New to the Gbody world and Need Advice on Suspension

[78CutlassPhil]

Hey! How's everyone doing? So, I recently just purchased a 78 Cutlass S T-Top to restore. Although I want to start from the bottom up to get things going, I won't be doing a complete frame off resto. I would like to change out the suspension but have no clue on were to start. Any advice would help. This will be more of a cruiser and later on down the line I may do a LS swap. If I can avoid doing a complete suspension upgrade and just change out the basics that would be great. I do know that I want to do coilovers all the way around but not sure on anything else. I was looking at the UMI G-Body 2.5 kit (pic below) but don't want to start off dumping $3600 from the jump.


Also here's a pic of my car

 

[fleming442]

I may do a LS swap.

Sorry to hear that

If I can avoid doing a complete suspension upgrade and just change out the basics that would be great. I do know that I want to do coilovers all the way around but not sure on anything else. I was looking at the UMI G-Body 2.5 kit (pic below) but don't want to start off dumping $3600 from the jump.

I don't know of any cheap ways to do coil overs OR air ride. New to the hobby?

 

[lilbowtie]

Since it's just a cruiser why would you spend that kind of money instead of just upgrading the stock suspension?

 

[Doug Chahoy]

For just a cruiser thats overkill. Replace all of your bushings, springs, and shocks. Then if you want something better, replace control arms. UMI has ones that can later have coilovers added. Then do the rear. If you keep the car you’ll probably want to keep improving it. You can do it in stages. So your not dumping a ton of $$$$ all at one time. Steering improvements are a good place to start. Jeep/Astro steering shaft Grand National steering box. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too big a project at one time. BTW WELCOME TO THE FORUM

 

[oldsofb]

If you want to stick with UMI, here's a more budget friendly option.
https://www.umiperformance.com/home/product/1978-1988-gm-g-body-umi-shock-and-spring-kit/

Then you could upgrade the sway bars, and get better front brakes and be done. There's a few options for replacing the front (too small) rotors on here. Plenty of real world info from guys that have done it. I think there are some upgrades for the rear wheel cylinders that guy do instead of converting to rear discs.

That would get you stopping and turning better than that car ever has and not crack the piggy bank in half.

Hutch

 

[Mac442]

For just a cruiser thats overkill. Replace all of your bushings, springs, and shocks. Then if you want something better, replace control arms. UMI has ones that can later have coilovers added. Then do the rear. If you keep the car you’ll probably want to keep improving it. You can do it in stages. So your not dumping a ton of $$$$ all at one time. Steering improvements are a good place to start. Jeep/Astro steering shaft Grand National steering box. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too big a project at one time. BTW WELCOME TO THE FORUM

THIS! For my cruiser I just rebuilt the stock suspension with new Poly Bushings, new Body Bushings, 2" lowering springs, ball joints, new tie rods, Jeep Steering shaft to lose the rag joint, and new shocks. Rides better than new. I may do a new steering box and be good to go! Spent way less than any of the kits cost, and I'm very happy with the ride.

 

[88AZSS]

Welcome to the forum!

I found this post when I first got my Monte and have loosely been following it in terms of suspension upgrades. Post #2 has a pretty good breakdown.

Front suspension & Steering (Parts List)

Hi. I need some help with finding all the rubber parts from the front suspension and the ends from the steering. Could anyone check summitracing for a whole set? I dont really know how to find them cause my bad english :( its for a 78 malibu but I think that there has nothing change thru years

gbodyforum.com

I got the Blazer brake upgrade from Jamcar223 and have added almost all stock braces and have noticed a night and day difference. Good luck and keep us updated with what you decide. Photos are always welcome and appreciated.

 

[carnutjw]

Welcome to the forum from another square Cutlass owner. The guys on here love pictures if you have more. I have to agree that coilovers are overkill for our cars. Significant upgrades in ride quality, stance, braking, and handling can be done with stock style suspension. The search bar on upper right side is your friend. The post from 88AZSS is a good place to start. Where do you call home?

 

[melloelky]

welcome to the forum,these guys are rite if the cars just a cruiser you don't have to spend a lot.just freshen up the basics(springs,shocks) and see what NEEDS to be replaced and go from there.

 

[MrSony]

Little tardy to the party, but on my car, changing out the stock v6 shocks and springs with GN spec moog stuff, and even just cheap shocks, as well as adding all the front factory bracing made a world of difference. Car defintately handles better, turns flatter, etc. And this is even with stock bushings and balljoints/steering components. These cars didn't handle that bad at all for what they were when new. It was the tall skinny tires, soft springs and shocks, and lack of bracing that gave them that floaty boaty feeling. UMI sells a 1 piece front brace as well as a rear shock tower brace. Just go that, stock replacement V8 g body springs (maybe wagon springs for the rear), and new bushings and balljoints and it will handle very well.

Somewhere UNGN had a writeup of adding some caster/camber to the stock setup that makes these cars handle a lot better as well.