Hi There !
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: South Cave, Brough East Yorkshire
Hi There !
Hi all, im new to the forum and i`m pretty new to Vettes as well - I`ve got an 86 Z51 Auto and im loving it so far :chevy
However I`ve got one or two problems and things i need to do to it. First stop shocks.
Pls don`t flame me cos i know there r plenty of posts on shocks in the forums but I need a little specific advice / oppinions.
Like I said my car is an 86 Z51 (140k miles) and has the original Delco Bilsteins on.
I live in the UK so my choice is a little more limited than u US guys and also i don`t have an infinite budget. lol. I would probably put Yellow Konis on if u could get them for my year but u can`t anymore. So, now i have a few choices:
Some Sachs - whihc r the cheapest.
Red Koni specials - whihc r the most expensive
Bilsteins - priced in the middle - which i wuld have to order from the US.
I don`t race my car and u can play "join the dots" with the potholes round here. However i don`t really want my car to be much softer than it was originally intended to be.
I wuld go for the Red Konis cos i know all Konis r great shocks but wuld they b too soft on my Z51 - even when turned up to max settings? I e-mailed Koni and they said that the fronts wuld b ok on my car - but the rears wuld have to b set pretty firm to equal the sports out of the box - but as i don`t know how hard the sports r out of the box compared to the original Delco Bilsteins - i`m no wiser lol.
Anyway any advice on which of those 3 i should go for on my car, i wuld really appreciate.
Tnx guys.
BTW i`ve been looking at some pics of ppls vettes on this forum - and ur cars are ace! Can`t wait to mod mine in a few years time :D
Oh yeah don`t worry about my forum name - it has nothing to do with vettes - I had a Fiero b4 this (which i also loved). Anyway i rang up a dealer here in the Uk to ask about re-calls, cos my m8`s said their Fiero had some done. I had no history of the car - so i just asked the dealer how much it wuld be to do the re-calls. They told me to scrap the car. lol. Dumb asses.
Anyway, a few heat shields, some brake pistons and other stuff l8er we did them ourselves and the the car is still running gr8 as far as i know. :cool:
Damn, that was a long 1st post, soz. :seeya
However I`ve got one or two problems and things i need to do to it. First stop shocks.
Pls don`t flame me cos i know there r plenty of posts on shocks in the forums but I need a little specific advice / oppinions.
Like I said my car is an 86 Z51 (140k miles) and has the original Delco Bilsteins on.
I live in the UK so my choice is a little more limited than u US guys and also i don`t have an infinite budget. lol. I would probably put Yellow Konis on if u could get them for my year but u can`t anymore. So, now i have a few choices:
Some Sachs - whihc r the cheapest.
Red Koni specials - whihc r the most expensive
Bilsteins - priced in the middle - which i wuld have to order from the US.
I don`t race my car and u can play "join the dots" with the potholes round here. However i don`t really want my car to be much softer than it was originally intended to be.
I wuld go for the Red Konis cos i know all Konis r great shocks but wuld they b too soft on my Z51 - even when turned up to max settings? I e-mailed Koni and they said that the fronts wuld b ok on my car - but the rears wuld have to b set pretty firm to equal the sports out of the box - but as i don`t know how hard the sports r out of the box compared to the original Delco Bilsteins - i`m no wiser lol.
Anyway any advice on which of those 3 i should go for on my car, i wuld really appreciate.
Tnx guys.
BTW i`ve been looking at some pics of ppls vettes on this forum - and ur cars are ace! Can`t wait to mod mine in a few years time :D
Oh yeah don`t worry about my forum name - it has nothing to do with vettes - I had a Fiero b4 this (which i also loved). Anyway i rang up a dealer here in the Uk to ask about re-calls, cos my m8`s said their Fiero had some done. I had no history of the car - so i just asked the dealer how much it wuld be to do the re-calls. They told me to scrap the car. lol. Dumb asses.
