Dropping a 71 Camaro

[gordonquixote]

So, I have read the spindle posts but most items dealt with 1st gen Camaros. Can anyone give me feedback on lowering my '71 Camaro about 3" front and 2" rear. I can't pony up the $1100 for a full Hotchkis type kit. I will settle with 2" front if 3" is excessive.

Post pics if you can.

[ks71z28]

The front is easy, you will need to cut 1-1.5 coils off the spring. Start with one and go from there. It is a pain, but the best way to get it perfect, always cut the bottom end of the spring, not the flat side. The rear you can use lowering blocks. Cut the front and lower the back accordingly. I never recomend more than a 1" block, because it does increase wheel hop. There is also a trick to redrill the front leaf spring hanger to lower the car 1/2" more. Check out Nastyz28.com it is a 2nd gen site and really helpful

Keith

[David Pozzi]

Get circle track front coils 5.5" ID at a rate around 650.
Get adco anti-roll bars from Summit or JC whitney, they are pretty cheap.
Stock coils are in the 300 lb per inch range, pretty soft, so if you lower the car much, it will be hitting the bumpstops a lot.
David

[Skip Fix]

Mid 80s Deisel S-10 springs on the front(700-740 range). Drop in and about the right height.Find a late 70s TA 1 1/4" front sway bar. rear bar 5/8". You can often get a spring shop to de arch your springs. There are alot of circle track suppliers for rear springs too.Lowering blocks can be fouind from the circle track guys or 4X4 guys use them as lift spacers(their spring is on top of the axle).

If you are using a low profile tire you can also get some drop with that. Several suppliers have thinner front sunfram bushings fro soem drop. Downside it shove the motor up possibly into the fan shroud and hood if you run a BBC or a tall aircleaner.

[Skip Fix]

Here's a guy with an extra front bar. http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/showthread.php?t=501498

[Davezz28]

I just did the suspension on a 73 and here are some ideas:

Afco 5.5 X 9.5" springs (rate of your choice) w/ afco adj spring spacer $180

Afco or Landrum springs avail in rates from 175-250# $100 each. The 6.5" arch springs should lower the rear 2" and the 5" arch springs sould lower around 3". I have not personally used these so some one with more experience may be of some help here.

Addco front sway bar in a dia to match you choice of Fr & Rr spring rates $150. If you use the right spring rate in the rear you dont need a rear bar.

You would have aprox $530 in springs and bar. If you add a set of Bilstein shocks @ $80 ea, you would have aprox $850 in it.

Dave

[Skip Fix]

When autocrossing I tried the no rear bar didn't like it. Too big a bar picked up the inside rear wheel even with stock rear springs on e hard turn,or slanted driveway. The 5/8" seems to be the best balance for me. Advantage of stiffer front springs-less brake dive to unload rear brakes in a hard turn.

TRW or MOOG front springs are pretty cheap, any OReilley can get them also.

[David Pozzi]

It's very likely that a third gen IROC or Trans-Am front and rear bar would fit also. You need to verify but they look right.

[SHANE 73Z]

I just did the suspension on a 73 and here are some ideas:

Afco 5.5 X 9.5" springs (rate of your choice) w/ afco adj spring spacer $180

Afco or Landrum springs avail in rates from 175-250# $100 each. The 6.5" arch springs should lower the rear 2" and the 5" arch springs sould lower around 3". I have not personally used these so some one with more experience may be of some help here.

Addco front sway bar in a dia to match you choice of Fr & Rr spring rates $150. If you use the right spring rate in the rear you dont need a rear bar.

You would have aprox $530 in springs and bar. If you add a set of Bilstein shocks @ $80 ea, you would have aprox $850 in it.

Dave

This is the route I took as well. 500# front springs, 150# 6.5" rear springs. I would not use the 5" arch springs. My 73 with 26" rear tires the top of the tire is even with wheel lip. There is about a 3/4" gap in the front. The Edelbrock shocks dont seem to work very well with the increased spring rates either.
I am also running adjustable Rancho swaybars (vintage).

Shane

[Z06killinSBF]

Rancho 850lb progessive rate w/1 coil cut and 1/2" body drop w/aluminum spacers, Rancho leafs in rear...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[Skip Fix]

Here is a Camaro with the s-10s and stock rear springs. 265-50-15 on the front 275/60-15 on the rear(just for pulling it around the shop had 25" road race slicks on it.

[gordonquixote]

I've come to the conclusion that now that I have all of this knowledge, all I need is some damn MONEY!

Great posts, I have some good ideas to go with now.

[gordonquixote]

Also, all of you went with the springs, not the drop spindles. Are springs just cheaper or is there an advantage?

[formulafr]

i dropped my 75' formula with 2" lower hotchkis spring and 2" lowering block rear.

at first the springs feel hard compare to stock, but now (6 months after) it feels like stock, i mean it's always too soft!!
on hard corner, rear tire rub a little but i'm thinking about cutting interior wing lip and replace my shocks by knoi (like in the front).

my tire set up. 245/45/17 and 4,5"BS. 275/40/17 and 5"BS.