I am converting the rear on my 68 to a F___9" and lowerd 2 inches. I am using Detriot Speed lower shock mounts. This may seem like a silly question but do I need to get new shocks now or can the same ones be compressed up and bolted on? if I need new ones can someone suggest a good shock that would fit. Thanks.
Josh

I don't think that using regular shocks will be a problem with a 2" drop. I put new bilsteins (ordinary size)on my 1.5" lowered rear and they fit/work just fine.

i dropped my rear w/ hotchkis + mono axle + multi shock plates. The shock that i used ( to keep from bottoming out is Monroe #32235. I beleive they are for a foreign light duty SUV.

camaro shocks would bottom out these won't
gl
joe c

i dropped my rear w/ hotchkis + mono axle + multi shock plates. The shock that i used ( to keep from bottoming out is Monroe #32235. I beleive they are for a foreign light duty SUV.

camaro shocks would bottom out these won't
gl
joe c

sorry for all the posts, the sysyem informed me of an error so i resent w. continous error.
finally confirmmed after third post.

I also lowered the rear 1.5" with the Hotchkis kit and haven't noticed any problems with the stock shocks. Seems like it would depend on how much travel your springs allow. Just to get a visual, unbolt the bottom of the shock and compress it all the way to see how far the rear would have to travel before the shock bottomed out.

If you use hotchkis springs with a mono spring axle perch and multi leaf shock plate, the standard camaro shock will bottom out! If they don't, they are very close to the end of travel.
its probably ok if you have a complete multi or complete mono set up with these springs.
good luck
joe c

Thanks for the info. I have a stock monoleaf with an extra leaf added. The perch is a mopar standard perch from Summit. The drop kit is 2" but with the Detriot speed shock plates, the resting shock length will be about 3.5 inches shorter than stock. Sounds like new shocks are needed.

check out the dimensions of the monroe 32235. they are the same upper and lower connections and aare considerably shoter in length and provide the travel you need. I have the battery in the trunk alsoand with a full tank of gas i've had no problems and a really good ride with out any wheel hop.
good luck
joe c

I double checked with Hotchkis and this is what they told me:

"We have always set those cars [Hotchkis 1.5" drop spring conversion on 1st Gen Camaro] up using the Bilstein shocks without any problems."..."As long as it isn't lower than 1.5" the Bilstein should be fine."

Looks like if you go any lower you might need shorter shocks.

I got the specs on the Monroe shocks and compared them to my measurments of compressed and extended distances and the shock specs were way short. It then dawned on me that when lowering the car with drop blocks, there will be no difference in the shock travel since the the shock plate does not get moved, just the rearend. The Detriot shock plates will shorten the travel some but not more than an inch, so no biggie. Dropped springs, on the other hand, do shorten the shock travel distance. Thanks! smile.gif

After installing my multi leaf shock plates, the std camaro shocks were at about 1.5" away from full compression on my set up. This is w/ Hotctchkis 1.5 lowering springs. The Mono shock plates allowed an additional 1.5" for a total off full shock compession of about 3"(This is with the mono perch axle mount).
The addition of lowering blocks will increase the distance for shock travel and lower the axle. I have no lowering blocks or pads between the springs and the lips of the p235 15" are inside the whell well.
worked well for my set up.
good luck
joe c