What is the "stiffest", less traveling spring that will still give my mav. the nice lowered looked in the front? I have excessive suspension travel(over 9 inches) and I want to get that travel down to about 4-5 inches and still keep the front tires in/under the fender well. Thanks.
Just cut 1.5 coils off your existing springs with a sawz-all or die grinder (use eye protection) and get a front-end alignment...
Definately use 302 springs . I suppose if you were feeling experimental you could cut a two coils off and make shims to bring the car back up to the desired ride height . You could also contact one of those outfits that make springs and get custom . I would think this would be the best way to go . Why are trying to reduce spring travel anyway ? Is this for improved handling or the stance of the car , racing ?
What are you wanting to do John?? Make it transfer weight better?? Or just keep the front tires from travelling so much?? For best weight transfer and wheelie action the front springs need to be as "loose" as possible!! If you put a stiffer spring in it will reduce weight transfer and probably hurt your sixty foot times.....If you just want to keep it from pulling the front tires up so much you could get one of those suspension travel limiters. You can adjust them so you can get just the right amount of weight transfer and not do big wheelies!!
I cut 1 coil off my spring and bought a good quality shock. My initial goal was to lower the front end of my car cause of the increased ride height after the bumper conversion. However one of the first things I noticed when we were at Muncie was how the car launched. It used to carry the front end very high all the way down the track, and raise very high off the line. Now when I get the Cal-tracs installed I wonder if it will revert back to carrying it high again under hard acceleration as when doing a pass. Dan
Probably not Dan, the cal tracs will help with launch but when you cut a spring you kill it as far as it's weight transfer capabilities. What i've been told by some of the NHRA and IHRA guys is that you want a real "loose" spring for drag applications. You want the tallest spring that has the narrowest coils and still sit where you want it to sit. I like em low!! The easiest way is to order a set of Moroso drag springs but there is a disclaimer that says you may need to cut the springs to get the desired ride height. Of course everything is usually a compromise, but I feel that if you have to cut the spring to get it where you want it you probably have the wrong spring!! I was told to take a set of 6-cylinder maverick springs and have them compressed to coil bind and then leave them that way for some time. I went ahead and got a set from NAPA and made a set of spring compressors from 1" threaded rod and some 1/4" sheet steel. I first installed the springs before I compressed them. The car was sitting extremely high in the front so I decided to compress them and see if it would in the end lower the car. About 4 months later I pulled the springs out of the compressors and installed them. I bet you it took 1.5-2" out of the ride height, and the springs feel extremely "bouncy".......needless to say, I'm a believer!!
Thanks guys! I wa not aware that the stiffer springs would hurt my 60 ft. I guess you learn something everyday! Thats why I luv this board.
Cometgt1974, if you still drove your car on the street ,do you think it would be too "bouncy" to be safe ? Or do you think it might get on your nerves driving it around like that? My `72 has the factory V-8 A/C springs which I cut one full coil out of ...then after the car was together again I clamped them too! I like the way it sits now but it does`nt transfer weight very well (duh) even with the 90/10 shocks on it. I have a 1969 1/2 6 cyl Mav future project car and I was thinking about using the now 33 year old springs off of it hoping maybe my car will still sit right and would transfer weight too. I want it to launch good , but I WILL NOT drive it around with BAD STANCE !
I had to take out the 6 cyl springs they were too low and had clearance problems. The springs for a 250 engine worked excellant and transfer really nice . Check out Luskvilledragway.com drivers area for a nice shot of air!
I've actually drove the car up and down the road several times with the new springs/shocks and it seems to do fine.....it is a little more "bouncy", but since I put in the QA-1 shocks I can just tighten them up and it will get rid of the bounce. With these shocks you can completely control what the spring does!! If you decide to go with a set of 6-cylinder springs have them bound up, you won't regret it!!
The big heavy iron has been removed and the bumper mounted for looks only! (would love to put early style bumpers)
