Which Shock Absorbers ??
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,858
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From: A 12/8 man in a 4/4 world
Which Shock Absorbers ??
Santa is giving me new shocks for the old girl for christmas. She wants to know which ones I want.
looking forward the many different replies
street application
[Modified by Got79Fever, 12:23 PM 11/22/2002]
looking forward the many different replies
street application
[Modified by Got79Fever, 12:23 PM 11/22/2002]
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 4,844
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From: Pearland TX
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (Got79Fever)
Guessing that all depends on your application of what you are planning on with your toy. I contacted a few of the vette catalog groups as to what they would suggest for a '74 vert that will only hit the streets on the weekend. I listed Bilstein, Koni, KYB & stock Delco as options. Amazingly enough I had none that suggested going with the higher priced performance shocks(Bilstein & Koni) for the street applications I was looking for. Guessing there are honest e-tailers after all. The KYB's are in my garage along with rear leaf springs, power steering lines & alternator as things to do over the winter.
As a note... no one offered what I was hoping was available. I was looking for coil-over shocks like are found on doorslammers at the dragstrip where it is possible to load(raise/lower) weight from side to side via a spanner wrench. Koni offers these, but only for drag purposes only. Odds are they would have been such a harsh ride that it would have been not worth it. Maybe someone will come up with this set of shocks for us that have a lean on one side or the other after age sets in 28 years later and not have to go into the leaf springs.
As a note... no one offered what I was hoping was available. I was looking for coil-over shocks like are found on doorslammers at the dragstrip where it is possible to load(raise/lower) weight from side to side via a spanner wrench. Koni offers these, but only for drag purposes only. Odds are they would have been such a harsh ride that it would have been not worth it. Maybe someone will come up with this set of shocks for us that have a lean on one side or the other after age sets in 28 years later and not have to go into the leaf springs.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 10,854
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From: HONOLULU HAWAII
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (Got79Fever)
Best handling performance upgrade I ever did on my 8T1 was 550 lb coil springs up front with Bilstien super shocks all around. Car handled excellent and had a mean stance.....Later I removed the 550 lb sorings and went to Mono Spring......Mono spring is very nice, however still miss the ride of the 550 lb springs........Bilstien are the way to go....Even have them on the 7T9 and the ride and handling is excellent... :seeya Cappy
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 9,662
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From: Semper ubi, sub ubi
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (Got79Fever)
A/C Delco Reactrec, good shocks for the money. About $35.00 each, not in the class of Koni's, but pretty good shocks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 2,386
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From: far, far away
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (UKPaul)
Yo Paul! Howz things?
I had KYBs until I rebuilt my suspension, when I put on Bilstein sport shocks. Very happy with the Bilsteins, but couldn't really complain about the KYBs either. With so much slop in the old worn out suspension, it wouldn't be fair to blame anything on those shocks... Never had Konis, but they seem to be really popular with the C4 guys.
Hope all is well with you.
later,
Gator81
I had KYBs until I rebuilt my suspension, when I put on Bilstein sport shocks. Very happy with the Bilsteins, but couldn't really complain about the KYBs either. With so much slop in the old worn out suspension, it wouldn't be fair to blame anything on those shocks... Never had Konis, but they seem to be really popular with the C4 guys.
Hope all is well with you.
later,
Gator81
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Coming home from Luckenbach Texas
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (Got79Fever)
I went for the KYBs. I had a serious rear end bounce problem. But it turned out that one of the rear Monroe Radial-Matics was so shot I could easily move it several inches with no resistance! :smash:
Seriously, though, the KYBs provide great bang for the buck at $27 each. :yesnod:
Seriously, though, the KYBs provide great bang for the buck at $27 each. :yesnod:
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,758
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From: Surrey
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (Gator81)
As I can get Konis for about the same price as KYB's, etc I'll go for a set of Konis.
Hi Gator. Overworked & underpaid! We're still getting so much rain here that I might just skip a set of shocks & spend the money on a propellor & some bouyancy tanks. If I tie the tanks to the side & weld the prop to the end of the driveshaft, I'll get more use out of the Vette than I currently am! But, hey, what a :cool: boat that'd be :lol:
All is well at the moment, but there's a flood alert out on the local river.... & I live right next to it :( I'm trying to ignore the fact that the sewers are also liable to burst at any moment. Urgh. Luckily I don't keep the Vette at home, but I may be taking 4 motorcycles & 3 cats upstairs later :D Well, you did ask! :lol:
:cheers:
Hi Gator. Overworked & underpaid! We're still getting so much rain here that I might just skip a set of shocks & spend the money on a propellor & some bouyancy tanks. If I tie the tanks to the side & weld the prop to the end of the driveshaft, I'll get more use out of the Vette than I currently am! But, hey, what a :cool: boat that'd be :lol:
All is well at the moment, but there's a flood alert out on the local river.... & I live right next to it :( I'm trying to ignore the fact that the sewers are also liable to burst at any moment. Urgh. Luckily I don't keep the Vette at home, but I may be taking 4 motorcycles & 3 cats upstairs later :D Well, you did ask! :lol:
:cheers:
Le Mans Master
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From: Hoosier
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Team Owner
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From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
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CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (bgrice)
I am using the 9 position externally adjustable shocks from Mid America Vette.
$200 for the set of 4.
I Really like them a lot !!
They also work well with the mono-composite rear springs and get rid of that unwanted rebound.
$200 for the set of 4.
I Really like them a lot !!
They also work well with the mono-composite rear springs and get rid of that unwanted rebound.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 40
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From: Lakeville Ma
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (Got79Fever)
Just put new KYB's all around on my 79 and am very pleased. Although I believe the shocks I removed were the orginals and the improvement was very noticable. They also lifted my front end enough to eliminate left front tire rub. Guess the orginals were pretty shot............Good Luck
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Chester NY
Re: Which Shock Absorbers ?? (GORDO79)
I put the AC Delcos on my 82 back in September . . . the ReacTecs have been discontinued I believe--or at least re-named. They're now "Road Response". Got 4 through ZIP at a good price. They're not Bilsteins, but they're "Damn Good Shocks at a Damn Good Price". Much better than my prior Monroes. I think they were about $100 for the four. Look in the Corvette Mall--C3 Restoration.
