Anyone running QA1coilovers up front? Thinking about getting a set for my 78 but have no experience with them. Thanx

 

Yes, I have the dual adjusts. Just remember that a spring is a spring. The inept individuals at QA-1 have a formula of front end weight to suggested spring. In my case I had been driving for 15 years with 550# fronts. QA-1 tech support claimed that what I needed was the dual rate sub 460# I did a post on buying the shocks from summit racing and buying the speed direct springs and collars. I bought 600, 650, and 700# spring sets.

Nice because they are so adjustable. I have the 600's on now for street driving

 

600, is that because you prefer a stiffer ride than stock or does the 600 resemble the stock spring?

 

What are your stock springs?

 

Thats a good question. I am just guessing they are the stock springs in my 78. I had 2 coils cut from them to drop the nose a bit but I do not know what they are rated at.

 

I do. I got the single adjustable for big block. Works great

 

I am running the QA1s on the front of my 77. The car came with the gymkhana suspension and was way to stiff for street driving. I am very satisfied with the semi coil over setup. adjustment is easy.

 

thank you for the response. Do you know what springs are with your QA1s? 450, 600,?

 

Give these guys a look.
http://vi-king.com/

 

Removing coils adds to spring stiffness. Stock was probably 280 inch pounds. So you might have 400# or something with 2 coils removed. Some docs say that gymkhana suspension had 550# front springs.

I have a extremely lightened front end with 9 X 17 inch front wheels or 10 X 18 for track days. 4.5 bs on the 9 inch street 275 width. I have big brakes. So two aspects of front springs is the resistance to front body roll and front end dive when you jump on the brakes. If your front tires have enough traction it's possible to exceed 1 "G" of deceleration. The weight x-fer causes front end dive. So I'm limiting my front end dive and roll with 600# spring right now. Makes for very predictable turning and braking.

Shocks and tire type have lots to do with the perceived ride quality. Modern cars have very little tire vertical travel

 

I tried to look at their page but the products link doesn't work and neither does their online catalog. Don't mean to hijack the thread but how do they compare to QA1? What are their prices like?

 

Sorry about the link. I'm rebuilding my 70' and purchased my front Coil Overs from GlobalWest.net which contained Dbl Adj. Shocks.

This is the front Viking (A224) double adjustable shock I’m installing. With a QA1 450 lb 9” spring (9HTSP450).

Viking Performance

A new high hitter in the performance shock arena, Viking Performance was founded in February, 2011, however its owners and their dedication to pushing the automotive performance industry forward are anything but new. Tapping into over 50 years of hands-on experience in the racing and performance aftermarket has won Viking multiple SEMA product awards for their innovative designs and helped produce a better shock system at a better price.

Viking's lightweight twin tube design bodies are CNC machined billet aluminum and clear anodized, featuring machined PTFE/ bronze wrapped pistons on 5/8" hard chrome plated rods. Left hand spring threads avoid shock separation and ease of adjusting your ride height. Each shock is individually tested, serialized and carries a TWO year warranty on materials and workmanship- twice that of most shock manufacturers.

Based on a double adjustable design, Speedtech centers our Viking product line around two different performance levels and three different styles of shocks. Their standard Warrior™ shock is perfect for the average Pro Touring car that will see street cruising and occasional autocross and track days. For a more competitive edge, Viking's new line of Crusader™ shocks are geared towards the driver that spends more time at the track, but still wants a decent ride for street driving. Both performance levels are available in a Smooth Body, Hybrid, and True Coilover design. Read more below on each type of shock to determine what your car needs!

Viking valving, what's best for me?

Viking Warrior™ coilovers are Speedtech's standard suspension package shock, set up for the typical Pro Touring car, utilizing a double digressive force curve for both compression and rebound. This means that forces increase quickly at low shaft speeds and level off at higher shaft speeds. This valving strategy provides excellent low speed control with sufficient high speed forces. Each adjustment **** (compression and rebound) provides 19 positions of adjustment for a total of 361 valving combinations. Viking provides easy-to-read instructions with starting points depending on the application for easy set-up and tuning. The valving adjustments are evenly spaced from click to click and unlike other shocks which require several clicks to feel a change, Viking adjustments make a significant difference with each click. The large adjustment range allows the user to adjust for comfortable cruising to high performance racing, and everything in between.

For those who are more serious about performance without sacrificing streetability Viking Crusader™ shocks are their newest member of the family, and are an upgrade over the Warrior™. These shocks have the same digressive compression valving as the Warrior™ line with 19 positions of evenly spaced adjustments. The rebound valving, however, is a progressive valve that is strictly determined via orifice control. A progressive valve shock will have a softer low speed force that ramps up very quickly as shaft speed increases. These shocks can generate huge forces at low speeds, in fact, the Crusader™ shock absorbers produces forces far greater than nearly all other shock absorbers on the market.

The rebound side of the Crusader™ has been upgraded with an all new valving system including 22 available positions of adjustments resulting in 418 different valving combinations. But it doesn't end there, this pro-touring specific valving has a new adjustable range of 15 lbs. to 850 lbs. at 1” per second, 40 lbs. to 1800 lbs. at 3” per second, and 120 lbs. to 2750 lbs. at 6” per second. You will not find anywhere near this broad of an adjustment range with high-end monotube shocks. Another feature to these shock absorbers is the rebound interchangeable needle and seat design. Similar to jetting a carburetor, the valving adjustment range can be changed without completely disassembling the shock and using common hand tools, no expensive “special tools” required. If you're serious about performance you should get serious about the Viking Crusader™.


Yet to test but I'm sure they'll be fine.
If you call them and ask for Doug the owner he will listen to what is you want to do and guide you to where you want to go.
As for QA1 Vs Viking.... ask Doug.

https://www.globalwest.net/corvette-...ront-rear.html



GlobalWest Arms with QA1 Coil & Viking Dbl. Adj. Shock #450 on coil Easy installation

 

If I remember I chose the 450 springs

 

I chose the 450# springs as well. I have a small block with aluminum heads and no A/C. I'm a believer in using a softer spring with a big sway bar.

 

Went with 400 pound from Van Steel for my small block 72, but cut 1/2 coil to get it lower.
Global West upper control arms. Very pleased with ride and handling, but I’m not track or auto cross guy. My .02

 

Here is a BIG tip. Many Muscle cars in the early seventies used the Same control arms as a 68 to 82 Corvette. I personally have these on my car. They work perfect , fit perfect and reinforce the lower control arms were the shocks attach. Notice the 1/2 round base at the bottom. That will spread the load off the original thin rod normally used with the basic shocks.

https://www.summitracing.com/search/...=PFI-C200SR375