What do you think, looking for input for suspension upgrades for better handling.

[696]

I have a little bit of time to kill at work, so seeing as how I'm stuck here for awhile I decided to throw out the question. It's a street car that goes to the track a few times a year so I don't care to sacrifice a little ET for a solid ride. I'm not looking for a all out pro-touring / Autocross set up but mainly bolt ons and replacing the 100% stock suspension to get it to handle quite a bit better over stock. I looked at others cars here, threads and went to several sites for G-Body kits and such (Savitske's, GNS, Kirbans, G-Body, ect) but would like to do this once and right the 1st time instead of over and over. I'm figuring on braces, full suspension replacement, all bushings, seats and possibly wheels. Only "upgrade" so far is GTA wheels. I'm open for suggestion for what works and what doesn't...

 

[KevinB]

I would do poly body bushings first. That really tightens it up. Then replace all front bushings with polys and use good springs. I have the hotchkis sport springs in my silver car. They drop it almost 2" and they work OK for drag racing too. It makes the car ride less like a Buick. The braces aren't a bad idea. For the rear, I would box the stock arms and add poly bushings. If you are worried about pinion angle and drag racing, I'd go with adjustable uppers. For shocks, bilsteins or the kyb's would be the cheaper route. For the sway bars, find an old atr bar for the rear. My white car did a few 1.3 60's with that piece.

 

[TURBOPOWERED68]

so far my best bang for the $$ was a Hellwig rear bar.

 

[T-CHRGD]

Since You mentioned it, Savitske's (SC&C) packages work great.

While upgrading wheels & tires, don't forget the brakes.

 

[696]

Kevin, Thanks for the info. I'm planing on doing the doing body bushing 1st and working from rear to front.
T-CHRGD, Saw an older thread with your set up....WOW! Yeah I forgot to mention Baer brakes in the future, but simply stock replacement for now.
Hellwig is near the top of my list for the rear, what about their fronts? Is there a big difference between the "stock" mounted rear sway bars and the "pro touring" styles?

 

[T-CHRGD]

Kevin, Thanks for the info. I'm planing on doing the doing body bushing 1st and working from rear to front.
T-CHRGD, Saw an older thread with your set up....WOW! Yeah I forgot to mention Baer brakes in the future, but simply stock replacement for now.
Hellwig is near the top of my list for the rear, what about their fronts? Is there a big difference between the "stock" mounted rear sway bars and the "pro touring" styles?

The axle to frame mounted swaybars work much better than the old trailing arm mounted bars. That's why you see almost all companies going with that design. They are adjustable, and are a much more efficient design. HRParts, Hellwig, Spohn, DSE, etc. all mount that way.

 

[696]

With the xtra time on my hands I'm coming up with some ideas. I'm clear on poly bushings squeaking and needing to be greased (not a big deal as some have fittings for that) but is the xtra $$$ for Derlin bushings worth it for a "street" car?

 

[~JM~]

Request all your urethane bushings to be Black. There is a lot of graphite added to the black ones & they squeek less.

~JM~

 

[big reazon]

On my car I did the poly lower bushing up front stock arms, a speedway steering rebuild kit, speedway upper control arms will weld bump stops to them but I doubt I will ever need em. Rear I did umi roto joint double adjustable upper and lower then hell wig sway bar. Ran the 5596 springs up front for more efficient weight transfer stock rear springs right now but will probably run the 5413s in the rear. Haven't driven the car ever bought it with no motor and decided to restore it.

 

[Mark E.]

A Global West negative roll kit is my favorite mod to my car.

 

[Slow91z]

If you want it I'll probably have an ATR bar for sale shortly.