Lifting rear of 260Z for side pipe clearance

[Guest animated_life]

I just got my 260Z running yesterday and now it's time to move on to body, suspension and interior work. I installed a Chevy 350 in my Z with a set of Patriot 50" side pipes. The pipes look, and sound, great...but the rear of my Z seems to be a little lower than the front, which causes the tips of my pipes to scrape the ground if there are any bumps. So I want to raise up the rear of my 260Z (2" would be optimal). I have read in this forum about possibly fabricating some riser plates to mount between the top of the strut mount and the body. This is definitely a possibility, but that also makes it hard to get to the 3 bolts on the top of the strut mount. A friend told me about something he used to use about 20 years ago on his drag cars called Spring Blocks or Coil Blocks. He says they're basically just aluminum blocks with "cups" on the top and bottom that fit in between the coils of your springs and raise up the car. Anyone else know about these, or have any other methods to raise up the rear of my Z? Someone please lend me some of your experience and help me out with this.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Guest Magnum Rockwilder]

You can get spring clamp/spacer kits from auto parts stores for $7 each. I like the ones with studs, nuts, and clamps, because they are infinitely adjustable. The spacers are eitherall or nothing, not to mention I've heard of them falling out if you unload the suspension on a big dip or bump.

 

You could also fab spacers to fit on the strut under the spring.

[280Zone]

I just bought the adjustable ones, in hopes of keeping my new drag tires from rubbing. I have not installed them but am not sure they are going to fit. The fact that we have a strut inside the spring is going to make installation difficult and adjustability very difficult if possible at all.

[Guest animated_life]

Anyone have pictures of these clamp/spacer kits? I'd like to take a look at them before I make the trek down to the parts store. I searched for them on a few parts store websites, but didn't end up having any luck.

 

Has anyone actually used these? Any opinions, good/bad?

[280Zone]

pictures sent via email

[Guest animated_life]

Thanks again 280Zone! I will go buy a set of these today and hopefully will be able to try them out this weekend. Looking forward to it.

[rags]

If you car is an early 260, you can swap out the strut isolators for 280 ones. This will raise the rear about 2 inches.

 

Joe