[Phx 69 camaro]

I went to perfomance suspension in phx to buy parts for my
front end and the guy told me I should replace all my springs.
I know he needs to sell parts, but it is a good idea to replace
them, car drove pretty nice before I took it all apart. Thanks
for any info, Thank's Bill

[alanrw]

If it drove well and you are happy with the car's stance, why change? Just because the salesman told you need new stuff?

alan

[Acidburn]

Depends if you're happy with the current ride or if you want a better handling vehicle.

[Fred Ficarra]

How much did he want for new front springs? Mine are original (like the rears) but the car sits much higher than when new. Something to do with aluminum.

[Dutch69Camar]

If the springs are still the one's that came from the factory it is a good idea to replace them with some quality new ones. Do you know how old those springs are? If not I would replace them if they look old. What kind of car do you have? If it is a stock looking car with old springs, the new springs will raise your car substationally! If your car isn't stock you could buy some lower springs and upgrade the suspension while your at it....

[WV6TY7]

Consider matching components. Springs, shocks etc. Otherwise the overall result might be disappointing. Hotchkis does a good job of designing matching components.

[1969 RS/SS DROPTOP]

Im with Alan, if you like the stance keep what you have.

[Unreal]

Depends on whether you want to keep it looking original, or want it to handle better.

If your goal is originality, especially if you have multileafs, I'd keep what you have, and have them resprung if necessary. Correct looking reproductions are also available, but I don't think they differentiate for various spring rates. For the fronts, the coils all look about the same, so you could get replacements that will look correct. However, GM used "computer controlled" spring selection, based on the weight of the options on the car, so finding the correct spring is probably a task.

If your goal is performance, throw away the originals and get matched components, as WV suggests. Well, don't actually throw away mulitleafs, they have value, even if tired.

[Fred Ficarra]

This thread reminds me of a story.
When my car was brand new it was horribly out of alignment. So much so that when going around a corner and stopping mid-way, it sounded like I was laying rubber. Not good for a 21 year old kid. It got me a ticket. (The guy who wrote me the ticket became a good friend and brother officer the next year and we still visit and travel together. He even introduced me to my first wife.)
Anyway, I digress. I took my car to a new mega store for their alignment special. The tech wouldn't touch it. He said my springs were FLAT! Brand new! The sticker was still on the window! I had to go elsewhere.
To this day, those "computer selected" springs are still there. Even their original paper id tags. But now the car sits too high. I've changed some stuff. But I can't bring myself to mess with the original stuff.
Now for an opinion: I wouldn't be changing springs just because they're old. First look at the stance of the car. Any broken parts? Any sad looking leafs? Maybe all that's needed are good urethane bushings, shocks, sway bars and lower ball joints. (the top joints last forever) And this isn't an opinion; Springs do little to help a car "handle". Get some stuff like this;

[77thor]

I would replace the 40 year old springs.... just for insurance, they gotta be getting brittle

[Fred Ficarra]

Originally Posted by 77thor

I would replace the 40 year old springs.... just for insurance, they gotta be getting brittle

That reminds me of a story! I was installing my Retrotek FI yesterday and was going through my 'memory parts' box looking for a vacuum cap. There was my original throttle return spring! It's back on the engine! Can't remember why I removed it. Oh wait, it's coming back to me,,,,,, it was because of the Torquer 2 intake.

[alanrw]

Fred, if you want to correct the front end ride height, you could just go into the memory box and zip tie all the stuff you took out of the front end back in. That should correct it.



alan

[zdld17]

Fred, your set up looks good, I like your Retroteck. Keep sending feedback on it, performance, ease of tuning and most of all MPG.

I am still using my GM offroad front coils, .750 wire coils. This is something Hotchkis can't duplicate or have yet to see. Most everything else I have seen was .625 wire. About a 550# rate spring.
I have kept my orginal leaf springs but removed the very last short one , on the end and inserted another third spring that fit in the middle of #2 & 3. Did not lift it much but sure made a better ride. This spare spring came out of a new batch of 5 leaf springs for an SS car. The new 5 leaf set up set the car up too high and we had to remove to make it look like it did not have hi jackers on it.

[69CamaroRT]

personally, since you have it all apart and i take it your putting all new suspension in, why not change the 40 year old springs. do it once and forget about it. good luck

[Fred Ficarra]

Alan and Don. I'll get right on it! Might even fire-up the Retro tomorrow. Don, gas mileage will be a non issue. I haven't checked it since 1974. And with the original TQ under the work bench, the race converter won't even come close.