I need some suspension guidance

[mighty gts]

Hello All,

I have a 69 camaro convertible, BB, 4spd. Mostly original except motor, etc.. I want to start working on the front suspension, in stages and wondered what the best course of action would be as far as budget and labor. Hotchkis, DSE,etc...I am thinking tubular control arms, and springs as a first step, then shocks...The point is finish with a complete working kit, and not have to repeat any of the labor. Ideally, I would drop the 4-5K for all the parts and do everything at once, but
budget constraints are in play.

The car has plenty of power and runs great, but the handling and breaking are downright scary...After suspension, wilwood brakes and new wheels will be in order, but i have to say, I really do like the classic look of the 15# ralleys, and the 17 ralleys seem to look odd to me....It might be torque thrust in the future...Thanks for you suggestions and ideas in advance.

Joe

[David Pozzi]

What will you use the car for? Street? Daily driver? autox? Road course?

[Carl @ Chassisworks]

Joe, if you are planning on spending 4-5k to upgrade the stock clip I would consider holding out a bit longer and saving a bit more to get a complete new front clip in one fell swoop. The stock clips can be made to ride and handle pretty well, but in the end you're still improving parts that were designed in the mid-60s. With a new clip you take advantage of modern manufacturing processes, suspension theory, and modern design.

With your comment about 15" Ralley wheels I'm guessing you don't want to go super aggressive, so that may not be as important to you as just having something that is pleasant and, more importantly, safe to drive on the road. If I were going to improve a car and retain the stock front clip, my first move would be to bolt on some quality adjustable shocks, then brakes. If you aren't dead-set on coilover shocks then a-arms and such can come later. An upgraded power steering box will help give the car a more modern feel. (This is assuming the bushings in the stock arms are not in need of replacement.)

Chassisworks has a whole bunch of options for your car. Feel free to give us a call with any questions. In the meantime, we put all the Camaro stuff together in one online catalog. You can check it out by clicking on the cover image below.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/03/BG_201_277x360-1.jpg (http://www.cachassisworks.com/Attachments/Catalogs/BG_201.pdf)

[Rod]

What will you use the car for? Street? Daily driver? autox? Road course?

yep?

[RobNoLimit]

BB + Convertible = subframe connectors, or sub-cage. Look at Chassisworks or DSE

[astroracer]

I'm with Carl here. I would start with a performance rebuild on the stock suspension. Get to square one with what you have, for a street car this is as much as you will probably need. Clean and paint everything while it's apart. If you aren't looking for extreme performance this will give you a better road feel and not break the bank by any means. Upgrade the steering box and brakes when you can afford them.
Mark

[BMR Sales]

SubFrame Connectors, Driveshaft Tunnel Brace, A-Arms, Springs, Shocks, - you need em, I've got em!