Will my '69 "settle down"???

chevy69

chevy69

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Messages
137
Location
Chandler, AZ
Hey guys. Here are a few pics of my '69 coupe. I'm concerned about the height at this point. The measurements from the floor to the fender "lip" are 29" (+) in the front and almost 31" in the rear. I did use the thicker 73 and up poly kit vs. the old aluminum bushings so this adds to the issue. I just did a complete chassis rebuild w/ everything new. I have "stock" replacement coils up front and a glass spring out back (I believe 330lb).

There is no battery, no glass, no interior, etc... It's pretty basic (weight will be added). The bolts in the rear are about 7". Should I be concerned? I'm hoping that after the weight is all added, etc... I'll be able to make further adjustments down the road to get it reasonably low as I want it.


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you should be very concerned. It will not settle that much adding interior stuff.

take more picts of the front and rear springs and the bottom of the birdcage in relation to the frame. The TRW rear spring has way too much arch. What did you use for front springs? You will probably need to cut them.

the bright side is it would make a good hi water car.
 
Thanks guys.
There are a few other things besides glass and interior. I still have to add:
  • exhaust system
  • bumpers
  • radiator and fluid
  • fuel
  • my big fat ass :D
But I don't think that will bring it down enough. I bought the rear glass and coil springs from Duntov (used to be "Fast Corvette") in TX.
  • The rear (TRW) spring I used is rated at 315#
  • The "Replacement Front Coil Springs" are Federal Mogul
I don't mind cutting the front coils. We had to do the same thing with my son's '70 Mustang we built last year and it came out great.

As for the rear, it looks like I'm stuck with a spring that I can't use or return (I've had it bolted on the chassis for a couple of years now). What spring should I go buy? Steel 7 leaf? I don't want the ride to be too stiff and do want the car to sit low.

Is there a specific recommended spring and vendor?

Thanks, Tom
 
I would go with VBP springs. I have toured their plant. They make their springs in house and know what they are doing. I never heard of anyone having height problems with their spring. If you get the dual mount, you can even adjust the height and stiffness.

Muskegon Brakes has an outside vendor make their "TRW design" springs for them. Basically they are too lazy or stupid to make new molds to get the spring arch right.

The jury is still out on the Hyperco springs that Van Steel sells. Somebody at CF had a Hyperco spring installed in their Vette and were having height problems. But supposedly Hyperco has a good rep.
 
Kid Vette said:
I would go with VBP springs. I have toured their plant. They make their springs in house and know what they are doing. I never heard of anyone having height problems with their spring. If you get the dual mount, you can even adjust the height and stiffness.

Muskegon Brakes has an outside vendor make their "TRW design" springs for them. Basically they are too lazy or stupid to make new molds to get the spring arch right.

The jury is still out on the Hyperco springs that Van Steel sells. Somebody at CF had a Hyperco spring installed in their Vette and were having height problems. But supposedly Hyperco has a good rep.
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I have to agree with Mark. Their springs are good, and the TRW spring just sucks. If you want a smooth ride, glass is the way to go here.
 
big2bird said:
Kid Vette said:
I would go with VBP springs. I have toured their plant. They make their springs in house and know what they are doing. I never heard of anyone having height problems with their spring. If you get the dual mount, you can even adjust the height and stiffness.

Muskegon Brakes has an outside vendor make their "TRW design" springs for them. Basically they are too lazy or stupid to make new molds to get the spring arch right.

The jury is still out on the Hyperco springs that Van Steel sells. Somebody at CF had a Hyperco spring installed in their Vette and were having height problems. But supposedly Hyperco has a good rep.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with Mark. Their springs are good, and the TRW spring just sucks. If you want a smooth ride, glass is the way to go here.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys - Yeah, they suck all right. Now I have to spend another $360 to redo something I already did. That's the worst part of this :suicide:

I wish I had known about the TRW issues back when I bought this one (probably 2.5 years ago).

I will likely order the 300# spring kit with 8" bolts and poly bushings, Hopefully that will do the trick. But I may have to wait till after it comes back from the paint shop - I'm tapped out right now. :D
 
I dunno why, but the folks on forums insist on measuring ride height from the fenders on top of the wheel opening,

when in fact these cars being SO old now and many customs/repairs over the decades.....the fenders are probably not stock on any of them.....

so the manual suggests the ride height off the FRAME and that is where I measure my car at, and it's dead nutz stock eith VBP 460 fronts and VBP 360 rear spring........so go figger....

I know it looks slightly high by most eyes, but really not high by even most measures....my hotrodding buddy with the exhaust shop down the road is one who has commented about ride height from just looking at it....

:pprrtt::beer:
 
It seems that a lott of people get this kind of problem.

I myself have some vbp 550's up front and the longer spring bolts with the 7 leaf spring at the rear. Normally with the shorter 550's and the longer bolts, the damn thing should have sit lower, but it is sitting at normal ride height... go figure.
 
550lbs coils front and Muskegon 7-leaf steel spring with 8" bolts (10" bolts cut to fit), I don't think my '79 is much lower than stock, maybe 1" or so.....

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chevy69 said:
I will likely order the 300# spring kit with 8" bolts and poly bushings, Hopefully that will do the trick. But I may have to wait till after it comes back from the paint shop - I'm tapped out right now. :D
Click to expand...

I just ordered some new brake pads online. The whole catalogue is 10% off right now.:quote:
 
I want to know too....don't believe everything you read, I have a feeling this is a result of that balljoint BS!
 
Not to get too O/T, I can't see that 69 coming down more than an inch or so. Could you install longer bolts at the back? Cutting coils is easy and will take the car down, just make sure your shocks are up for it.

Thank god for coil overs!
 
Do the longer bolts in the rear first and then check the front, the high rear also influences the front and keeps it jacked up. Roll the car around a bit and only then start cutting coils. Cut them and heat the end/flatten and then do it so that it sits a tad too high, about half an inch or so as the new spring will settle a bit.
 
Without debating vendors, i would still like to know why some cars still sit so high.
Incorrect front spring height, wrong thickness of the metal ??
To much bend in the rear spring ??
 
Too much arch in the spring, like ALL the TRW springs have!

If you want a fiberglass spring get the hypercoil one, it's a cambered/tapered ebavertail just like 80-82. if you want a dual mount spring, get the VB&P stuff (there are advantages to dual mount springs! Search for the little article I posted somewhere around here)
 
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