How low is TOO low- progress on my '53 Chevy

Get a weight belt for your kidney's. Just kidding, you should be fine with the 4" you were planning. If that is the height that you like it at then leave it. I have driven numerous vehicles with hardly any suspension travel and my Wife was there for the ride also. It's a bit ruff in the beginning but you get use to it. Low and slow is the name of the game right? Well maybe not with that Rajo conversion but you get the idea. I would leave it with the 4" blocks and cut half of that snub off. And if you can throw a small c-notch in the rear. It will make a world of difference. Love the car and your work ethic.

 

Love the flaked wheels. The car looks much better lowered with the wide whites

 

I guess what I have to say won't really help much because nothing under my car is stock any more. But I'll go ahead....

I have 3 1/2 or 4 inches clearance on the rear end. But that is with 74 springs not 54s, and 2 inch drop blocks. The snubs are cut, and never hit when the back seat is empty, and it only hits on a BIG bump with people back there. Or under hard acceleration. I have the rear a tad higher than the front cause we pull a tear drop trailer with it, then it is setting level.

I can't really help with the front either, cause I got a MII front, with a coil and a 1/4
cut. This is all good but for the exhaust. I drag it on speed bumps etc. where it goes under the cross-member.

Like I said this didn't help you much did it? But while I'm at it I gotta say as much I dug the old 70s style racer look, cause I remember it, (I know I'm getting old) you have already improved the look of the car 100%! Keep at it! We need more rockstars!

 

My 54 has 3 inch blocks and it was riding on the snubbers.
I knocked them out and then it hit the frame on big bumps.

I ended up putting air shocks on with about 30 to 40 lbs of air
in them and it does pretty good and didn't really raise it up.

Looks great....good luck!

 

oops forgot to add a picture to that .... Hey and while your looking, what do you think some old school crager SS wheels would look like?

 

I like your ride and what you're doing with it! You also serve as an inspiration to many women who may be waiting in the wings for an opportunity to "stand and deliver," therefore proving their abilities! Go for it! Let the whole world know what you can do!....oh yeah, and good luck too!!!!!

 

I don't know shit about early Chevrolet cars... but I like this one.

Looking good Megan!

JH

 

I only lowered my car 2 1/2 inches and I get a loud hard hit in the rearend. Thats why I don't put any BMW (Big Mexican Women) in the back seat. I should notch my rearend so that it would ride smooth.
Are you driving your car down to the Roundup in Austin?

 

Damn that is a nice ride. Really kool to see a girl that is into this stuff. Shit around here where i live, ive never meet a girl like that. I cant even get girls to take auto with me at shcool. Hint im in high school still. They always say i will smell like oil and gas and will get all dirty. Shit what ever then, just dont ask for a ride n my caddy ahahaha.

 

My '52 is lowered 4" in the rear and I think it rides just fine, of course, I'm a young guy at just 30, lol. Maybe when I'm 50 I'll rethink the suspension. I used a 6" piece of 2"x4" 1/4 inch wall rectangle tubing with a locating hole drilled and corresponding pin welded into place to locate the axle. The front end had coils cut so it basically sits on the bumpstops. I live in PA, so it's not like I don't have to worry about potholes. I believe PA is still rated as having the worst roads in the country, but I find a way to manage. And this car was my daily driver for about a year in 2001. If you're not into bagging it, just be prepared for a little bounce action over the bigger obstacles.. Oh, and speed bumps are a B!TCH!

Forgive the lousy paint, I'm poor!

 

Sweeeeet! Hell you're not so bad yourself. Great stance but what gives with the truck?

 

here's how I do it.

yep it'll hit...but you can control it.

the progressive rate snubbers are pretty cool, but have a fatal flaw- longevity.

I have been using Timbren S.E.S. "springs" for a while now. they aren't springs at all, they are effectively large rubber donuts that taper in top and bottom. They are hollow with a bolt hole in one end.

what I have done is pretty simple. they are about 3 inches in total height. you don't wanna go riding around on them, because they progressively increase the spring rate-meaning they make the car bouncy as hell. so to combat this issue, I make a bracket out of some 2x2 tubing- simple as it gets- take a 3 inch long section of it, and cut it diagonally across, effectively making 2 -3 inch wedges.

drill 3/8 hole 1 inch from the "outside" (pointy end)

bolt the "spring" to it.

position it so the "wedge" sits just on the lip of the frame, then move it "up" 1 inch from there over the axle.

weld that sucker on there.

what you have done is simple. re-positioning the bump stop, and replacing the rubber one with a helper spring. the overall effect is pretty bitchin. in the event you jump it across some railroad tracks, you will bottom out. however, in the event you simply find the bottom of a deep pothole, it doesn't. it you load the trunk with beer and beef, it will ride on the stops, but the ride isn't obnoxious at all.

all in all, it's about 1000 times easier than it sounds. any gal who can mount and balance her own tires should be able to pull this off in spades!

