After reading many posts I am still confused by what exists on my 79 and what others have posted.

My current ride height is, measured from ground to bottom of fender curve with second measurement from top of tire to bottom of fender curve.

Front Left: 28 1/4 .. 2 1/2
Front right: 28 1/2 .. 2 7/8

Rear left: 28 7/8 .. 2 1/2
Rear right: 29 .. 3 1/4

Tire combination is rear: 255/60R/15 and front: 215/70R/15

At the end of the month I will be upgrading to 17" on from and 18" on rear. I am trying to figure out what adjustments I will need to make and how. As far as I know the front springs are stock and the rear looks like it has a 6 or 7 inch rear spring bolt.

I'm not looking to have the fenders right down on the tire. I think visually for my preference I would like 1to 1 1/2 inch from the top of the tire to the bottom of the fender curve.

I'm considering new front springs, but not sure what to get. My motor is a 383 stroker.

Any recommendation to help would greatly be appreciated. I've attached a picture so you can see the space between the top of the tire and fender.

 

The rear is adjustable by using longer bolts. The front is a different problem.

Best option is the most expensive, and that is using a adjustable coil over system. You can adjust to your liking.

2nd option is 550 springs which usually drops the front 3/4" to 1"

3rd option cut the coils to get what you want.

 

cagotzmann,

Thanks for the information. I was looking for some kind of idea what springs would work and what I could expect from them. For now I think I will try the 2nd option with the 550 springs and see what I end up with.

I had ordered the longer bolts based on posts from this forum, but when they arrived and I checked mine actually has the smaller spring bolt, and the 10 inch bolt will be way to long. I just looked up the part on ecklers so I will order that tomorrow. I had thought about cutting the coils that are in there now, but since I don't know how old they are I was hoping someone would suggest the right coil spring.

As far as the 550 springs. Are there any from a supplier you would recommend? I need these before the end of the month and I've read where some places take way to long to ship.

Thank you for your help with the information.

Kevin

 

For some reason, 78/79's always seem to have an issue with the front ride height...mine did as well with the stock gymkhana springs, and did as well when I switched to 550 front springs. I cut the 550's 1/2 coil each last year to lower the height, and one side is still higher than the other. I should have cut different lengths on each side to achieve the desired effect. I am going to have to remove the higher coil now at some point to remove more material from the 550 coil to get the correct ride height...probably about another 1/2 coil on the offending side. Interestingly, my front ride is also higher than the front left....

 

Since I'm not sure about what springs are actually in there, or whether they are still the originals I was just thinking maybe it was not seated correctly as others have posted to watch out for. Since I'm not sure it is probably best to change them and see where that shakes out.

The gap is a little excessive so while the wheels are off and putting new rotors and brakes on it I might as well change the springs. I'm going to try that first, then if that works out I'll do the ball joints, etc before I actually put it up for the season. It's going in for paint over the winter anyway.

Thanks for the information.

 

Put semi coil overs up front with 350 springs and longer bolts out back. Get car on a level surface and adjust accordingly


WHAT SET of rear louvers are those you are using ? Are then teh ABS plastic ones ?

 

It is "almost as if" the fender openings are not equi-distant from the respective frame rails......I would try to "make/adjust/shim" the body/fender braces/supports at each front fender to get the same distance from the frame rails to the fender curves on each side.......then "make/adjust/shim" the body/fender braces/supports at each rear quarter panel so the rear fender curves are the same distance from the frame rails on each side.

Then you will have the fenders sitting "level" in relation to the frame.

From there you can "adjust/cut/replace the coil springs/rear spring bolts" as needed to get the stance that you like best while maintain an "even distance" between the top of each tire to the curve of each fender....

For example: On level concrete my fender to tire gaps were "****-eyed" at all four fender curves no matter what I did to the suspension.....the frame-to-fender curve measurements varied on the front fenders more than an inch from front left fender curve to front right fender curve......the rear fender curve-to-frame measurements were even worse. After replacing rusted body mounts and spacers/straightening bent fender braces/leveling all braces in relation to the tops of the frame rails.......now the left/right front fender curve to top of frame rails is within 1/4" of each other, and the rear fender curve-to-frame measurements are even closer.

(hope that makes sense...since I am currently dealing with the same thing on my project)

 

Mine was setting riding like that, I cut a coil and it dropped almost an inch. I removed the springs again and heated the top coil to resemble the factory spring and it dropped to like 25.5 inch...I was already contemplating semi coil overs and if not springs are 70 a pair.

 

Here is my 79 with the 550 front springs and longer rear spring bolts. The 550 springs venders say that they lower the car about 1 in but it was more like 1.5 in on my car. I have about .8 degree of negative camber for auto cross in the photos and that make it look a little bit lower than it does with around something like .2 negative camber.

 

Another thing to consider is the tires you have on the front. The original tire on your 79 was a P225/70R15, which has a diameter of about 27.5", while the 215's you have on it are around 26.9". The shorter tire creates a larger gap between the top of the tire, and the wheel opening.

