I have a '68 with a 4 speed and a 327. It has manual steering and brakes, and no A/C. This will be a car I want to drive often, so I want it to be reliable. When I get home from deployment I will have about $6500 to spend up upgrades, because a restoration has been done on it. I am trying to decide between going 2 ways, but I am open to suggestion. I do all my own work, so dont count in labor. The first option is power. Heads, cam, intake mani, headers, that sort of thing. The second is pretty much everything else. Brakes, wheels and tires, suspension and steering. Since I live in Colorado I like to drive into the mountains a lot. Going from 5000 to 10000 feet in a day has me wanting to get the Powerjection 3 system to make sure fuel delivery stays consistent. If it was your money, which way would you go, or what else would you do?

 

I know someone will ask this. The car will be used as a driver, with spirited driving every now and then.

 

Logic rarely influences these decisions. But since you asked...

What features of the car would you most use and get the most benefit from under the most common use?

How often do you use:
-Full engine power
-Brakes
-Suspension and handling (includes wheels and tires)

Again, it's hard to be pragmatic when you have a horsepower option on the table, but I would rather have a car that was reliable, safe (good brakes and tires), and was a blast to put through a corner than one that will get to the next stoplight very fast without much regard for all of the other features.

But that's just me.

 

I am leaning on going the suspension, brake, ect option, and have been for quite a while. I would just like for the power of the car to match the looks.

 

IMO the LT1 option was a great "balance" of power, handling and braking.
DK do you want more or less than this ?

 

I would say a little more on the handling and braking side. What does anyone know about the VBP suspension kits?

 

I have the full tranverse kit under mine front and dual mount on back,with Blistien shocks all around.

In the city,around town going in traffic the car rides very firm,(ALMOST) to stiff.I have lived in georgia for 10 years and the roads north of atlanta (the black top ones) the car is great on,now living on west side of houston and in the country again,down the gravel drive ,then the gravel road to a patched black top road,3 miles of bumps,rocks,the car
is stiff. BUT once past that out on an open road be it black top,or concrete when car is up to speed(say over 30 or so ) on up to the 55-60mph speed the car is ? nice to drive smooth.once you get back to concrete ,city driving,(slower speeds) then the stiffness returns.

I have had this set up now for ? 10 years or so,don't drive the car as much as I want to, that being more of going places and having to leave it parked where some idiot will hit it,and getting it out of it's parking spot.
Some people have posted that their bolts in the rear spring mounts are backing out I have not had any problems with it so far.

All this being said if I were going to do it again I think a rebuilt stock suspension satisfy either with all new rubber components or the poly parts,(squeak less) graphite impregnated.
another area I would re think is the rear trailing arms,I would go to the offset arms to gain as much room as possible for larger tires to fit up in under the car keeping the body stock in appearence.this to run as wide as tire for better traction in turns.
In the front I am not sure how to use the area provided for big tires ?since turning is a concern.
Another area that has made a HUGE difference is the choice of a transmission.,lots will chime in on this subject also.
I have a Doug Nash bought in 1982 if I remember correctly, now known as Richmond Gear,have used this trans in 2 corvettes with no maintainence,it is in need of a removal and cleaning and shifter cleaning and lub.

So in the end I think I would NOT spend money on the VBP complete kit,upgrade certain other areas, offset trailing arms,good tires, look at tranmissions,run a mild horse power motor.make the car comfortable to drive,insulation/sound deadening kits,seats,nice radio you can hear over the wind,I would like to install some type of roll bar since I also have a vert and would like to control the flex better.

 

DkDunn04,
Since you used the word "deployment" I'll assume you are in the armed services. Thank you for your service.

I have the VB&P fiberglass adjustable monospring front and rear with the tubular front upper control arms on my 70 coupe. I also have the Steeroids rack and pinion. The car is a blast to drive in the twisties of the north GA mountains. It handles incredibly. The ride is rough, but not that bad. IMHO, the sacrifice of ride quality is worth the handling. I like to drive spiritedly. An advantage of the VB&P suspension kit that wasn't readily apparent to me in the beginning, but turned out to be an awesome feature is the ride height adjustment. I've had other C3 owners leave notes on my car with their phone number asking me how I got the stance of my Vette to sit like it does. It really does make or break the looks of the C3 when you don't have that gaping space between the tire and the wheel well. I'll never go back to a stock suspension. Never.

As far as brakes, just go with stock replacement calipers. I got mine powder coated red from Duntov Motor Sports.
Read their tech tip called "caliper school".
http://www.duntovmotors.com/technical.php

If you plan on tracking your car then you will need to source a different braking solution. But for street driving the stock system is great.
Good luck in whatever you choose.

 

The 70 LT1 engine is probably the best small block ever produced...and that's where I would go and its compression is in line with pump 93....Manual brakes and no power steering is not a handicap for a Vette. In fact I prefer one so equipped. But I like 'red lite cars that work...