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I am running a 383 stroker on my 79 Vette which made the front end a lot lighter and I had to install some "temporary" shorter springs which eventually made the nose so low it's hard to drive in the city. I am not sure what springs to get. I am wondering if it makes any sense to order coilovers and would these work or are some other suspension components needed to accomodate them?
I tried the 450 pound that came with my qa1s. The spring weight caused to much front end drive under braking. The 550 pound might be the best choice
Thanks. I don't get the logic behind their product specs. I mean - the heaviest vehicle weight they offer these for is 2450 lbs. I believe my C3 weighs at least 3000 lbs empty. Do they mean front end weight?
I have the exact same setup in my car, the 450Lbs spring seems to match the ride of the composite rear spring that was in the car when I bought it. How low is your car sitting? Can you get measurements from the ground to center of the wheel well opening? have you lowered the rear any? Pics would help also.
Thanks for all the help. The rear is not lowered. I found one photo which shows the front end pretty well. I will try to get the measurements as well. Does this photo help?
The exhaust looks like falling down - it's already being replaced for Spring
Last edited by speedbird1229; 03-21-2019 at 10:10 PM.
Thanks for all the help. The rear is not lowered. I found one photo which shows the front end pretty well. I will try to get the measurements as well. Does this photo help?
The exhaust looks like falling down - it's already being replaced for Spring
Heck I say drop the rear!
If you are not liking the dive with 450 lbs (a rate that seems to make most enthusiasts happy), then you most definitely need to come join us in the race rate camp! Generally if you will be operating it on the street, you are going to get some nose bounce at steady state cruising at like speeds lower than like 55 mph, but faster the heavier springs will settle in as you go faster!
Interesting paint job. It looks jacked up in the back with lots of tire clearance. Some rear springs are sold with to much arch. Longer threaded bolts will bring it back down
If you are not liking the dive with 450 lbs (a rate that seems to make most enthusiasts happy), then you most definitely need to come join us in the race rate camp! Generally if you will be operating it on the street, you are going to get some nose bounce at steady state cruising at like speeds lower than like 55 mph, but faster the heavier springs will settle in as you go faster!
Lowering the rear will raise the front in front of the tires, I cut and heated my coils to get the front down to were I wanted it for the right look, there was less that 1.5" clearance between the bottom of the pace car spoiler and the ground, lowering the rear raised the front a little bit at the very front of the car. Before you buy more parts for the front get the rear lowered where you want it then decide on the front.
If you are not liking the dive with 450 lbs (a rate that seems to make most enthusiasts happy), then you most definitely need to come join us in the race rate camp! Generally if you will be operating it on the street, you are going to get some nose bounce at steady state cruising at like speeds lower than like 55 mph, but faster the heavier springs will settle in as you go faster!
Thanks. So you suggest perhaps going for the 550 lbs rate then?
Originally Posted by gkull
Interesting paint job. It looks jacked up in the back with lots of tire clearance. Some rear springs are sold with to much arch. Longer threaded bolts will bring it back down
Wanted to have a different look and since the car was built to be drag oriented I think it kinda fits The rear end holds the Dragvette 6-link and the factory leaf spring. What if I remove one layer of the spring? This should get it lower I guess but how about stiffness then...?
Thanks. So you suggest perhaps going for the 550 lbs rate then?
Wanted to have a different look and since the car was built to be drag oriented I think it kinda fits The rear end holds the Dragvette 6-link and the factory leaf spring. What if I remove one layer of the spring? This should get it lower I guess but how about stiffness then...?
I drove around for the first 20 years in my vette with the one inch shorter VB&P 550 pound springs on the front. I also got into NHRA ET bracket racing. Starting out with a consistent 12.70 et I started out with real Goodyear wrinkle wall slicks like 9x28 on 10x15 wheels that I would change at the track
I had the stock l82 9 leaf, smart struts and 3/4 inch adjustable sway. The first thing that I noticed and had friends film was the huge amount of rear end squat
So I went to a local spring shop and had them add a leaf making my rear spring into a 500 pound. It really saves the posi units from too much vertical movement. Very consistent 60 foot times
I drove around for the first 20 years in my vette with the one inch shorter VB&P 550 pound springs on the front. I also got into NHRA ET bracket racing. Starting out with a consistent 12.70 et I started out with real Goodyear wrinkle wall slicks like 9x28 on 10x15 wheels that I would change at the track
I had the stock l82 9 leaf, smart struts and 3/4 inch adjustable sway. The first thing that I noticed and had friends film was the huge amount of rear end squat
So I went to a local spring shop and had them add a leaf making my rear spring into a 500 pound. It really saves the posi units from too much vertical movement. Very consistent 60 foot times
Thanks for the input. What engine are you running and are the components also like mine - aluminum heads and intake, 383 block, AC components removed and otherwise mostly stock alike weightwise?
