Coil spring/lowering question

[jjl4004]

I am waiting to get my Percy’s WheelRite tool in the mail to measure and find out what size wheels/tires I can fit into my wheel wells and have a question. I realize that I will need to measure with the vehicle at ride height and I also know that I will need to lower the car to get the look I’m after. I think the car is sitting pretty high right now and don’t know what type of springs the prior owner put on the car, but I’m guessing they aren’t stock height (I know they aren’t lowering springs).

I was thinking that I have 2 options at this point. 1) purchase a set of stock ride height springs and cut them down to the height I want once I get the tire/wheel combo I want or 2) Get a set of Eibach lowering springs (1.3” front and rear), measure what wheels/tires will fit, get the wheels/tires and cut the Eibach springs down if I want to go lower.

What are your thoughts about my two options? Does anyone have any suggestions about what I should do? Is cutting stock or lowering springs a good idea? I was also toying with the idea of getting some 2” dropped spindles for the front, but I’m not sure if I would be able to use the stock front disc brakes that are currently on the car. Car is a 68 Chevelle, coil springs and planning on 17 or 18” wheels. Any suggestions are appreciated.

[Marcus SC&C]

IMO just get a good set of performance rate lowering springs like the Eibachs and start with that. There`s a pretty good chance you`ll be happy with it without cutting them and you`ll save yourself a lot of work. Also there`s more to springs than ride height. There`s also rate and how it effects the performance of the suspension. Your stock springs may be 350lbs/in. Cutting them will increase the rate but only slightly. So if you drop the car 2" by cutting the spring you`ve still only got a very soft spring rate to keep your headers and oil pan off the ground when you hit a bump. It also not going to do much for how the car handles. When you drive the car hard you risk bottoming the suspension. A little trimming to get just the right ride height is fine but TANSTAAFL (there ain`t no such thing as a free lunch).
The Eibach springs are much firmer (around 550lbs/in),will contribute more roll rate which will reduce body roll and because they`re firmer they`ll be able to deal with the lowered ride height and keep the headers etc. off the street better. So the car has the stance you want and it`ll handle better too without bottoming out.
2" drop spindles are not your friends,check the sticky thread at the top of this topic for more info. Mark SC&C

[jjl4004]

I have a thread going on another site and someone suggested I get some 5 x 9.5" 575lb spings up front and 5 1/2 x 11" 150 lb spings in the rear with adjustable shims all around. The springs are from a circle track company and the he said I would be able to tweek the ride height to what I wanted by using the shims. It sounds like a great idea to me, so I was wondering if anyone else has heard of doing something like this and wanted your opinions on weather or not this would be a good idea for a mostly street driven car. I called the company and spoke to one of their tech guys, who told me that the springs should work and didn't see that the set up would create any issues. What do you think?