64-67 A body, whats a good setup for a driver?

[Nicks67GTO]

My 67' GTO is in no way going to be a corner carving, badass super machine! Im just going to do some nice bolt on updates with the suspension that will make it a little nicer to drive! What package or company would you select if you were going to do an upgrade from stock? I dont need the best, i dont want the cheapest. Im looking for affordable good quality stuff but i dont know alot about suspension stuff. I would classify this car as a daily driver for all intended purposes and it would probably only get raced once or twice a year at the drag strip. Ive looked over Alstons stuff, Detroit speed, CPP, Global west etc etc. They all seem to have different products and i dont even know where to start. Are all the products similar in quality? Are they all improved in the same areas? What should i be looking for in Upper and lower A arms? Sway bars? Coilovers? control arms? Im kind of confused. What would be the best direction to go on a flexible budget?

[dhutton]

I would recommend that you look at the Hotchkis TVS package and/or give Mark at SC&C a call (he is sponsor here). DSE also has a new system for A bodies. Those are the 3 options I am considering for my GTO.

Don

[wmhjr]

I'm in the same boat - '66 GTO. I went with Mark at SC&C. You can see the components on my build if you look on the "Suspension" album at http://www.photobucket.com/1966Pontiac

[gearheads78]

I'm in the same boat - '66 GTO. I went with Mark at SC&C. You can see the components on my build if you look on the "Suspension" album at http://www.photobucket.com/1966Pontiac

Same boat for me and same thing I did.

[Buffalobillpatrick]

Wmhjr, what are those lower A-arm spring seats/spacers called & where did you get them?

BBP

[Derek69SS]

SC&C has the best products for the money.
DSE has good stuff too, but more expensive.

Stay away from Hotchkis, Global West, and anyone else whose package is based on the B-body spindle.

[wmhjr]

Wmhjr, what are those lower A-arm spring seats/spacers called & where did you get them?

BBP

I got them from Mark at SC&C. I think the highly technical name he used was "spacers".

[MonzaRacer]

http://www.ridetech.com/products/64_72_GM_A_Body_Level_1_Package-1582-941.html
http://www.ridetech.com/products/Chevy_Chevelle_64_67_ShockWave_w_StrongArms_Lower-1238-941.html
http://www.ridetech.com/products/GM_A_Body_68_72_CoolRide_Rear_w_StrongArms-922-941.html


Honestlym I loved my rear coolride on my 71 Monte, I used manual air lines and ran it close to 3 yrs with 0 issues.
I used an A6 AC compressor to feed air ride on my 78 C10 and it laste 3 1/2 yrs, now its fed by a York/Techumseh compressor.
You can also mix and match a lot of different parts, my personal opinion is on air all the way. You can also use manual air switches to fill them and add solenoids later.
Trust me the ride and handling beat any spring out there in I my driving opinion.
My Monza IS going on air, hopefully this year.
Marcus at SC&C can build good arms. right balljoints and upper/lower control arms with air ride (if ya dont use ART strong arms) will make anyone smile after a few test drives.

[wmhjr]

Air is nice for ride - not for handling. May be fine for normal street driving. But, there's a reason that you see zero performance cars with air ride. The gen 1 A-Body cars have bad geometry to begin with.

[MonzaRacer]

wmhr you better rethink that statement and go look at some of the cars ART have put together and PROVEN air does handle awesome.
Check the Street Challenge kits out also and go watch autocross events on youtube from Air ride cars. And I believe GoodGuys (or one of the car shows) gave away an Air ride equiped AUTOCROSSED car(yess pre driven) last year.
Look here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsa4_kR9RME&feature=PlayList&p=035FE57732769F0D&playnext=1&index=1
check this link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsa4_kR9RME&feature=PlayList&p=035FE57732769F0D&playnext=1&index=1
Trust this you wanna underestimate an air ride equiped car, step up to an autocross event this year. Oh and let Bret Voekel, ART President take you for a ride HAHA, fasten your seat belt.

[comp-spec]

[QUOTE][/wmhr you better rethink that statement and go look at some of the cars ART have put together and PROVEN air does handle awesome.
Check the Street Challenge kits out also and go watch autocross events on youtube from Air ride cars. And I believe GoodGuys (or one of the car shows) gave away an Air ride equiped AUTOCROSSED car(yess pre driven) last year QUOTE]

X2

[MonzaRacer]

:twothumbs:6gears::poke::usa:
[quote][/wmhr you better rethink that statement and go look at some of the cars ART have put together and PROVEN air does handle awesome.
Check the Street Challenge kits out also and go watch autocross events on youtube from Air ride cars. And I believe GoodGuys (or one of the car shows) gave away an Air ride equiped AUTOCROSSED car(yess pre driven) last year QUOTE]

X2

[ProTouring442]

SC&C has the best products for the money.
DSE has good stuff too, but more expensive.

Stay away from Hotchkis, Global West, and anyone else whose package is based on the B-body spindle.

You can use the arms made for the B-Body spindle, then use the AFX tall spindle with the correct A-Body steering arms.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[wmhjr]

wmhr you better rethink that statement and go look at some of the cars ART have put together and PROVEN air does handle awesome.
Check the Street Challenge kits out also and go watch autocross events on youtube from Air ride cars. And I believe GoodGuys (or one of the car shows) gave away an Air ride equiped AUTOCROSSED car(yess pre driven) last year.
Look here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsa4_kR9RME&feature=PlayList&p=035FE57732769F0D&playnext=1&index=1
check this link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsa4_kR9RME&feature=PlayList&p=035FE57732769F0D&playnext=1&index=1
Trust this you wanna underestimate an air ride equiped car, step up to an autocross event this year. Oh and let Bret Voekel, ART President take you for a ride HAHA, fasten your seat belt.

Sorry, guess I missed all those Air riding formula one, indy, nascar, and supercars. With enough effort and money you can make anything almost anything work to a point. The OP stated his objectives up front. Sure doesn't seem like a candidate for air suspension to me, but.... My response may have been worded badly, but I was reacting to a comment that an air suspended car could "beat any spring out there". One would think that if this was the case, every sanctioned racing league would be running on nothing but air, so to speak.

[ProTouring442]

Sorry, guess I missed all those Air riding formula one, indy, nascar, and supercars. With enough effort and money you can make anything almost anything work to a point. The OP stated his objectives up front. Sure doesn't seem like a candidate for air suspension to me, but.... My response may have been worded badly, but I was reacting to a comment that an air suspended car could "beat any spring out there". One would think that if this was the case, every sanctioned racing league would be running on nothing but air, so to speak.

Save, of course, for any rules concerning said systems.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill

[Derek69SS]

Air is nice for ride - not for handling. May be fine for normal street driving. But, there's a reason that you see zero performance cars with air ride. The gen 1 A-Body cars have bad geometry to begin with.Air-suspension is fundamentally flawed in a performance application due to its progressive rates, but ART has closed up the performance gap by a lot in the last few years. A properly tuned linear rate metal spring will outperform air, but air ride is much easier to tune with simple air pressure adjustments, so they have some advantages there.


You can use the arms made for the B-Body spindle, then use the AFX tall spindle with the correct A-Body steering arms.
I believe the uppers need to be different due to the KPI differences between the 2 spindles.