I've been thinking about doing things a lot like George's 75 to my 75. I have looked at the composite spring for the front (replacing the coils) but as stated earlier, it is pretty expensive.

Has anyone else ever replaced the front coils with a composite?

Glenn

[QUOTE=Flemgunner]what composit spring for the front? haven't heard of that one. anyone got any info?
glenn
[/QUOTE]

vettebrakes sells a conversion kit to run a composite transverse monospring on the front..

basically a c5 front suspension in a c3..  i think it runs around 750$

http://www.vetteprojects.com/bmv

StreetShark, I carry all of VBP suspension and I've tried it all on my 80. I do like the Perf. Plus kit but I hated the front monospring. In my 80', I felt like I was riding in a basketball. My front end was very bouncy and I even had them make me a stiffer front sring and it didn't help. I took it off and went with front semi-coilovers and man what a difference it made. Car sticks and handles great. I'm currently working on making rear coilover conversion for the 63-79 vettes. It will eliminate the rear spring and give you a much better ride. Here is what I got for the front now plus a couple other links to show you kits that I have as well. The tubular lower a-arms are not strong enough for the coilovers so using your stock lower a-arms will work just fine. All you have to do is drill the shock nut holes out. Here you go.

Front Semi Coilovers

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ;SubGroup=1913

Advanced Street & Slalom

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ;SubGroup=1915

Super Performance Plus Kit

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ;SubGroup=1916

All forum members get free shipping if they live in the 48 states. Let me know if you have any questions.

Dan

[QUOTE=gellisvette]Sorry but for my money VBP are the best. Call there teck people tell them what you want your car to do and they will steer you straight. At least they did with me![/QUOTE]

George, did the 550 front springs lower it? I'm working on my suspension as we speak. Just bought the rack and pinion kit and new trailing arms, etc. I want to get the front end down without cutting the coils. Any ideas?

Glenn

StreetShark, I carry all of VBP suspension and I've tried it all on my 80. I do like the Perf. Plus kit but I hated the front monospring. In my 80', I felt like I was riding in a basketball. My front end was very bouncy and I even had them make me a stiffer front sring and it didn't help. I took it off and went with front semi-coilovers and man what a difference it made. Car sticks and handles great. I'm currently working on making rear coilover conversion for the 63-79 vettes. It will eliminate the rear spring and give you a much better ride. Here is what I got for the front now plus a couple other links to show you kits that I have as well. The tubular lower a-arms are not strong enough for the coilovers so using your stock lower a-arms will work just fine. All you have to do is drill the shock nut holes out. Here you go.

Front Semi Coilovers

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ; ;SubGroup=1913

Advanced Street & Slalom

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ; ;SubGroup=1915

Super Performance Plus Kit

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ; ;SubGroup=1916

All forum members get free shipping if they live in the 48 states. Let me know if you have any questions.

Dan

I've purchased sway bars,trailing arms etc.  from you ...quite pleased. How hard is it to install the semi-coilovers in a BB 68? I've replaced most of the suspension except the frt springs.

Alan

StreetShark, I carry all of VBP suspension and I've tried it all on my 80. I do like the Perf. Plus kit but I hated the front monospring. In my 80', I felt like I was riding in a basketball. My front end was very bouncy and I even had them make me a stiffer front sring and it didn't help. I took it off and went with front semi-coilovers and man what a difference it made. Car sticks and handles great. I'm currently working on making rear coilover conversion for the 63-79 vettes. It will eliminate the rear spring and give you a much better ride. Here is what I got for the front now plus a couple other links to show you kits that I have as well. The tubular lower a-arms are not strong enough for the coilovers so using your stock lower a-arms will work just fine. All you have to do is drill the shock nut holes out. Here you go.

Front Semi Coilovers

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ; ; ;SubGroup=1913

Advanced Street & Slalom

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ; ; ;SubGroup=1915

Super Performance Plus Kit

http://www.vansteel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ProductList& ; ; ; ;SubGroup=1916

All forum members get free shipping if they live in the 48 states. Let me know if you have any questions.

Dan

I've purchased sway bars,trailing arms etc.  from you ...quite pleased. How hard is it to install the semi-coilovers in a BB 68? I've replaced most of the suspension except the frt springs.

Alan

VAN STEEL

Hey, I have always liked coilovers, and with everything I have heard about the mono leaf spring, I think I am going to go with your super performance plus kit.  What about the ball joints and contol arm bushings, and all the rest of those suspension parts?  I am wanting to rebuild as much as possible with all new stuff.  I should be taking this job on sometime in September, if all works out right.  Also, with your setup, the ride height is completely adjustable.

Answer to how far did my front end drop?  Mine actually dropped 1&1/2 Inches from my stock springs but my front end set up fairly high to start with.  The 17" wheels and tires fill the wheel well just right with no rubbing.  Hope this helps.

Streetshark,

I forgot to mention that this kit is adjustable. You can get about a 2" drop w/the semi-coilovers. Plus you can adjust the ride by simply turning a knob of the shock body. It has 12 points of adjust ment so you can stiffen the spring or soften the spring. You want to hit the track, reach under the car and turn the knob and when you go back to the street turn the knob back and it will soften up the shocks.

I have spoken with quite a few guys that restore C3s for a living.

They all say that if you completely rebuild the entire front and rear suspension to the way it came from the factory that you will be amazed at how well the car handles and rides.

The car will always ride pretty hard unless you go through the trouble of changing the solid body mounts to rubber like the 73 and up cars. This is not a straight change out however and will effect the ride height.

