my 57 revitalized

[papastrk]

Just some suggestions. You may want to look at the position of the lower control arm before doing anything to the uppers. The ideal lower control arm position puts the outer ball joint between 1/2" below to 1/2" above the inner bushing height measured from the floor at ride height. This also puts the spring at the 11" approximate compressed length at ride height. The upper control arm location can be deceiving with the inner shaft set in at 7 degrees of anti dive angle. Just look at the upper ball joint position and then know that it should be positioned so that camber should change the least when the control arm position is right. Hope you can get what I am trying to show here. A street car does not have much camber gain on compression or loss on rebound like a circle track car does. Upper should be parallel to lower or only slightly higher at ball joint. Let us know what you have at your current ride height.

[Coupeguy2001]

That is the whole problem. Can't raise the front enough with the springs that are out ther to get the upper A arms
Level.
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[papastrk]

It might be best to ask the "kimbridge frame clip" people to recommend a coil spring for their front end. The upper spring pocket location had to be designed in with a static spring ride height dimension in mind. Those springs you listed had an 11" static ride height. Jack the truck up where the lower control arms/tie rods are level and measure through the shock hole up to the upper spring pocket. Hope this helps.

[Coupeguy2001]

Sadly, i did that already and their response was less than ideal
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[papastrk]

That makes it difficult. The spring rate you have is way too soft (KIM57's suggestion may be close, but is probably on the high side)and the free length is too long (13"+ I would think, and this depends on how tall the upper spring pocket is). You should scale the front end, find the loaded spring length at the ride height you want the truck at by measuring through the shock opening and you will have to figure the motion ratio (inner pivot point to center of spring pocket/inner pivot to lower ball joint-then squared). Wheel spacers and wheel offset effect this too. The Monte Carlo guys have info on this at their web forum sites. I will help you with this if needed, so feel free to pm me.

[Coupeguy2001]

I talked to a spring manufacturer, and they told me that even though I increased the spring rate, I still need some taller springs. THey can make me some custom springs, but I am repulsed at the price tag.
I have done some more research, and have found what dirt track racers call weight jacks. I need to install this hybrid spacer to raise it up the needed amount.

I am close to getting this right, going in that direction.

more later.
Sorry to go back up to the top of this forum.

[Coupeguy2001]

Hey guys
After all this time, I am doing an update.
I have used the horseshoe wedges under the front springs, and that brought it up 2 and a half inches.
For the rear:
I installed 3 inch lowered rear springs and cut the original axle bump stops so they look like 1 inch pads and bolted them back on.
Then I added 1 inch spacers. Then I made shackles that were 1 1/2 inches longer than stock. I kept the spacers because without them, the spring u bolts looked ridiculously long, and cutting them would not give me enough threads.
Then i made extension plates for the front of the traction bars to drop the front of the traction bars because they hit the forward spring perches. Now I have to angle them to the rear. They are level now.
So that's what I have been doing. I would have supplied pics but photobucket changed their website, and I haven't learned how to use it yet.

Installed another rebuilt steering box.

Runs great. A/C is next

[Coupeguy2001]

Another update:

Truck has 11,000 miles on it since I did the suspension.
I drive it everywhere.


Most recent mod was to install QA1 coilovers and springs in the front.
Tires are 255/50/17
Remember the rear is a 72 chevy truck, and it's a lot wider than the original rear end.

I installed 550 springs, they are a little stiff, but the truck does not raise up 3-4 inches on take off from a stop sign like a drag car. I can't plant the rear as well now, but I am not always trying to be the first one off the line.

The firmer front end keeps it from bottoming out over dips at 50+ miles an hour, and when I stop, it does not nosedive.
These were the things that bothered me the most before.

I tried to buy big block springs for the front end, but G bodies never came with big blocks, and so a set of "big block" springs are custom made.
I got a quote for them, and it was over $400 with shipping.

