Suggestion On Raising Ride Height

[Ribbedroof]

so would I be correct in saying that most pontiac springs/shocks will fit even from bigger body pontiacs like catalinas, parisians etc etc?

Those are B bodies. Different chassis. Parts might fit, but the correct parts are readily available pretty much everywhere.

 

[Ribbedroof]

the 16s were camaro rallies 16 and Isn't a camaro a Gbody or F?

See, the thing is, they have been cranking out Camaros for over 50 years, so there have been a lot of changes over the generations.

To me, these are Camaro rallies

Or these

But if you mean these, yeah, they're gonna rub

 

[pagrunt]

Camaro is an F body, one way to tell an F body driver has a mullet, a G body driver has no mullet

Back in the day T-top cars in Pittsburgh were loaded with mullets. Couldn't save them all from that fate.

 

[4dr_pontiac_lemans]

See, the thing is, they have been cranking out Camaros for over 50 years, so there have been a lot of changes over the generations.

To me, these are Camaro rallies

Or these

But if you mean these, yeah, they're gonna rub

I had these

 

[Ribbedroof]

IROCs....yeah, too much backspace on the rears

 

[4dr_pontiac_lemans]

IROCs....yeah, too much backspace on the rears

IROCs....yeah, too much backspace on the rears

Yea the issue of clearance with any rim i've mentioned is on rear front clear little scub on turns but i can fix that

 

[fleming442]

Get 2 more front rims- they're staggered front to rear.

 

[Gwarren79]

F-body wheels have way too much backspacing for G-bodies. Forget about offset, that's for newer cars and imports, backspacing is what's important for these old cars. 4.5" backspacing is about the max for a wheel to fit a G-body in the rear without touching the frame.
Dodge and Ford wheels have a different bolt pattern altogether and should be avoided.

F-body wheels can be used IF they are from 1982-1992, but for best fitment you need 4 FRONT wheels. The fronts have 4.75 backspacing where the rears have 5.25.
http://www.tacreationsusa.com/camaro_wheels.htm


The 1993-up won't fit without spacers.

 

[Bonnewagon]

This from a PM I sent the OP. Well, "fit" is a relative term. While springs may actually locate properly in the lower control arm and the upper spring pocket, the coil number and diameter may be totally incorrect for your car. So just because a "B" body spring "fits" it may be wildly over-sprung. That is where cutting the coils comes in. But cutting the coils shortens the overall length which stiffens the spring significantly. Too stiff and the suspension will not be compliant to the road surface. This is the spring I used in my Bonnewagon that I pirated from my old Formula. https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=200693&cc=1250446&jsn=404 This spring supported my 301 and lifted the front 2" just because of the installed height difference. This spring is what I salvaged from a '77 TA 400 that I used in my '81 Malibu wagon. https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=200825&cc=1250446&jsn=405 Notice the installed height, coil diameter, and rate difference as it lifted the front so high it caused the front wheels to cant inward. I cut 3/4 coils off to get it down to where I wanted it, about 4" above stock height. It supported a 400 engine and I fit big 225-75-15 tires with no rubbing. If I had to choose a spring and did not want to be cutting it, I think this one would support your engine and raise the front just enough. https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=200755&cc=1258398&jsn=469 It is heavy duty for a '79 LeMans with 350 V-8 and is even stronger than the AC equipped car springs. But without testing it is still a guess. It is not as severe as the 400 springs but if you were skillfull enough to cut them, and adjust the height to where it pleased you, I would use the 400 springs and cut them, but that is just me. I am going to cut and paste this to the topic so others can join in.

 

[Local Hero]

Mine came with Camaro wheels on it and they were all rears. P.O. had longer studs and a spacer on each corner. The rears cleared but the fronts wouldn't clear the tie rod ends and the clip on weights were grinding away on those.

I've since done away with ALL of that.