If you are looking for peformance depends on what you want to spend. You are talking to the right people at VBP and VanSteel.

Off set trailing Arms will allow bigger and wider tires and that alone will be a huge inprovement just by getting more rubber on the road. Look at how wide the tires are on  the new c6s and how low a profile they are too. To eliminate body roll replace all rubber bushings with poly. The ride will be harsh.

To improve steering change over to steeroids or for the ultimate you can have a c ustom built C5 chassis and suspension built so you can drop the C3 body right on and handle like a new vette with the beauty of our bumper cars.

Have fun when you return.

God Bless you and thank you for your service!

Bill

Answer to how far did my front end drop?  Mine actually dropped 1&1/2 Inches from my stock springs but my front end set up fairly high to start with.  The 17" wheels and tires fill the wheel well just right with no rubbing.  Hope this helps.

[/QUOTE]

Those 17" wheels look great! Very tempting.

Bill

IYesterday i received my new composite leaf spring from Van Steel (I`m lucky enough to have these guys in my back yard) New Koni`s from Ecklers arrived this morning.I`m going to tackle this job tommorrow.Haven`t turn a wrench in a long time though.But , with the price of labor these days i figured i better dust off the tool box, is`nt that one of the reasons we own these cars anyway?

 As soon as I can figure it out I`ll post a pic .

Just one correction. 

Installing the rubber body mounts instead of the solid mounts will NOT raise the ride height.  It WILL raise the body height.  There is a difference.

Raising the body will allow more clearance between the tires and the body. It does not affect the suspension. It only affects the center of gravity slightly. The vehicle frame is the same height from the ground.

Raising the ride height will change the suspension geometry, and thus change the handling and alignment postitions.  It requires a realignment.  It has a greater effect on the center of gravity.  There is a difference in frame to ground measurement.

Just had to be accurate.  It can make a difference in what you are doing.

Mike

My old Stingray...sure do miss it:


(click image to see a bigger version)

Swallace, love to see you in KY.  I can't hardly wait to get home and start working on my car.  I have wanted one since I was a teenager, I have a lot of dreams to fulfill with that car.  Glad to hear you served, I was in 5th during the mid 90's, 7th during Just Cause, back over here with 7th again.  "De Oppresso Liber"

Hoover, can't wait to hear how your ride comes out.  Several members have purchased the steeroids option recently, only a few seem to have the monospring, really looking forward to the results.

That is awesome!  New car ride and handling, classic shark stylin'.  I am going to go all out on this with the full kit!  After I get the suspension in place, I will go after the steeroids advantage, mine has manuel steering and I have to get everything for the power steering in adition to the rack and pinion kit, so that will come after.  First thing I have to do is a complete interior.  Mine is completely trashed.  By Fall I should be all set.  If my wife gives me enough time to work on the beast.  After being gone this long the honey do list must be huge.

the super performance plus kit from VBP, does that eliminate our nasty IRS setup and switch over to a 4-link?  I'm looking for a way to get more of my power/torque from the flywheel down to the ground, as well as improving the ride and handling.

Also, right not, getting up to about 95 and over on the highway, she feels like she starts to sway a little bit and I have to fight the steering wheel to keep her under control.  Would you say this is due to the suspension only, or could I fix it by tightening up the steering?

Mike

My old Stingray...sure do miss it:


(click image to see a bigger version)

Mike

My old Stingray...sure do miss it:


(click image to see a bigger version)

Stage One of my suspension project is about to begin...

1. I just recieved the Steeroids Rack conversion (but will put that on second)

2. Expect new offset Trailing arms from VanSteel in a couple of weeks.

As soon as the T-Arms are done, the R&P will be going in. I also plan to do the front transverse monospring, but that will be waiting till I save up some more cash

I will be taking pics for all of you to look at too.

Once you put your TA in you may as well get the RP installed this will save you a buck or two in wheel allinements. That way they can do your front and rear at the same time

Yep, I was thinking the same thing!

Hey Swallace, we are still kicking butt, sent you a PM.

Hoover, your results sound great, I am starting to dream about disassembly of a Corvette front end.  I rebuilt my pickup with Eibach racing springs and Nitro shocks, that was pretty hard work, for my torch that is.  Anyway, did you have anytrouble with frozen bolts, I do not want to catch my car on fire.  Anyway, sounds like you have had a lot of fun working on and driving the vette.  Do you notice any bounce with the mono spring up front?  Someone said that it made the front end bounce around like a basketball. 

Youall take care now,

Jon,-Majestic Glass Corvette Club-....Red #72,blk.interior,1979 C3 Corvette-TH350,Weiand,Holley,glass tops,Pioneer,3.55's,K&N,Dynomax,Flowmaster 40's,Energy Suspension,Spicer,VB&P(pics soon); 1978 Olds Cutlass Supreme 350/350,Dk. Blue 2-door Coupe-Hotchkis,PST,K&N,XM...'99 Mitsubishi Galant GTZ V6,black/grey leather,intake,strut bars,tint... |IMG|http://www.msnusers.com/cutlasscorvetteworkinprogress/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=63|/IMG|

Hey Hoover thanks, again I can't wait to get home.  I guess no matter how hard it is, it is an experience that I will enjoy, better than eating dust from a sand storm, I guarantee.

Hey C3RVETTE, how about some pics, I would like to see how your ride looks with the lowered suspension and 17in wheels.