RE: Lowering a Vette?

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RE: Lowering a Vette?

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Corvette Forum >> Corvette Models >> Corvette C3 Forum >> RE: Lowering a Vette?

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RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/5/2007 11:54:42 AM

allill

Posts: 40
Joined: 4/6/2007
Status: offline

I do have some springs from other cars in my garage, I'll check to see the diameters and lengths, if they're the same, I will go and cut those.

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-jeff

1975 Corvette with 44k original

(in reply to C3 Starship)

Post #: 51

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/5/2007 4:56:47 PM

C3 Starship

Posts: 4696
Joined: 7/25/2006
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Ya might check not only the diameter and length, check the diameter of the coils themselves and the length. Ya might get lucky and find you won't have to do any cutting if the coil diameters are the same, but a little shorter.
Good luck on your venture.

Originally, I wasn't going to bring up the heating or cutting, but as things progressed, I saw those as your only options, other than replacing the entire sysem.

_____________________________

1980 L-82 Fastback (forward too)
Mono composite front and rear.
Full adjust ride height and
response.
400+ hp, 454, M-22, 3.07

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o225/C3Starship/Patch.jpg

2007 H. D. Sportster, XL 883 EFI

(in reply to allill)

Post #: 52

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/5/2007 7:43:53 PM

73shark

Posts: 1057
Joined: 4/18/2006
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Whether you go with cutting or heating, you will get a much stiffer ride. You'll also need to trim your bump stops or you'll be bottoming out a lot.

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So many toys, so little time

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Post #: 53

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/6/2007 11:11:33 AM

C3 Starship

Posts: 4696
Joined: 7/25/2006
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Actually 73shark, the cutting takes away from the spring responce (less coil, so less resistance) and the heating loses some of the temper. When using either of these techniques, I put in stiffer shocks to regain some of the stiffness. Personal experience, don't cha know.

_____________________________

1980 L-82 Fastback (forward too)
Mono composite front and rear.
Full adjust ride height and
response.
400+ hp, 454, M-22, 3.07

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o225/C3Starship/Patch.jpg

2007 H. D. Sportster, XL 883 EFI

(in reply to 73shark)

Post #: 54

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/6/2007 11:18:37 AM

C3 Starship

Posts: 4696
Joined: 7/25/2006
Status: offline

True, if ya cut or heat too much, you will bottom out. You are sitting lower, but less resistance too.

Tried and true methods I used on the roundy-round track.

(in reply to C3 Starship)

Post #: 55

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/6/2007 1:47:49 PM

73shark

Posts: 1057
Joined: 4/18/2006
Status: offline

I'll defer to your experience. My only experience was way back in high school when a friend cut the front coils on his 49 Ford for that raked look. Really in back then.

Anyway it rode like a gravel truck after that and bottomed out on expansion strips in the road.

_____________________________

So many toys, so little time

(in reply to C3 Starship)

Post #: 56

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/6/2007 3:34:03 PM

C3 Starship

Posts: 4696
Joined: 7/25/2006
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My thought, is that it was bottoming out due to the shorter travel and reduced properties of the coils.
Don't get me wrong, I don't claim to be an expert at all.

I would really like to know the "actual" effects. The toe in, caster, and camber can have an effect by "raking" a car. (angle of atack if ya will ) Maybe this is what caused the "gravel truck" ride. Hmmmmm......

interesting topic for research, eh? Got me real curious on this one.

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Post #: 57

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/6/2007 3:57:06 PM

C3 Starship

Posts: 4696
Joined: 7/25/2006
Status: offline

Another point that was just pointed out to me. If ya cut the coils, you no longer have a complete circle of coil at the end. this could possibly cause the coild to "pop" out of it's seat.

_____________________________

1980 L-82 Fastback (forward too)
Mono composite front and rear.
Full adjust ride height and
response.
400+ hp, 454, M-22, 3.07

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o225/C3Starship/Patch.jpg

2007 H. D. Sportster, XL 883 EFI

(in reply to C3 Starship)

Post #: 58

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/6/2007 6:54:22 PM

Texas Jim

Posts: 422
Joined: 12/15/2005
Status: offline

In "custom rodder" magazine there's a place that makes coil springs (some kind of a computer system) for ie; a 2" drop. I called there about springs for my Caddy. I'll check my magazines and find it, if someone doesn't beat me to it.

(in reply to C3 Starship)

Post #: 59

RE: Lowering a Vette? - 10/7/2007 5:04:38 AM

Texas Jim

Posts: 422
Joined: 12/15/2005
Status: offline

Looked at my old magazines just after posting last night and the company's name is "Jamco Products." They actually make coils for older american cars, but I'm sure that the spring diameter can be matched since the front end on the older 'Vettes is a simple passenger car set up.
*Isn't there an after-market company that has coils specifically to modify the older 'Vettes? And does lowering the 'Vette screw up the steering geometry? I do know that alignments become a problem when the car is very low. Two companies that I know of sell tools for alignments that can be taken care of very easily at home. Also, w/ my '81 'Vette, I catch heck with the rubber piece in the front when it comes to keeping it from catching the ground. I couldn't imagine the front of it being lower. That's not to say that I'm "down" on lowering the 'Vette. I love lower rides. I installed "Pro-Hoppers hydraulics in my Caddy. I'd never have done it prior to the "accumulator" being introduced, as with it, the car rides even better than stock, which means one heck of a super smooth ride and I can adjust the ride height according to the road conditions. However, I keep the car as low as I can most of the time as I love the low look of most any ride. One thing that concerns me about cutting or heating coil springs to drop your car is that there's less travel of the suspension and depending on how much of a drop you put on it, the springs/shocks bottom-out easily which makes for that "slam"that jolts the heck out of the car. I've lowered afew rides in my life and prefer making a mod that keeps the suspension's full travel. ( I went through this with my '62 p/u and had reversed eye main leafs made among other mods and kept all the travel of the original suspension.) I ofcourse hope for the best with your lowering of your 'Vette and will watch for the out-come of the modification. Much luck to you.
By the way, my move was uneventful and all went well. Just still getting things unpacked and situated. I trailered my 'Vette for the move and I'm rubbing a coat of wax on it this morning. It's good to be back here in Texas. Even the cat purrs louder. LOL.

(in reply to Texas Jim)

Post #: 60