Opinions needed on my frontend

[crustyz11]

Okay, after reading for 3 hours about 1st gen suspension deficiancies, heres my plan. I'm gonna go with CPP upper and lower control arms/ stock spindles/ CPP 12" discs/ hotchkis lowering springs/ Steeroids power rack & pinion. Shocks i'm still undecided on.
I know there are better ways to do this, but i don't want to do anything permanant.
Thanks everyone!

[David Sloan]

What are your plans for the car (show car/ driver or some track time/autocross excd.)

How much money are you up to with these parts,an are they going to improve your front suspension any?
Just some thing to think about.
Give us some info so we can help answer you ?S

[crustyz11]

The car is mostly a driver. It still has the original calipers/rotors/control arms/ball joints/tie rod ends/steering box/springs, etc. and it drves pretty nice but...I would like it to be able to corner well though. I really liked the way my coupe handled, but it rode pretty stiff. I started building the orange car when i was 19 and the whole pro-touring thing was very new so parts were still limited compared to now.
I was going to resto the Z11 but that's not my style.
I've got about $1200 left right now to do the front brakes/springs/shocks/control arms. I realize this is probably not enough to do everything, but i don't want to spend much more than that. Like i said before, the steering is done with the rack so...

[TitoJones]

Just so you know, not a single item on your list fixes anything that is inherently wrong with the suspension. It's all bling or 'fluff' parts. It might be a vast improvement over worn out stock, but you could spend your money much better for parts that will improve the geometry.

Tyler

[crustyz11]

Well don't hold out on me! Lol What would your plan be if you were me?

[rlovell383]

I don't mind spending your $1200....

1. Guldstrand Mod- Free
2. SCandC upper arms- $355
3. Bilstein Shocks- $280ish
4. Speedway TRU coil springs (575 LB) with hidden adjusters- $140
5. Depending on the condition of your current suspension, you can use the remaining $425 to recondition it, or get an inexpensive front disk brake kit. (or if you are savvy, do both..)
6. With a good alignment, the above will be a great improvement over what you have!! Thats what I come up with for best bang for your buck.

That was kinda fun :)

Randy

[TitoJones]

Read this thread and come back if you have any questions about specific parts.

https://www.pro-touring.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46999

Tyler

[crustyz11]

Thanks guys!
Randy, my only problem with your plan is the G-mod. I absolutely do not want to cut up my car. Is their any other way to do that mod without major alteration? I guess what i'm asking is, can i just re-drill the different mounting holes?

[rlovell383]

You can do essentially the same thing with tall ball joints. SCandC sells them as well, I use them in my 67 and they work GREAT. The only downside is they arent free, (around $140).

Next on my list for you when you have more play money, is a good steering box(IROC, or rebuild your current one with better valving). And frame connectors.

Randy

[crustyz11]

I've got the steering enroute in the form of a power rack & pinion from Steeroids.

[crustyz11]

What's SC&C?

[zbugger]

I know someone who regrets ever putting a Steeroids kit on his car. And I've never liked the kits either. I recommend a Lee or DSE steering box. The feel should be just as good as a rack and going with a better box kills some of the headaches usually associated with the rack swap.

[vp23271]

I know someone who regrets ever putting a Steeroids kit on his car. And I've never liked the kits either. I recommend a Lee or DSE steering box. The feel should be just as good as a rack and going with a better box kills some of the headaches usually associated with the rack swap.

+1 and the Lee and DSE bolt right up to the stock location.


For control arms, take a look at Global West too.

[vp23271]

What's SC&C?

It's one of the site sponsored shops.
http://www.scandc.com/

[79T/Aman]

I'll second that your original list is prety much a waist of money, especialy the R&P, the G-mod is only drilling a nother set of holes and will let you put it back to stock if you want, about 600# springs and correctly valved shocks and you could have money left over

[crustyz11]

Thanks all(again!). I just checked out SC&C's ball joints, are you better off running both thier uppers & lowers or is it mostly the uppers that i would need to skirt around the G-mod?

[crustyz11]

As far as the rack goes, i had that setup on my orange coupe and loved the simplicity of it. It would also be close to the same price to replace all my stock stuff (please keep in mind that i'm simply going to put all my stock stuff in storage).

[crustyz11]

What don't people like about the rack? I guess my only complaint on the orange car was that the bracket sat pretty low.

[rlovell383]

I would simply make a call and talk to Marcus at SCandC tomorrow... He will steer you in the right direction. Be prepared though he likes to talk and will give you a lot of good info.

Randy

[crustyz11]

I think i'd have to record the conversation since my memory is shot!
I just checked out the AFX spindle.....WOW!, that's expensive. Very nice, very expensive! Lol

[Turbo67camaro]

I've read from a few good sources that rack and pinion steering systems don't fit / work well on 1st gen Camaros unless an aftermarket subframe is used.

With only $1200, I'd say wait a little while to save up a little more, and do this:
1) SC&C upper arms
2) Eibach Springs, or short springs w/ adjusters
3) Bilstein shocks
4) Moog tie rods, idler, pitman
5) precision ball joints from SC&C (non-tall ones)
6) LEE steering box.

That will cost a little more than $1200 but probably not too much more assuming you do all the labor yourself.

Then, down the road, upgrade with AFX spindles and a C6, Wilwood, or Baer brake kit.