[TraxUnderground]

Hey Guys,
I need some recommendations and help rebuilding my 67 front suspension. I have a couple of questions…. 1st let me start off saying that I am old school and am pretty much looking for a stock stance and wont be lowering my Camaro. The car came with a 6 cyl and I am putting in a big block. I changed the frame mounts and all parts needed to swap over but my front coil springs are what I need help with. Any recommendations to manufacturers that I can get springs to give me a beefy stock stance but also be performance oriented to help with rear traction when launching? I don’t plan to race this car, just a cruise night weekend cruiser that may get a run down the track. Any thoughts?

My motor is out and my frame is coming out to be media blasted. I want to rebuild it then. My next question is: Can the springs be installed on the frame when it’s not in the car with the weight of the motor? I have seen guys do it and I don’t plan on putting the motor back in till it comes back from paint. My neighbor who is old school told me to put moroso trick springs in like he has but I wont be able to install them with the frame out cause he said they are difficult to compress and you need the weight of the motor/car to hold things still while you jack up the lower arm. I would appreciate any thoughts you guys may have.

Heres a pic of the look / stance I am after

Thanks

 

[Joe Harrison]

You can install the springs using a spring compressor. I used moog springs for anon A/C big block in one of 68's. Stance was about what your looking for maybe a little lower. Hard to tell with tires and wheels on that black Camaro. I was running 15x7 rallys in front and 15x8 in the rear.

Joe

 

[HarleyD67]

yes you can swap springs without the motor in the car, but it is very hard to do with just the sub-frame unless you have an internal spring compressor like this.

not the external one that looks like this.


As far as springs go the Moroso trick springs will sit about the same as stock with a BBC with a SBC they sit about an inch high, but I wouldn't recommend them for a street only car like yours. There more for the track. I would look for a Moog or other stock replacement spring with somewhere in the neighborhood of 500#'s for what your looking for. It will give you that stock ride height with only slightly stiffer ride quality and much better handling.

 

[thorpe67RS]

Even with the spring compressor you many need something to tie the frame down when you install the springs with no motor. I have done 2 sets of springs on 2 different cars (Camaro and Firebird), both with the engine out. I used a spring compressor but trying to bring the lower control arm into place still wanted to raise the car off the ground. I was using a lift so just tied the frame off to the lift and solved the problem that way.

 

[TraxUnderground]

Thanks everyone...I was kinda thinking along the same route. I have a 4 post lift in my home garage and was thinking of somehow strapping the frame to the lift to use the weight of the lift to help hold. I will look into the moog springs and use the internal spring compressor and hope for the best. If I cant do it at home I guess I'll find somewhere that can install just the springs for me, though I like doing everything myself.

Thanks again

 

[thewebb1]

The best way is to attach the splindle to the lower control arm and then compress spring as stated above and then install the back of control arm. Just did mine yesterday and it worked like a charm. No need to tie the frame down but use a chain on the spring just for safety.

 

[TraxUnderground]

Thanks...I will definetly use a chain !

 

[pdq67]

If I had this to do again, I would install adjustable spring "cans" and short roundy-round 500 pound springs and be done w/ it.. Suckers are short enough they pretty-much fall out when un-adjusted!!!

And then a pair of H-D leaf springs like Chicane offer's or one's like them for the rear..

pdq67

 

[TraxUnderground]

If I had this to do again, I would install adjustable spring "cans" and short roundy-round 500 pound springs and be done w/ it.. Suckers are short enough they pretty-much fall out when un-adjusted!!!

And then a pair of H-D leaf springs like Chicane offer's or one's like them for the rear..

pdq67

What are spring cans ? My rears have been changed to multi and sit nice so far. A little sag on one side but hopefully when driven for a while all settles in.

I put my big block in with the 6cyl springs and it sat a little high. I thought it would drop down pretty far but it didnt.. Im guessing cause the suspention sat for a while unloaded, and I'm sure it would drop after a while if left as is. Any body ever experience this? Heres a pic of what it looked like when I dropped the big block and trans in to break in the cam.

