Which front springs and shocks

[Chevyman540]

I'm looking to change out the springs and shocks in the front and put in a coilover setup. As it sits its almost on the bump stops. Front of car weights in at 2121#. Mostly cruising and 2 or 3 time to the drag strip a year.
QA1's or Viking's ???? What is everyone else using? Any recommendations?

 

[Chevyman540]

Nobody runs coilovers on the front ????

 

[UNGN]

What are you trying to achieve with coilovers? Height adjustability? Preloading?

Issues with coil overs are you need new, stronger lower control arms and with a lowered car with a heavy nose like yours, the spring has to have a pretty high rate, since it will be pretty short without drop Lower control arms and/or drop spindles.

The proper way to put coilovers in front is to completely redo nearly everything, including raising the upper shock mount.

If you never drive it, just bolting in some of the shelf coil overs may be fine, but to be functional, you end up doing a lot of extra stuff.

 

[Chevyman540]

What are you trying to achieve with coilovers? Height adjustability? Preloading?

Issues with coil overs are you need new, stronger lower control arms and with a lowered car with a heavy nose like yours, the spring has to have a pretty high rate, since it will be pretty short without drop Lower control arms and/or drop spindles.

The proper way to put coilovers in front is to completely redo nearly everything, including raising the upper shock mount.

If you never drive it, just bolting in some of the shelf coil overs may be fine, but to be functional, you end up doing a lot of extra stuff.

I'm looking for the adjustability for ride height and shock adjustment to go from cruise to drag strip. The lower control arms I was going to reinforce at the shock mount for now. As the car sits it measures 25.5" to the top of the wheel opening, so it can go up a little. It also has b-body spindles on it.

 

[1KWIKSIX]

I've got QA1 coil overs front & rear on my GBody with a V6 under the hood.
UMI lower tubular control arms (Delrin Bushings) and GBodyParts upper tubular control arm with spherical metal bushings.
I'm running 550lb Viking Springs in the front (supposedly less sag vs QA1 springs).
The car is street driven and is comfortable. Sits 26.75" from ground to wheel well with lots more adjustment room +/-.

 

[Chevyman540]

What type of difference is there between the QA1 and Viking shocks? I'm looking at the double adjustable. Being 2121 pounds up front with a bbc in there, I would be looking at the 550# springs.

 

[1KWIKSIX]

What type of difference is there between the QA1 and Viking shocks? I'm looking at the double adjustable. Being 2121 pounds up front with a bbc in there, I would be looking at the 550# springs.

QA1 & Viking are similar. Viking are patterned after the QA1's and I understand that the company is staffed by a bunch of people who left QA1.
My ride isn't too harsh and springs aren't compressed too much so lots of adjustability increasing or decreasing ride height, but I have only 3/4 of the motor weight you do with my V6. You may wish to look at a higher spring rate for your V8?
Maybe 600 or 650 lb springs? I'd give Viking or QA1 Tech a call for their recommendations. I've found UMI Tech very helpful as well.

 

[Chevyman540]

Well my plan was to talk to a few vendors at PRI this week, there is nothing like talking directly to someone about their products.

 

[Slowpoke]

Vikings all the way... Vikings are also made in the US and don’t use any plastic pieces internally. The QA1’s have some plastic internals after time some guys have issues with them leaking.