jnewby Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Ok I have done the sbc swamp, I am sick and tired of having my car riding like crap. It seems like it bottoms out on the littlest bumps and it sits way to low I need to know what to buy, nothing to expensive and what spring rate is best for all around driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 To help you pick some good spring rates we'll need a little more information. You say you did a small block Chevy swap? What year and model car? Also what other modifications have been done that may effect the stock weight of the car? Is the suspension stock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 how much are you willing to spend on suspension? for about 800-900 you can do coilovers and illuminas so you can change ride height and stiffness really easily. Plus the 2.5 id springs are really cheap and readily available in almost any spring rate. I am using 10 in. long springs front and rear. 225lb/in on the front and 250lb/in on the rear and it rides really nice. the stiffness is just a little less than my dad's rock hard 944t. Mine is a lot more survivable than his crazy stiff rear bilsteins. I haven't done camber plates yet but I have done polyurethane bushings and they really help a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnewby Posted May 12, 2006 Author Share Posted May 12, 2006 I have a 1975 280z all of the supension is stock. I don't want to spend very much as the whole car to date has cost only a little under a thousand so it wouldn't make sence to spend 800 in coilovers. I m not afraid to cut and weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 OK... so... 75 280Z w/ all stock suspension. From what you said in your first post It seems like it bottoms out on the littlest bumps and it sits way to low and the fact that it is all stock suspension, I would have to guess the stock springs are sacked. If the small block Chevy you used has iron heads and manifolds you have probably added about 75 pounds to the nose of the car, making matters worse. If coil over kit is to expensive for you, maybe you could swap in some other springs from the junk yard. I think I've read about folks using Chevette springs or something. Do a search or maybe someone will post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 ok...well you can get some spring rubbers and put them in-between the coils to stiffen them up. don't get the lowering/lifting coil shackles...I did and they are low quality and the threads strip easily. You can get different spring rubbers from auto parts stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 yep...I think it was at classiczcars.com that the thread about chevette springs came up. They were basically the same size except stiffer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Don't do coil overs. You don't need them for your car. Get some stock replacement springs from MSA or Victoria British. I have springs very similar to these. They work great on a street ride. http://www.thezstore.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=PSDC01A Trouble is, if your springs are gone, then the struts and possibly bushings are not far behind. Best to do everything while the springs are out. Look over the MSA on line catalog and maybe Modern Motorsport page and rebuild your suspension right the first time. May seem like a lot of money up front, but usually the cheapest way to do things is to do them right the first time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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