spring it back

[mebe007]

ok guys so the rear of my 80 regal has sagged down, time to replace the springs, the car is going to be a weekend cruiser with occasional track time. my question is what springs should i use to replace the rears and maybe the fronts also. the car has a sbc with th350.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, it all depends on if you plan to improve the handling, or are just interested in dragstrip performance. I have the Eibach springs in mine, but they have a few drawbacks too. They take away much of the caster in the front alignment and you need to compensate for this if you use them. This is done with offset cross shafts in the upper control arms. I am doing the Global West tall spindle conversion with mine and ordered my arms with the offset shafts as part of the package. As for a street/strip car, you could probably just order a set of factory replacement springs from either Moog or TRW if the car is mild enough (12's or slower), or see if anyone offers a drag type spring set if the car is a bit faster.

 

[mebe007]

well i dont know how fast she will ruin with the new setup, yet to have it all back in the car and done. she will most likely be a street strip car, like a weekend cruiser.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Looking at your sig, if that is what you plan to run, go with stock. (PS.... Correct your spelling and capitalization errors in your sig!)

 

[mebe007]

ive got another project after this a 1973 pontiac ventura custom w/455 and m21 close ratio. so i plan on finishing this build and move on, get her on the street and have something to have fun in while i work on the other one. so this car is simply an entire fresh rebuild. anyone have the moog replacement numbers for it with the v8. i want the best stock ones available like the ss springs or whatever they were

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, you want the ones for a car with the F-41 suspension or FE-2 suspension then. These cars have the larger front and rear swaybars and the fast-ratio steering box as well as better springs. I personally think they sit too high for my taste stock, so that's why I have the Eibachs on my car-plus I like to burn corners more than burn the quarter mile. Here is what mine looks like with those springs. It sits higher than it would because it is completely gutted right now as I finish some body work and rust repairs to the floor and roof. Not the best pic, but the car is not really driveable as of right now

 

[mebe007]

i would be really worried about header collectors dragging if i lowered it. with my old hookers they would rub with stock springs, could this be because they are worn too badly? or is it maybe spring rate for a v6 car, i just dont want my headers to drag by chance. i believe i have 225/65/r15's all the way around might i need to change this, i want wider ones in the back already so it'll hook up better. also my tires wold rub in the front badly on the inner fenders as they used to not(have run the same size tire for years). also what would be some good tire sizes both front and rear.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

The V6 springs will do that. They may help at the drag strip with weight transfer, but on the street it's not a good idea. I do hit occasionally when going too fast, but it is relatively rare when driving on average streets. I also have shorties and not long tubes, plus my exhaust is tucked under the car in the stock location. I can't say how stock V8 springs are either. I swapped the Eibachs in at the same time I did the engine swap to give me stiffer springs and compensate for the added weight.

 

[mebe007]

is it worth lowering it, i really don't know. i want it to look and perform. its hard to tell the look though as i don't the condition of my cars springs., i like the stance now but id have to figure out if my tires would fit with a lowered spring setup. this is all so confusing, i want to get the front figured out before i put the clip back on, also is an alignment needed after changing the springs?

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

It's a safe bet to do another alignment after replacing significant suspension parts. The springs will alter where in the camber curve the car sits at rest if they lift it up or drop it, so it is important to have it done. If you are going to have it this far apart, I would also consider rebuilding the suspension if you have not doen so already. The bushings, ball joints and tie rod ends are likely either shot or on their way out. I would also consider a new steering coupler ( rag joint), and adjusting the steering box while you are in there as these things get sloppy with time as well.