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Topic: new fiberglass spring

in Forum: C3 Handling Components


new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/6/08 9:06am Message 1 of 12
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Suffern, NY - USA
Joined: 3/16/2005
Posts: 227
Vette(s): 1976 restored,new interior,custom paint(purple),body kit,rebuilt engine,trans,upgraded sound system

I would like to change out my rear steal leaf spring for a new mono spring with gas shocks. Almost every corvette catalog I have sells them plus I saw adds in corvette fever from muskegon brake and vbp. Any suggestions, are they all the same quality or are some better than others. Also some one  once told me if you have headers the high heat temperatures could damage the fiberglass spring, is there any truth to that. Thanks for any help




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new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/6/08 6:28pm Message 2 of 12
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CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH - USA
Joined: 12/2/2003
Posts: 6424
Vette(s): 1975 C3 Red, T-Tops, Black Interior. All I need is time and money! Getting there!
The headers are in front, and the exhaust cools as it moves back.   I cannot see any way the headers could transfer enough heat to damage the spring.
 
Other than that, I'm weird.  The glass spring is better in everyway, but I prefer to keep my old steel.  I like the feel.



new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/6/08 7:51pm Message 3 of 12
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Holland Patent, NY - USA
Joined: 6/3/2008
Posts: 4422
Vette(s): #1 *1980 White, Red interior 14,000 mile #2 *1980 Red, Oyster interior 93,000 miles Resto project car, rebuilt to 383 stroker
Ken u have to do better than that. I was looking at that whole fiberglass handling kit front and rear for my resto. "Like the feel of the steel" cause?



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LIFETIME MEMBER 151
Evil Smileebo

new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/6/08 8:39pm Message 4 of 12
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Moses Lake, WA - USA
Joined: 4/16/2005
Posts: 2134
Vette(s): 1976 L48 4-spd, Mahogany Metalic exterior, Buckskin interior 350ci/350hp, 3rd owner, fiberglass spring, 255/50-16's Torq-Thrust II
I have been running the TRW fiberglass for several years now. Its great. The only area you need to watch out for heat is where the spring mounts to the diff housing. They should include a heat shield that is part of the spring mounting. Mine did anyway.


new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/7/08 6:40am Message 5 of 12
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Suffern, NY - USA
Joined: 3/16/2005
Posts: 227
Vette(s): 1976 restored,new interior,custom paint(purple),body kit,rebuilt engine,trans,upgraded sound system

Where did you purchase the trw spring from, or do all the vendors carry the same one




new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/7/08 9:25am Message 6 of 12
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Flanders, NJ - USA
Joined: 1/27/2004
Posts: 2556
Vette(s): 1982 Black, ZZ4, Hooker Side Pipes, 3.55 Rear, Rebuilt & upgraded 700R4, All new suspension, brakes, & new Charcoal interior.
Tony, I replaced my stock fiberglass spring with the 330# one from VBP, works great, but the 300# one whould have worked fine and I would not have had to put longer bolts on to get the rear down where it should be. I don't think you would need any more than the 300# one.
Good luck,
Dave



 

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new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/7/08 8:16pm Message 7 of 12
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Moses Lake, WA - USA
Joined: 4/16/2005
Posts: 2134
Vette(s): 1976 L48 4-spd, Mahogany Metalic exterior, Buckskin interior 350ci/350hp, 3rd owner, fiberglass spring, 255/50-16's Torq-Thrust II
My spring is rated at 315 lbs and have been very happy with its ride. I can't recommend the supplier I bought it from, their performance was sub-par. It's not a supplier on this site so give one of them a try. I have bought something at one time or another from most of the suppliers here and have been very pleased with the service.


new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/8/08 6:42pm Message 8 of 12
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CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH - USA
Joined: 12/2/2003
Posts: 6424
Vette(s): 1975 C3 Red, T-Tops, Black Interior. All I need is time and money! Getting there!
Yes, I like the feel.  
 
The fiberglass does ride better, and in some cases handles better due to quick response of the suspension.
 
Now here is where I get strange.   I have always liked the ride and handling feel of the original spring.  Yes it is harsher.  Yes it does handle differently.  But I worked on our cars in a dealer ship when may were new.  Okay that started in 77.  But I loved the way the car felt and drove, and handled.  
 
Perhaps it's old fashioned and backwards, and I know you don't expect that from me, but I just like the way it behaves.
 
I guess it's kind of like driving a 57 Chevy.  Compared to newer steel, it actually drove and handled like a pig.  It was great at the time, but compared to new, a pig.   Very few folks who love those cars would object to driving one when getting out of their 2004 anything.
 
Okay call me weird.  I just like them the way they were.  Even if it is not as good as the upgrade.  It is how it was done, and I like it.
 
 
Go ahead, let me have it.  I can take it.  I will be strong.



new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/8/08 6:52pm Message 9 of 12
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Holland Patent, NY - USA
Joined: 6/3/2008
Posts: 4422
Vette(s): #1 *1980 White, Red interior 14,000 mile #2 *1980 Red, Oyster interior 93,000 miles Resto project car, rebuilt to 383 stroker
The good old day's it bringing it back for you...that's not wierd it's cool. We all have a comfort zone.
 
Yeah that's "how you roll" yeah that's it   just tell em "it's me that's how I roll, that' my motto"
 
Speaking of which Summer Nationals in Syracuse in a few weeks and "The Fonz" will be there.Big%20smileBig%20smileWink




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LIFETIME MEMBER 151
Evil Smileebo

new fiberglass spring

Posted: 7/8/08 7:51pm Message 10 of 12
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Pennsville, NJ - USA
Joined: 3/13/2002
Posts: 532
Vette(s): 1977 EX-L48
I swapped out my steel spring for a 360# mono from VBP.  Installation was simple and the fit was great.  My ride improved, but I also changed out everything at that time (shocks, bushings). 


1977 Corvette EX-L48
383 Stroker, Holley MPFI, MSD Ignition, BTO 700R4, VBP Street/Slalom, Hooker Sidepipes with JCL Spiral Baffles, Corbeau A4s w/ Shark Bar and Simpson 5-Points, 17" AR TTII's, Kumho MX's

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in Forum: C3 Handling Components


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