Are coilover's overkill for mostly street driven car?

[ryeguy2006a]

Hey guys,

I am looking at doing a coilover conversion on my 1976 Trans Am. While my car is still in the build stage I was thinking of just doing the coilover conversion now, rather than spend my money on buying stock replacement springs and shocks. I am on budget, but want to be able to spend my money in places that are going to be meaningful. Eventually I want my car to be a full PT car, but currently I have been more concerned with getting the car finished in it's stock form and upgrade things while I am able to drive the car. When I buy the kit I am also going to upgrade to some solid body bushings. Any advice would be well taken.

Thanks,
Ryan

[exwestracer]

Not overkill, but not the best initial place to spend money either...

[astroracer]

I agree with Lee. Rebuild the stock suspension with good shocks, WS6 springs and bigger bars. MAYBE throw some polygraphite bushings into the mix. If all you are doing is driving and enjoying, drive it and enjoy it... Until you get ready to do a total rebuild save your money for other things.
Mark

[ryeguy2006a]

Right, but eventually I would like to do this conversion anyway and spending money on the shocks and springs would be part way to purchasing the coilover kit( $750), I already have front and rear swaybars. While I have the car disassembled right now would be much easier to do the conversion as well. Any other thoughts?

[dontlifttoshift]

If you are planning on doing it anyways then I would certainly just do it now.

[Bryce]

I have coilover so on my 95 mustang daily driver. The only thing more expensive about coilovers is the shock technology. The question you need to ask is do you want or need a great shock or a is a good shock okay.

AFCO makes steel body non adjustable but rebuildable and re-valveable coilovers for cheap.

[exwestracer]

Yuuup...

(Oops. Should have been quote for doing it now since the car is apart.)

[ryeguy2006a]

I have coilover so on my 95 mustang daily driver. The only thing more expensive about coilovers is the shock technology. The question you need to ask is do you want or need a great shock or a is a good shock okay.

AFCO makes steel body non adjustable but rebuildable and re-valveable coilovers for cheap.

What I am looking for is a shock that will handle well on the street, and not be so stiff that it is uncomfortable to drive. But on the other hand I would like a setup that would perform well on the track if I decided to go for a AutoX event.

[UMI Tech]

I have coilover so on my 95 mustang daily driver. The only thing more expensive about coilovers is the shock technology. The question you need to ask is do you want or need a great shock or a is a good shock okay.

AFCO makes steel body non adjustable but rebuildable and re-valveable coilovers for cheap.

Bryce hit it right. I just sold a set of QA1's for a GM A-body with a non-adjustable shock and coilover spring combined it was almost exactly the same price as big coils and shocks. Most times these kits are at least single adjustable. I was very surprised at how cost-effective the non-adjustable was.

[SR71]

it's much cheaper to do things the way you want to the first time. if you spend money to put new parts on the car that you KNOW will be replaced later, you are wasting at least half of that money. mainly because you can usually get about half of you investment back if you sell the parts used.

I don't settle for less very well. I always end up spending the money later to do it the way I envisioned it. so again, It's cheaper to do it right the first time.

[Huzzah!]

The way it was explained to me that there really isn't much room to put coilovers on 1st and 2nd gens. Since they become so compact its difficult to get the coilover in its sweet spot. I'm going to be running an adjustable shock with spc lowers to adjust the height in the front. That way you're not really having to find the right compression for the coilover but still have ride height and stiffness adjustability.

[exwestracer]

The way it was explained to me that there really isn't much room to put coilovers on 1st and 2nd gens. Since they become so compact its difficult to get the coilover in its sweet spot. I'm going to be running an adjustable shock with spc lowers to adjust the height in the front. That way you're not really having to find the right compression for the coilover but still have ride height and stiffness adjustability.

Huh? Spring length issues for a hybrid coilover is the only problem I can see having. You do have to change the top and bottom mounts (and the frame rail) if you go to a "true" coilover. A racing shock and spring takes up FAR less space than the stock setup...

[Huzzah!]

Huh? Spring length issues for a hybrid coilover is the only problem I can see having. You do have to change the top and bottom mounts (and the frame rail) if you go to a "true" coilover. A racing shock and spring takes up FAR less space than the stock setup...

True coilover is what I meant.

[exwestracer]

Still not understanding your initial statement...

[SR71]

I think he is trying to say that due to the short travel of bolt in coilovers conversions, some people are going to have a problem maintaining the proper shock travel at the lower ride that most people want. afterall, the uninformed think that to lower a car with coilovers you only need to crank the spring platform down and all is good.

[ryeguy2006a]

I appreciate all the comments guys. I did some more research and from what I have read with the right springs and shocks, you can get the same performance as a coilover. I decided to go with a Gen II GT's and Koni single adjustable shocks from Custom Works. I think I will be very happy with my results.

[Damn True]

Depends. Adding "coilovers" to your parts list nets you nothing unless they are valved and adjusted correctly for your application and if they are reliable and consistent in those adjustments and consistent from shock to shock.

There are coilovers that are crap.
There are coilovers that are good.
There are coilovers that are exceptionally good.

Price is not always the defining element of the above.

That said, would an ultra high-end "exceptionally good" coilover such as a Penske, Moton/AST (they just merged) or the new Ride-Tech shock be overkill for your application? Perhaps, but that depends on what you are looking to get out of the car. You will however be money and performance ahead if you get an appropriate set of Koni "yellows" instead of some of the crap low-end coilovers that are on the market.

[rustomatic]

If you can't feel or interpret the difference as a driver, whatever your intended practice/application, it's probably not worth doing. Fashion/show motivations are another story...

[David Pozzi]

The biggest benefit to running coil over shocks is the ability to fine-tune ride height and adjust corner weights to exactly what you want. It also makes changing spring rates easier. Couple that with the ability to adjust the shocks and it's a great combo. If you will be running a proven set of springs, then your ride height should be where you want it and the only thing you will be lacking is easy adjustment of corner weights. Corner weight adjustability would mainly be of benefit to someone who is competing on a regular basis, & has done a lot of other mods to the car. There are plenty of adjustable shocks that will give you good results, but the adjusters are difficult to reach in the front A arm if the knob is on the bottom.
David