A taller tire won't lower the car any, but a tire that fills the wheel opening better, will "visually" lower the front of the car.

 

dirhrd: louvers were on the car when I bought it. The previous owner said they were an option for the year, and it was purchased that way. Now I've learned you can't always believe what you are told. Long story.. lol

doorgunner: out of level. I did not consider that, but you bring up a good point and I will have to look in to that one further. Right now I am thinking that when the front right spring was installed it was not seated correctly. The rear right I think when I had the leaf springs replaced due to a broken leaf that was not adjusted correct after the replacement leaf spring was installed. But your point is sure one to investigate.

kacyc3: I was leaning that direction from what I was reading on here to cut the some off the front coils to lower. Then I thought since I have to remove the coils to cut I will first install the VB&P 550lb coils. So I ordered them today and they claimed they would be shipped today. We will see. I also order the 8" rear spring bolt kit as the bolt that is in there now is like a 6" one. That should give me just enough of an adjustment to achieve the stance like mac79vette's pictures.

mac79vette: Nice stance on your vette. That is about what I am going for, not sitting on top of the tires but just enough clearance that visually sits right in my opinion. Good job.

I've learned a lot about tires recently. I've settled on Nitto's and American Racing Torq's 17x8s on front and 18x9s on the rear. Front tires will be like (if they fit with no rub on fender corners) 255/40/17 and rears 285/40/18. Maybe they are 45's and not 40s. Don't have my information right in front of me.

I've already done the tie rods, and control arms are still in good shape. I've ordered new shocks since I do not know how long the ones on there have been there.

Thanks again for your information. All this is very helpful and I'm glad there is a place where people can bounce ideas around and help each other work things out.

I'll be putting the tires on March 31st, so I'll post some after pictures then with the hopefully corrected stance.

Thanks again, Kevin

 

While I am waiting for my parts to arrive I've been thinking about the rear spring bolts. I'm assuming since I need a longer bolt the adjustment is not made by tightening the bolt nut to draw the height down, but instead the opposite. Hopefully someone will correct me if I have that incorrect.

Also, when changing the spring bolts any suggestions on where to relieve the pressure and would a floor jacket be the best device to use?

 

My 79 when I bought it, stock gymkhana suspension, rear sitting a bit low due to flogged spring bolt bushes, 255/60r15s on all 4 corners:



And as it sat in January after a complete suspension, brakes, steering and rear end rebuild, and 17x9.5 wheels with 255/50r17s on all 4 corners. Just over a coil cut off each front spring, shortened main leaf and 8" spring bolts in the rear.

 

car looks great! Do you have any issues with the front tire rubbing the fenders over big bumps? I cut a half coil on each side and the RF still looks like I need another 1/2 coil cut. The LF is to my liking...

 

Thanks! Absolutely no fender rubbing at all, even at speed over potholed surfaces. I could go to a wider tyre if I wanted. I've got a reasonable amount of camber on the front, so the wheels tend to tuck into the guards, and it's pretty stiff with the shortened gymkhana springs, big gymkhana swaybar, and bilstein sport shocks. I have global west upper arms for better camber/caster too. I do polish the frame rail at full lock though, as you might expect.

 

Given we're talking ride height, I should add this shot. This was after rebuilding the front suspension but not the rear (so rear still sagged due to spring bolt bushes) and with only half a coil off the front springs. I later took off the extra half coil to get closer to the VIP recommended heights. It surprised me by the way how big a difference rebuilding the rear made. I don't have any pictures, but it sat quite a bit higher with fresh bushes, definitely wanted the longer bolts.:

 

Metalhead 140: Looks like you're in Australia. Don't you guys have to convert to right hand drive?

 

Not for over 30 years old, in most states. My car is still left hand drive.

 

Ok, now this is even more interesting. Today I installed the new VB&P 550# coil springs, bilstein shocks all around, new rotors, brakes, etc and the rear spring bolts.

My measurements before this installation was: ground to curve of fender
* Left front: 28 1/4"
* Left rear: 28 7/8"
* Right front: 28 1/2"
* Right rear: 29.0"

After installation: same measurement positions:
* Left front: 28 1/4"
* Left rear: 28 1/4"
* Right front: 29 1/2"
* Right rear: 29 1/4"

Using the 8" rear spring bolts: Left (drivers rear) bolt has to be tightened to get the gap spacing between top of tire and fender curve close to visually looking okay. Right (pass rear) bolt is almost at the end of the adjustment for loosening.

Couple of questions. Will it take some time for these new parts to relax and can I expect any further changes after continued driving? After each adjustment I took the car up the road and back and then did the measurements.

Is it possible that my rear leaf spring is causing some of my adjustment issues? If so, what do you recommend as the replacement leaf springs? What should I be ordering?

Thank you, Kevin

 

Ride height is measured off the frame , behind the front wheels and in front of the rear wheels , up to year 1974 .

1975-1979: measurements taken
at front & rear bumper height 16.97″ 15.38″



1980-1982: measurements taken at
front & rear impact bar points 11.42″ 16.52″