hi guys, I have a 81 cutlass supreme. It has a ls1/4l80e with 3.73 posi in the rear. Car is real fun and took me a year to build. Now it's time for suspension. I already have in mind what I want to do, but I want to ask what is best thing to upgrade first. Car has the floaty all over the place filling. I want to tighten things up. I have a 500 budget right now but I will be buying more things as I go. I just would like to know what would be the first upgrade to do to get noticeable improvement. I was thinking maybe sway bars?
1981 cutlass suspension
- Thread starter rayfrausto
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Shocks and springs. Then sway bars, assuming the bushings/balljoints/etc. are in good shape.
Cheapest place to start is as follows, with some back story...
Google what is called the GnX missing body bushing. Adding this frame to body bushing helps a little.
Next, different gbody cars had different frame to body braces - cutlass had crossmember to frame horn and fender to core support that other cars didnt, and you should have those. But, other cars had unique braces of their own, notably early Monte Carlos had firewall to fender for example. Add the braces from the other cars you yours, cheap to buy of grab from the pull a part, or even make from tube stock.
Speaking of which, you can make the "back seat braces" which are essentially 2 Xs made of tube stock crimped on the ends and where the pipes cross, then screwed from the edges to the vertical center strip of metal behind the upper seat back.
Front sway bar, something larger, maybe off a f-body 3rd Gen is the order of the day with new end links/bushings, and get something matched to the rear if you don't already have one.
Your next cost efficient dollars would be replacing worn bushings and new stiffer shocks, for the most part these cars were more about luxury ride than sport handling.
Depending how much, if anything, you had to replace for bushings you may be able to find a set of springs as well, and all of this will be under your $500 budget.
I'm sure all my rubber needs to be replaced. So with this 500 I have available. Would it be best to rebuild front with moog parts or add springs and shocks? What would be best?
If it were my car I would rebuild the front end (bushings/balljoints, etc.) and replace the shocks and springs while at it. In fact, it is what I did on my car.
https://gbodyforum.com/threads/space-city-1982-gp-build.55501/page-5
I priced out all moog parts for front end on summit. Can get for about $330. Then I would order some spc springs from sc&c. Would that be a good start?
You won't regret overhauling the front end with Moog parts. I'm not familiar with those springs.
I have read into that. Do body bushing make a big difference? I'm thinking maybe I should do front end rebuild with moog, and body bushing. Then save up for lower springs and good shocks next. I just hoping this 500 I have now can help cure some of the softness/slopeness
they do make a big difference and it will give you the change to see what condition the frame and body mounts are in. The car is around 3 decades old so I would replace all the brake and fuel lines along with all the rubber that has long passed it's expected life.
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