rear?...... :seeya Cappy

 

Bilstein sports solved the bounce problem on my 71 with VB front FG spring and TRW rear FG spring.
All Bilsteins are NOT the same - be certain to specify Sports.

 

Just received my Bilstein Sports today. Putting them on the wife's 82. Her rear end is a little bouncy to, hope these cure the problem. :eek: I mean her car's rear-end is a little bouncy.

 

Mm. Bouncy, mmm... probably not. There are instances where it bounces, but most of these I can think of is the shocks compressing on a bump. They react *very* quickly compared to the other cars I've driven(only thing faster was C4). Not sure as far as curing bounciness goes, I've been driving the car w/ bilsteins the entire time. However, compared to Andy's 82, my car rides much more harsh and rough. I used to avoid potholed roads as best I could, and luckily now, I have a good path to and from school in the morning.
-Steve

 

I know exactly what you are talking about. I have the 360 lb. monospring in the back on my 74. It compresses well but rebounds twice as fast. Makes for a very bouncy ride indeed. I've got a GM part number somewhere, not a Delco, that is supposed to be a very close match to the monospring. They have special valving.

 

According to Brian at Vettebrakes....these are sports front and rears....I bought sets for the 7T9 and while I was at it included a set for the 8T1. Thanks for the info,....Now to find time and a place to install them. :seeya Cappy