'68 Firebird Front Suspension Upgrades?

[Underdog]

Hi all! I want to improve the front suspension but I don't have alot in the budget for upgrades right now and I don't have much knowledge on how to setup a cars suspension. I'd also like to keep the car at about a stock ride height or a little lower, I'm thinking less than a 2" drop in the front. Right now the front end is stock other than the disc brakes, it has rubber bushings and old 6 cyl springs. In the rear is a 9", CalTracs along with the split monos and shocks that were suggested by the guys at Calvert for a drag strip setup. The car was set up to go in a straight line and it did that well now I'd like to get it to handle the roads a little better. From what I've been reading, SC&C uppers, tall spindles, new springs, shocks and bushings would be the best way to go possibly. Of course I can't afford that right now, LOL.

So, I want to change what I can afford to right now and upgrade the rest at a later date. Since the disc brake setup isn't that old I plan on keeping it the same. I was also planning on keep in the stock A-arms and replacing the bushings with poly.

First question: can you use the tall upper ball joints with stock upper arms? If so that might be what I do. If not, I will do the G-mod.

Second question: Would offset shafts do me any good?

I was thinking of going with Global West S-41 springs. The are supposed to be Firebird specific. IIRC they are rated at 500 lbs and only drop the car 1". Would these work well for me?

For the rear I was planning on just keeping it as is for now.

Am I headed down the right path?

Any input would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Kevin

[killer69]

sounds like you answered your own questions
change the bushings
add a .500 tall ball joint
off set shafts will help if you want more adjustment with less shims. but if the alignment is close to where you want it now not required do remember the tall ball joint will change the alignment.

[Underdog]

So you can use the tall ball joints with stock upper arms? Would it be better to use both the tall uppers and lowers? Does anything else need to be changed to do this? The whole front end is off the car now. I'm learning as I go here so please bear with me. LOL

[MonzaRacer]

Now if you want a little more adjustability , and better ride and kool factor think about this: You can get a Cool Ride kit for $600 and start out getting it on air and better handling. One thing I figured out after pricing parts for my truck and my old Monte Carlo. (http://www.ridetech.com/shop/suspens...nt-system.html)
The air ride even with simple paddle switches, and using an old A6 A/C compressor to make air pressure was leaps and bounds over any bolt in. Especially in the ride department.
Figure if your not picky about rise time, do your plumbing right you can add CoolRide to the front, use a simple 2 paddle switch /dual needle gauge and and your set, if budgets is tight look for a portable air tank, unscrew the old parts and screw in new fittings and tada your set to begin with.
You can even scrounge old compressors from cars in junkyards.
I am not sure but doesnt the 68 Fbody use the Gmod?
Then add in a tall upper or what ever the mix is. you can add double adjustable shocks down the road. But I love air ride.
As for control arms I am sure there are some used tubulars running around somewhere you just gotta keep hunting.

Neat thing about air ride while it has high initial cost the benefits do come in the adjustability.
And one thin is for sure, metal springs cant be adjusted, you get what you buy, done deal.
nothing wrong but add in good shocks to the $166 price and your at or near half of the Air system.
just food for thought.
My 84 caprice is going Cool Ride all the way around, then as I find wheels(looking for 18 in Corvettes) Ill up grade my brakes with Kore3 adapters and the 355mm/14" rotors and Vette calipers.
Oh and if you are running Pontiac engine and need any parts let me know I still have a few things around. Neat thing about them Pontiacs, you build for torque not high winding rpms.
A lot of guys think you need 700 hp but build a nice flat 450 to 500lb/ft of torque with table flat curve and a Pontiac with a 4 speed and 2.73 rear gears will still take off in 4 th gear with a manual, my machinist had a 64 Tempest with the second most likely to be called a dog Pontiac engine, a 326, only worse engine in design was 301 and it had a few redeeming factors, but very few.
good luck and keep reading.

[Pesky_Dingo]

I would look at subframe connectors and poly or solid body bushings first. No point in upgrading your suspension if your body is floating on 50yr old rubber.

My personal project is going to get...
-subframe connectors -$30 swap meet
-poly body mounts -$60
-G-mod templates-$20 on gulstrands website but might be free?
-poly A-arm bushings (would have went with del-alum in retrospect) -$60
-Cut Big Block Chevelle springs (my 20 dollar experiment) -$20 shipped
-1" or 1 1/8" swaybar -$160 new -$50 swap meet?
-Heim joints on tie rod ends (to adjust for bump steer) roughly $50-100 to piece the kit together
-Edelbrock IAS shocks -$200 pair
-Monte carlo disc brakes - $free from my dad

Tall ball joints might be the way to go for you instead of the G-mod if you plan on doing tubular a arms later in life since I hear they correct geometry. If you have a smaller rim you might want to make sure the tall spindle will clear the rim and stock arm.

[Pesky_Dingo]

I wanted to add understanding how your suspension works is the most important thing. Find a good book or two, How to Make Your Car Handle by Fred Puhn will give you a good overview of how your car's suspension works and how you can improve upon it. It has lots of useful info and is shade tree friendly.

[Chad-1stGen]

The best bet on a budget is going to be the guldstrand mod. You don't use the gmod with a tall ball joint or spindle though. You pick one of those 3 options only.

A tall BJ will bolt into a stock upper a-arm. Whether it works will depend on your wheels. The issue is going to be with suspension droop and turning the wheel. You could put your cars on jack stands with the suspension hanging free and turn the wheels lock to lock measuring how close the rim gets to the upper arm. If you want to run a .5" tall BJ then you better have clearance in excess of that amount.