Lux.

 

Oh yeah...that thing is dyin' for 54 Taillight surrounds and Lee Lenses.

 

Just a thought here,you need to ditch those shackles and get some stock ones. the bolt through the steel plate idea is terrible .You will have handling problems because the bolts will allow the shackle to bend. The car will feel like it's doing a butt wiggle comming out of turns.
I'm not a fan of lowering blocks myself.If it's looks you want..fine,but if it's a better ride and handling go for bags. Because i drive my cars constantly i need ride above looks so practical considerations come first.
And those upper bushes are shot....best replace those too.
have you considered shock travel? lowering it is going to make the shock absorbers too long.you can always use those airshocks to adjust the ride height /versus comfort to get it right .

 

I may be the only one but I actually liked it all up in the air and crazy gasser looking.
You're right about the wheels though, they had to go.

You'd just about be able to buy some mroe 'flake with the money you can get from scrap on those lift blocks - they're huge ~!

 

looking real good Megan. I dropped a 54 4" back in the 70's and it rode like shit. Try doing a mockup with the skirts on as that will really change the whole visual effect. You may then find 2-2 1/2" will have the look as skirts tend to make a car look longer and lower.

 

Very true,I need to get out in the shop.

 

Looks good Megan.

My 53 Olds is lowered the the same amount as your Chevy. My leafs have almost no arch left. My pumpkin hits really nasty on hard bumps, or in freeway situations where there are big dips. I try to avoid them at all cost, but sometimes shit just happens. It ain't fun. It feels like someone is smashing your rearend with a sledge. My car isn't even that low. I fell like if I'm gonna take kidney shots every time I drive, my car should at least look crazy low...and it doesn't.

I'm cutting the trunk for clearance till I can re-do the whole rear suspension. Notch, tunnel, bags, etc.

Good luck. Looks like you're making great progress already.

 

car looks great perfect stance

 

3" blocks and cut springs, doesn't ride to bad......

 

Hot chick and a sawsall... Lord don't wake me !!!! On my 54 i used Gambino drop spindles and cut one round of coil and in the back i have 3"blocks and also ran some air shocks in the rear, so when i need to haul the extra weight in the trunk i can just air it up to stiff'n'up the travel. Works well. really dig the car and the whees are freaking awesome... I like the idea of flaking the roof to match.

 

Those wheels look terrific!

Interesting how the hue differs from one series of photos to another; must be temperature of the light. Looks fantastic in any case.

I'm very impressed by your work ethic and by your very nifty shop. No question you can and will accomplish great things.

I'm eagerly looking forward to your next update!

I have a particular affection for '53 Chevys: my grandfather had a four door, and I have fond memories of his driving us grandchildren to the co-op store in his tiny home town. The dust from the gravel road would curl in past the tired rubber door seals, float on the summer air, and glow in the sun. He would treat us to Eskimo Pies. It was always an adventure: with his failing hearing and eyesight, we grandkids would offer him guidance as to when it was safe to cross the highway. Thank you for stirring a happy memory.

The 53 Chev is a lovely, round sweet potato of a car. And I mean that with the utmost reverence.

 

Megan,

GREAT job with the wheels, you should be super proud! Spraying flake is something that I have never done, but always wanted to. Keep up the nice work, your car is coming along nice

Dan

 

Working on your own car...that's awesome!

 

You go girl! Wheels LOOK awesome and I really like the new ride height. You could chat with Eaton Springs while your here in Detroit in a couple of weeks.

Looking forward to more updates

 

It's not a '53 Chevy but my daily truck rides with 3"-4" between the frame and rear end. It bottoms out, I just have to judge the dip in the road, pothole, or speed bump before I go over it. I've gotten pretty good around town where I know where everything is but when I'm somewhere else and the road sneaks up on me, I pucker up pretty good.

Is the Chevy going to make it to Roundup?

 

my hats off, great work and looks swell..

 

Okay,lets evaluate;
Cool Chevy
Cute Chick!
Lowers her own car
Paints her own wheels
Mounts AND balances her own tires
What else????
You are putting many guys to shame on here Megan!!! Car looks great!

 

This girl RULES!!!

Your car just brought back alot of memories for me cause i literally had the same car but i off'ed my ww for Supremes..lolol...

Love it all...nice job!