Thanks for the input. What engine are you running and are the components also like mine - aluminum heads and intake, 383 block, AC components removed and otherwise mostly stock alike weightwise?
My 7000 rpm 12.70 355 ci with Stage IV TH350 3000 stall and 3.55 gearing. Both the rear end and tranny blew out one season so I got a bullet proof 800 hp handleling 700R4 and a 4.11 Tom's rear end..... Then I decided to get more serious and drop down to 11.70's by putting the car on a diet and installing a totally ARP studded high nickel 4 bolt main 4.030 bore. So I built my 3.750 stroker motor to be able to do 8000 rpm and then set the sequential rev limiter to 7500 to make it last. I spent a lot of time on engine dyno software and figured out that I needed about 11:1 C/R, Dart 227 cc with competition porting, 2.10 intake and 1.625 exhaust, and a solid roller with mid to high .600 lift to actually be making power out to 7500 rpm. Team G single plane with 1/2 inch thermal wood 4 hole spacer and 830 CFM demon carb. Very bullet proof and it has never had any problems, just refreshed every few years because I was also driving it a lot. When you are young it's your life!
It was just a phase in my life and I got tired of having to sit all day in the hot sun and travel to the other division 7 tracks. Local Reno/Fernley Nevada, Sacramento California, Sonoma California, and Las Vegas Nevada. It was a travelling ET bracket series and you had to make the majority of the events to be the season winner.
At first I just did the easy stuff, like gutted under the hood, removed the passenger seat, and spare tire carrier. Later on I spent a lot of money with a new light weight front end and none of the heavy metal. gutted interior, roll cage, fiber racing seat. all in an attempt to be very near the 3000 lbs with driver minimum for Vintage production road racing and I moved up to a 7500 rpm 427 SBC and a 5 speed manual. It's best et on a non prepped track and road racing slicks was 10.96 at up near 7200 feet ADA
This is my original 383 when I first installed it! Like 1994 or it could be pictures of a later refresh
Interesting paint job. It looks jacked up in the back with lots of tire clearance. Some rear springs are sold with to much arch. Longer threaded bolts will bring it back down
I agree. The front looks about stock. Back way too high.
When I changed over to the rear composite spring I changed my front springs to 550#'s. My ride height at the edge of the wheel wells are 27 1/2 inches both front and back. It's about stock. I know in this day and age everyone want the tires tucked up under the fender so it may look too high for some. I think it's perfect.
gkull - awesome ride! Thanks for sharing the info. Always love hearing about such experiences.
My good friend who is from a drag racing team told me that perhaps I should opt for the stock spring replacement instead or select a lower riding spring set. To me it seems like going back where I was - cutting the original springs and ending up with too low and too soft front end. What do you guys say about this idea?
The best option is to go with the adjustability of front coil over type setup and the rear use some kind of high pound rate. Then you can buy end bolts of any length that you want to set up the rear ride height
Very easy to install. I'm actually using 650# dual adjustment and I have a very light weight front end
The drag racing model is made for weight xfer and holding the front up
Some people install a lower aarm strengthening plate
whats up G Cool, my brother from another mother.
where do I find the lower arm strengthening plates you speak of? I’m about to be engine out for a few weeks, or months, and now would be a good time to strengthen my lower a arm mounts. If you recall, I ripped one right out in an autocross race a few years back.
Bee Jay
whats up G Cool, my brother from another mother.
where do I find the lower arm strengthening plates you speak of? I’m about to be engine out for a few weeks, or months, and now would be a good time to strengthen my lower a arm mounts. If you recall, I ripped one right out in an autocross race a few years back.
Bee Jay
I was just thinking about you today! I was going through my desk draw looking at business cards and there you were. You must have given me your General Dynamics business card when you drove your Ferrari up to the Monterrey Historics and we met up for the first time.
But anyway ddawson posted the lower machined aluminum piece he bought. I don't remember the vendor.
03-20-2019, 08:45 AM
Installing front coilovers for built 79
The rear end holds the Dragvette 6-link and the factory leaf spring. What if I remove one layer of the spring? This should get it lower I guess but how about stiffness then...?
