i would rather take the chance in cutting the factory spring set,which i have for many years,then to spend money on sportlines just to find out the car sits waaaay too low.
i cut 1 coil off the rear,was not enough so i gave the springs to a friend. got another set and heated them to my desired ride height and i also have the isolators removed from the top and have 5/8 hi mile heater hose on the first ring.
do yourself a favor and get an adj.panhard bar!!!!!!

 

Heh, I rather buy springs made ground up for handling, knowing that because of this they wont be too low(you need suspension travel), and will be able to control the car and give it good balance.

 

looks good

 

to the OP, the car looks great...just not my cup of tea.


and the decarbons really arent going to last much longer (not trying to argue with you, just stating whats true). the stock shocks can barely do what they are supposed to on stock springs (stock height, etc) before they blow, how are they going to last on springs (which you do not know the spring rates for now) that are lower then stock? sorry, but they dont have a lot of time left in em...


i find this amusing, i agree with everything you have said...and we have the same suspension setup (konis/strano springs/strano sways)

 

I love this thread.

 

This is a perfect example of the "more cash means more performance" philosophy that is prevalent in some niches of hotrodding.

Upon observation of the removed spring section spring rate can be calculated. Take a look at the section and estimate how much of it actually is under torsion during compression (do not include the flat seating portion). Use inverse rule (LESS sprung torsional length = MORE spring rate, it's a linear relationship) and calculate relative to initial rate. As long as the spring fits properly in the spring perch and bumpstop travel is enough, i don't see a problem.

Experience has shown shock failure when spring rate is upped. what we don't know is if this change in spring rate will do exactly that. Remember that lowering spring manufacturers undoubtedly up the spring rate for the reduced bumpstop travel but primarily for race handling feel and performance. No way is this "as cut" rate up to 500 lb/in, so for the first principle above there is still a question mark.

as for the leading statement, who will win the race time and again, the guy who shows up with:
-dockers, sweater shirt, and a list of modifications
or:
-grease in the cracks of hands and a cunning gleam in his eye

i'm with #2.

 

Ive been cutting springs for years, from 1/2 ton chevys to VW's and in fact still own a 69 chevy truck I cut in high school 10 years ago. same cut spring- same great stance.

 

Ok and? I have been jacking off for years. Does it mean its right? Help me out here!

 

HAhahaha^^^^^^ That,s f'n funny!!!!

 

i drove this car, rides fine. slow as **** though

 

Except when the tire diameter is not stock, that measurement doens't mean much in terms of drop. If you run a 1" taller tire, that height will increase by 1/2".

 

^^^^LOL!^^^^

Actually I have heard that they say it is "right" to jerk the ol' camshaft...it's considered a little odd to not.

Just what I have heard...

 

I love this post!! Like some people have said, you don't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a set up when you can do cheap or free things that will get you results you happy with. If he knows he's not racing and auto crossing why does he need to drop a grand or more? Free mods were the things that made hot rodding hot rodding. Hell once a month on Power Block one of the shows does a budget build and 75% of the things they do is stuff like this.
Like someone said earlier people jump on stuff like this because they saw some one else say it was a bad idea, but they have no real arguement why just that someone else said it. Just like people will always automatically say, "get Koni, Bilstiens, etc etc etc."

Car looks good, and cheap mod away!

 

 

In short, you cut the springs, the springrate goes up and the shocks wear out faster.

In my autox club, we got a wide variety of people winning and losing and most of it seems to be based upon experience rather than the clothes they wear

 

Ignorance is bliss. I'm not saying the chap posting is a moron, that's not what ignorance is. While he might have been in other car with springs, I'm curious about what dampers they were on. There is no quicker way to have a not-so-good riding car than lowering it on shocks that aren't able to deal with the very springs they should be damping.

We know there are all kinds of people in the world. Some love their Honda's and most of us don't care for econo-boxes all that much. But hey, it makes them happy. Maybe their Turbocharged Civic is the fastest thing they've ever been in and have no idea what a LS1 can do. Or, maybe they know what a stock one can do, but not what one that has a tune and the torque management turned off can do, let alone a build up one. This is no different.

It's great that he's happy, doesn't mean it's the right answer for all. That's a two way street, and given the amount of money most put into their cars, to skimp on such things is not wise. I wonder what a set of 19's and the tires to go on them costs? I'm sure it's not cheap, but hey.... it looks good.

 

The person that wins is the one who has the best setup car and can drive it the best. I might be fast enough to beat someone else with more mods, but I'm also faster in a car that's right than one that's not.

 

By far the best thing Ive read in this forum.

How do I respond to that................If you dont use it you loose it.

 

ive done the hose mod(removed rear spring insulators) on my car and have been looking for a cheap way to lower the front of my car about 3/4 in for a while. could i cut about 3/4 of a coil off to get this w/o any major problems?

 

Sam I'm not saying his answer is the right answer for everyone. It's the right answer for him though. All I'm saying is it's nice to see someone try something new and like it. Now he might not know what a car properly set up feels like to compare but what he did isn't a big enough change in the oppisite direction for him to worry or do anything about it. Now he just might be saying it was the best thing since sliced bread just because, I'll never know, but I give him credit for trying it and saying he did it.