Correct Susp Spring Upgrade
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Correct Susp Spring Upgrade
Does anyone know of a vendor that sells the correct parts to convert form a base suspension in a 1972 to a replica of the performance suspension that year? Most of the aftermarket "High Performance" springs that I have seen installed on C3's have done horrendous things to the ride height (too high). My assembly manual shows that the ride height for the factory HP suspension is lower than that of the base, but every C3 that I have seen with an aftermarket 7-leaf rear sit FAR too high-same for so-called HP front springs. It seems that there must be somewhere to get correct fronts that do not require cutting, and rear that do not require long bolts. I would like parts that are as true to original as possible (no fiberglass springs, sharkbite etc...)
Thank you.
Thank you.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,924
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
There was no optional suspension package for the 72 model year. You will need to chase down the contents of the ZR1 package and determine the part numbers for the springs and sway bar diameters.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,503
Likes: 2,498
You do realize that over the lifespan of the C3 the car got heavier and heavier, so the small block spring of 1968 would not be the same as the small block spring of 1982. Same goes for the big block springs. If your an after market supplier your not going to market all the different springs that GM produced, even GM stopped making the earlier springs and required you to replace them with what ever they were making at the time. So if you want a stiffer spring they make them but you may have to deal with things like longer spring bolts.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
Likes: 174
From: WI
You do realize that over the lifespan of the C3 the car got heavier and heavier, so the small block spring of 1968 would not be the same as the small block spring of 1982. Same goes for the big block springs. If your an after market supplier your not going to market all the different springs that GM produced, even GM stopped making the earlier springs and required you to replace them with what ever they were making at the time. So if you want a stiffer spring they make them but you may have to deal with things like longer spring bolts.
I see NOS springs on ebay on occasion, you will just have to "step up" and pay the price if thats what you absolutely have to have....
Pro
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 602
Likes: 32
From: Old Bridge, NJ
I'm pretty sure that's just the particulars of the install. You can adjust the height by shortening or lengthing the outer spring bolts (I'm referring to rear, of course) or, for a given bolt length, tighten or loosen the supporting nut.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,037
Likes: 4,082
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi 72CR,
A company named 'America's Finest Corvettes' advertises that they have an F-41, 7 leaf spring that gives the car the proper rear trim heights.
888-318-3883
Hope that gets you started.
Regards,
Alan
A company named 'America's Finest Corvettes' advertises that they have an F-41, 7 leaf spring that gives the car the proper rear trim heights.
888-318-3883
Hope that gets you started.
Regards,
Alan
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 4,883
Likes: 11
From: North Easton Mass
If you install the VB&P Street & Slalom suspension (I think they have changed the name a bit) you will get this:
A lot of the ride height issues are due to either incorrect front spring installation or rear springs that aren't suited for the car.
Rick B.
A lot of the ride height issues are due to either incorrect front spring installation or rear springs that aren't suited for the car.
Rick B.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 21,953
Likes: 1,443
From: Reno Nevada
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
The VB&P 460 or 550# front springs are an inch shorter. Like the other poster said the rear even stiffer spring can be adjusted by longer bolts or just the nut height
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
7 Bolt-On Upgrades From Extreme Online Store to Level Up Your C6 Corvette
Pouria Savadkouei
How Likely Are These Five 2027 Corvette Rumors to Be True?
Brett Foote
9 Best Corvettes You Can Buy for Half Price (& 1 You Should NEVER Buy!)
Joe Kucinski
8 Very Best Corvettes of Amelia Island 2026
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 WORST Corvette Engineering Failures of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
10 Records the C8 Corvette Generation Has SMASHED (& 1 Glaring Failure)
Joe Kucinski
7 Wildest Corvette Concepts Ever Made
Brett Foote
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Thank you for the advice, I will look into this company and their offerings. I thought the upgrade in 1972 was called F-41 as you mentioned. One of the posters to this thread said there was no upgrade in 1972???
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 90
From: Rochester Hills Michigan