The QA1 coilovers with springs were $469, and they offer more control.
I probably could have gone with 450 springs, and had the adjusting nuts higher up on the shocks, but I still have about 1 3/4" under the adjusting nuts to play with, and with these, I can level the truck if one spring creeps a little. I have almost 3 inches on top of the adjusters.
The front is up about a half inch, and it makes the rear to front height ratio a little better.
I could put in a bolt-in C notch, and drop the back another inch since I have one inch rear spring spacers so the axle does not hit the frame on bumps.
I cut the original frame bumpers down to an inch, and that gave me more room.
I probably should buy new ones and cut those since the original ones are 58 years old, and cut like aluminum with a hack saw. not like rubber,
Anyway, it is fun to drive, and I am still going to have to finish the air conditioning. I just don't want to cut any more holes in the firewall, so I have to try to use the heater holes that are already there.
I hate to take out the heater because I am not sure what's behind it, and don't want to have to replace the carpet just yet.

[Kim57]

Looks good.
Glad you're enjoying it.
Kim

[Coupeguy2001]

Thanks Kim

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Hey Coupeguy, how about some updated pics?
The Truck of the Month contest this month is for white trucks and I thought about nominating your truck, but I don't see any good wide shot pics.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=7377540

[ptc]

Coupeguy looks real nice, glad you got all the suspension stuff figured out with the QA1 package. Its really good stuff for the money invested. Im using their coilovers on the front of my build with a Gen 2 Camaro clip. A little bit lighter configuration but with a big block all the same. I will keep your info in the back of mind when the time comes for front end suspension 'tuning'.... Thanks!

[Coupeguy2001]

LoL I am 6 months behind the curve!

Here are some pics


ics

I got rear ended by a idiot in a lexus



Happier times: 2000 RPM gives 75 MPH

[Coupeguy2001]

Having trouble getting someone to paint the new tailgate and new roll pan.
The first guy bombed out when his pool took a dump, and the second guy was like yea, give me the parts, I'll get to em.
Looking to the third guy who might be the right guy.
I was thinking of painting them my self, but need a place to get it done.
I got the paint and supplies but am having trust issues just leaving these parts for 24 hours somewhere.
I had to jack the rear sill out by using the bed wood crossbrace and reinforcing it with a 2 inch chunk of thickwall square tubing.

Good thing I did not move the gas tank.
For everything bad they say about the tank in the cab, having someone's car jammed under the back of your truck makes you realize that that idiot had a long way to go before he could get to that cab tank.
Imagine the outcome if he ripped open my new aluminum gas tank, and gas spilled all over his hot exhaust.
I would be suing if I lived.

The way it turned out, after getting his info, I wasn't even late for work.
I could drive away, but he had to be towed.

His insurance company gave me enough to fix it, and the problem I had was the adjuster was going to scrap it because it was so old.
I proceeded to enlighten him that it was worth around $30,000 the way it was.
He didn't believe me, so I showed him a couple trucks on Ebay, and he stopped telling me I needed to give him the title so they could junk it.
The guy was thinking about $4500.
I told him that was what the engine was worth. total Moron

Still working on the air conditioning. Had to change the water pump. Pump would not fit between the 91 Firebird serpentine belt brackets, so I had to use a belt sander to thin out the sides of the water pump.
It all fits now and the new water pump must flow more water, because it cools down faster after sitting at a stop light and the needle goes right back down to 160.

[Coupeguy2001]

Finally, tailgate and roll pan painted and installed.
Slight slight color difference, but for the most part, a good match.
I hate it when things don't look right.
Had a squeak in the back end, sprayed everything that moves with WD 40, squeak is gone, but now I don't know what it was!!!
Looking to put LED tail lights in the bed rails and looking for some super bright stand alone LEDs.
Bought new carped from ACC, and going to install air conditioning. When I remove the old heater, I will yank the seats and put the carpet in.
carpet looks perfect, but we will see when it's installed.
When I put the new steering box in, I used a new chrome column, and raised the column on the firewall 2 inches. I pieced the carpet together with the part cut from the new hole area, and it looks like something is wrong.
New carpet will fix that.
Can't decide whether to use a hangy-down evaporator, or a custom unit. Right now, I have the evap on the floor between the seats, and a makeshift "console" covers it. I could run the lines under the floor, and only cut 2 holes for the hoses, and one for the drain line. nobody would see the evap. since it would be under the center console, and have the vents coming out of the console, and one at the back of the cab, and two on the sides.
Radio is in glove box, so I would have to move it.
Don't really want to buy a new radio. The Sony unit I have has never missed a beat (pun intended) and absolutely no reason to replace it.
I might have to build a center console, and put it there. I have a 100 watt amp and an equalizer.
I know, I know, old school, but works pretty good, just the way I have it.