Anyway, a few heat shields, some brake pistons and other stuff l8er we did them ourselves and the the car is still running gr8 as far as i know. :cool:
Damn, that was a long 1st post, soz. :seeya
Racer
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 363
Likes: 11
From: St. Catharines Ontario CANADA
Re: Hi There ! (Total Recall)
Hey there, welcome to the forum. :cheers:
I spent Oct-Jan in Britain consulting, and only saw one vette...a C5. I imagine that you will be getting some serious attention in the round-abouts!
As to shocks, my 86 is not Z51 and I am still looking for a softer ride. I have poly bushings and low profile tires that add to the harshness. If I drive over a dime (shilling?) at 70mph I can feel it.
I spent Oct-Jan in Britain consulting, and only saw one vette...a C5. I imagine that you will be getting some serious attention in the round-abouts!
As to shocks, my 86 is not Z51 and I am still looking for a softer ride. I have poly bushings and low profile tires that add to the harshness. If I drive over a dime (shilling?) at 70mph I can feel it.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 11,592
Likes: 1,053
From: Compound in the Grove, Ga.
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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St. Jude Donor '16
Re: Hi There ! (Total Recall)
Welcome..I would stick with Bilstein.. you can get them from Mid America around $280 a set + shipping.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,292
Likes: 2
Re: Hi There ! (Total Recall)
Hi there back again!.
You will see from my sig that I live just along the road from you (M62), and so I know what you mean about getting stuff. I get all my parts from Cas- Am, (here in Castleford obviously) they have some sort of deal going with Summit, so anything on their website they can get for you. By the time you have paid import tax and VAT, it is as cheap and less hassle than getting it from the States yourself.
No specific advice on shocks I'm afraid, but that info may help.
BTW, if you watch "Where the Heart is " Sun ITV 8pm this week, you will see my car on there.
I have done a lot of work on my car, so if you want to ring me anytime do so - phone No. @ rockfactory.co.uk
Welcome to the forum
John
You will see from my sig that I live just along the road from you (M62), and so I know what you mean about getting stuff. I get all my parts from Cas- Am, (here in Castleford obviously) they have some sort of deal going with Summit, so anything on their website they can get for you. By the time you have paid import tax and VAT, it is as cheap and less hassle than getting it from the States yourself.
No specific advice on shocks I'm afraid, but that info may help.
BTW, if you watch "Where the Heart is " Sun ITV 8pm this week, you will see my car on there.
I have done a lot of work on my car, so if you want to ring me anytime do so - phone No. @ rockfactory.co.uk
Welcome to the forum
John
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: South Cave, Brough East Yorkshire
Re: Cool
Hehe its a small world. Omg u mean i`ve actually gotta turn my pc off and watch tv at 8PM !! Well, it`ll b worth it I guess :D I`ll no doubt be giving u a ring sometime John.
Tnx for the quick replies. I know every1 has different oppinions so its hard to advise but every1`s experiences help. Good to hear about the summit place and cas-am thing - culd b handy. Believe it or not the place that was selling the Konis was Demon Tweeks - for about £285 a set of 4 which i reckon is a decent price.
I have to admit i tend to like get closest to original stuff as possibile eg. Bilsteins and i bet the roadholding is even more awesome with good ones - but whether or not i culd hack the ride is another matter. lol.
Anyway i`m in no rush so ill hang-fire a bit, c wot ppl have to say and let u all know when i`m sorted.
:)
Tnx for the quick replies. I know every1 has different oppinions so its hard to advise but every1`s experiences help. Good to hear about the summit place and cas-am thing - culd b handy. Believe it or not the place that was selling the Konis was Demon Tweeks - for about £285 a set of 4 which i reckon is a decent price.
I have to admit i tend to like get closest to original stuff as possibile eg. Bilsteins and i bet the roadholding is even more awesome with good ones - but whether or not i culd hack the ride is another matter. lol.
Anyway i`m in no rush so ill hang-fire a bit, c wot ppl have to say and let u all know when i`m sorted.
:)
