Getting a 69 camaro to handle...on a budget

[dbs1]

This is not my first experience with 1st gen camaros, but I don't have near the budget I did 8 years ago. I have recently purchased another 69 and have about $6000 for suspension/brake parts. I want it to handle as well as my 02 ss that has an upgraded sway bars, subframe connectors and pan hard setup. If possible I'd also like to use the existing 275/40/17 on the front.

I'd like to lower it slightly, and since last working on a 67 six years ago things seemed to have changed. That car had a drop spindle on it, running those size of tires up front with a different wheel and a 13" wilwood setup with a hydra boost. I would like to run something similar and get it right the first time as I believe I had 3 different tries on that.

This 69 has manual brakes and steering and I'd like to install a 600 series power steering box
on it. Down the road I may also want to run an LS3 with a 6 speed trans and do NOT want to have to pull off parts to do it. Modifying the existing front subframe is okay, though I'd sure like to get some weight off it.



It will be a dd that will see 10-12 road course sessions a year and maybe 4-5 trips to the qtr. I know there are lots of ideas out there, but with my goals and budget perhaps they can be narrowed down? Ideas that will fit in these parameters?

[censo69]

I'd give Mark at SC&C a call. He was super helpful going though the various options and giving detailed reasons as well as cut to the case with examples of parts that give you the best bang for the buck.

[19,69camaro]

http://www.pozziracing.com/first_gen_suspension.htm this should help

[dbs1]

Mark @ SC& C???? Contact info? I've read Pozzi racing stuff a few times now. For me it seems to add more confusion as to what parts to use. Tall ball joints, tall spindles, ect... I used the dropped spindles previously, and don't recall interference with the tire and wheel combo I ran of 275/40/17 but when reading some of the other posts it says they do interfere?

[exwestracer]

The real key is in David Pozzi's FAQs at the beginning of the "suspension discussion" section. Every decision should be made on the basis of the intended use (which you've outlined well) and the tire/wheel combo (which you also have figured out).

The many options all revolve around fitting certain wheels and tires, achieving (and working around) desired ride height, and getting the camber curve correct for the tires. Oh, and the budget...

If the budget is a primary concern, you can make the Guldstrand mod and use the stock arms and balljoints. If you set ride hieght with the lower arms level (ball joint to mounting bolt), that will determine what other mods you will have to make to get the desired ride height with your tire diameter. As it sounds like you've already found out, a little planning will go a long way to getting your desired results without throwing a ton of money at it...

[UMI Tech]

I'm going to just start deferring to Ray on these questions. Sound advice from the Professor.

ramey

[LS1NOVA]

http://scandc.com/new/\

I have SC&C stage 2 plus, very happy with the handling and the cost. Mark can set you up.

[BMR Tech]

• Tubular upper control arms with built-in positive caster and tall upper ball joints
• Front Coil-over kit
• Subframe connectors
• Solid body mount bushings
• Rear 4 bar or torque arm conversion
• Kore 3 C5 or C6 brakes front and rear
• Front and rear sway bars

This comes to about $7k but gives you double adjustable coil-overs on all 4 corners. You could probably get it down to $6k by using traditional lowering springs in the front, single adjustable rear coil-overs and maybe going with less expensive brake setups (rear OE 4th gen brakes, OE style front disc brakes). Of course the largest part of this expense is the rear leaf spring conversion. Retaining the leafs gives you a lot of money to put in other places...