 

[HarleyD67]

LEFT

Hyperco 650 lb spring 9.5" tall 5" OD factory type pigtail on the bottom, top end is flat for a threaded "hidden" spring height adjuster. This one is not tall enough and needs a spacer welded to it to achieve the needed height and fit the curved upper spring seat. There is another adjuster that has a large tube on top that you can cut to fit.CENTER

Moog/Guldstrand spring cut to 13.5" free length for autocross with race tires, around 650 - 700 lbs, depending on how much you cut off.RIGHT

69 Camaro stock spring 327 lbsBELOW

This is the correct Landrum adjuster to use #LSS320

From: pozziracing.com

 

[TraxUnderground]

Thanks...looks too complicated for my sorry butt. I'm assuming you have to cut the coil, add the can, adjust them then install.. if not right, take apart front end again, re adjust, re assemble. I think I'll just try a set of moog big block springs 1st.

Thanks for the pics and the info.

 

[pdq67]

Trax,

Don't back out yet on the cans B/C the SOB's are adjustable to set the stance the way you want it!!

pdq67

 

[TraxUnderground]

Do you have to keep taking them in/out to adjust them ? The landrum link doesnt work. Are they still in business?

Thanks

 

[TraxUnderground]

Ok guys…. I need your help again. I called Summit to get Moog BB springs and they didn’t have them listed for a 67 or 68 just 69. I asked for Moogs # to call them. I spoke to their tech support and he stated that my setup should require a smallblock spring because of the weight mods. He’s talking about my aluminum intake, water pump , radiator and headers not cast manifolds. He told me the weigh reduction just from those parts puts it at a small block. I don’t have aluminum heads, at least not for now. So considering what he said what do you guys think? Is it a guessing crap shoot? I looked into those adjusters and I was emailed back that they don’t sell them anymore. Is what the tech told me sound right to you guys. It makes since but I don’t know. The car sits a bit high with the 6 cyl springs I have in there now and was thinking that would drop after the suspension was driven for a while. I am totally confused and in the dark about suspension so any help would be appreciated. I don’t want the nose to sag low but not a 4x4 either. He gave me Moog spring #’s 6310 1928 lb @ 10 ¼” 6312 1800lb @ 10 3/4” and 638 (69 BB) 1725lb @ 11 1/8”. I don’t know what this means. He talked about spring rates too. Are the front coil springs the same for a 67 – 69 coupe?

Like I said any help would be appreciated.

 

[HarleyD67]

He is right about the weight break from stock small block to your big block set up. I would suggest Moog's 6308 over the 6310. The 6308 has a stiffer spring rate for better handling and less body roll, and still have a comfortable ride quality.
The 6308 has a spring rate of @ 380lb's
The 6310 has a spring rate of @ 329lb's
Keep in mind most performance springs are @500-600lb's

 

[TraxUnderground]

Harley...Thanks. Is there a performance spring that would work for me? I called PST and Just Suspension. The guy at Just Suspension was very helpful. He compaired all springs for me and told me that the BB spring they sell would sit a hair higher (.2 I believe) than where my car stance is with the 6 cyl springs. The SB would sit just a hair less. But the spring rates were different. He also told me that the BB springs were the same for 67- 69. The guy at Moog didnt tell me that and said he only had listed 69 BB springs. Are they the same?

 

[HarleyD67]

Yes 67-69 can all use the same coil springs. The thing is stock from GM 67 didn't have a big block so no one lists it even though the 69 springs will drop right in. Now it comes back the the question of haw do you want the car to sit. If you want close to stock ride height then go with the Moog 6308's, but if you want something a little bit lower @ 1" +/- and more of a performance spring then go with Hotchkis or one of the performance lowering springs from PST or Just Suspension.

 

[TraxUnderground]

Thanks ! Im just going to keep the stock stance for now. Thanks for your help..!