Best way to lower a '57 chevy without buyin high priced crap?

Real cars are lowered by block and cutting coils. Gold chainer cars are lowered by dropped spindles. air bags and four links. End of story.

 

That's bullshit, there are plenty of non-gold chain cars lowered with other than blocks and cutting coils. Your comment is just ignorant. The reality of the situation is that drop spindle maintain the suspension geometry and travel and therefore tend to handle better. Being able to save up and do something a better way does not make something gold chainer. End of the real story.

Maybe you should go do your intro now...

 

Cutting more than 1 coil out messes up the spring rating a bit. I'd cut 1 coil max. If you need more drop, get lowered spindles. Lowered spindles aren't "high priced crap" in my book.

 

anyway .. it looks good as is...congrats ..

 

Nice car, and smart way to lower it...

 

Well put zman........

 

Cut them, don't heat them.

 

Well put. It sounds like Flamingo took a dumb ass pill today

 

Cutting coils is no way unsafe. Not only will it lower your car, the spring rate is increased.

I cut the ft springs on my vette. Looks good & handles better

Here's a photo after 1 1/2 coils cut on original "old" shitty springs

http://memberfiles.freewebs.com/13/11/45611113/photos/My-Vette/5-13-10%20Vette%20008.jpg

 

Reminds me of the old saying. Ive been doing it that way for XX years!"

"Well, you've been doing it wrong for xx years".

Might as well just take the springs out altogether if you are going to do that. I changed some in a Vette recently that had been done that way...it looked good, but a bic pen spring had more tension in it. I could work them back and forth like an accordian, in my bare hands. Cut springs are fine, done properly (I use a cutoff wheel to keep the heat down)...and just as cheap.

 

well i guess there's no reason for any more discussion on this subject. Flamingo 57 said "end of story" so i guess that"s it.

 

Agree totally---exactly what i did (way back when)

 

can i get an amen?

 

My bad, I guess doing things the traditional way is for dumb asses. I must have forgot to take my Boyd pill today. Good thing you guys remembered.
I must say i was quite disillusioned when I got a tri-five. I wanted a car with proper geometry that handled well and got great gas mileage instead of something timeless that had style and class. Guess I should have bought a Honda instead huh? Heard they have great suspension geometry.

P.s. Read the signature below; and learn how to take a joke.

 

I'm sorry you're disillusioned with your tri-five but really traditional hot rodding is about IMPROVING something and not making it worse. Maybe if you didn't have that big chip on your shoulder you'd realize that you could improve your car instead of just letting it look like ass and drive like ass. And at this point I think a Honda would be good for you. By the way improving your car has nothing to do with Boyd or gold chains.

Read the signature below, I just cal them like I see them.

 

Feel better now? I'll keep my old car driving (daily) experience authentic as gm intended in 1957. Nothing wrong with "improving" your car, but I'll just keep mine looking, running and driving like crap. (According to you) I actually enjoy driving old cars that drive like old cars, I guess something is wrong with me.

ALSO; YOU GUYS SHOULD LIGHTEN UP, I'LL BET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE IS THROUGH THE ROOF. NOT WORTH IT.

 

I cut a coil and a quarter out of my 56 last month, lowered it about inch and three quarter. I need to block the rear now. It rides exactly the same as before, real nice

 

I dont know how this thread got a little touchy but I have a 55 4door Im going to bring back from a long 20yr +nap and I've been doing research on it.

I know I wanted to go to the new roller bearings up front and the cost of this on the original spindle makes the 2" drop spindles practical(less than $100 difference). Cost of redoing all the original brakes makes the popular disc practical too. Since all the rubber bushings have probably dry rotted I will redo all of those and tie rods and ball joints. Since having my son last October safety is much more priority than just making it work these days. Sorry if I sound like a bummer but I will save the coin and do everything proper and peace of mind will be priceless. If I had the car 30+ years and knew the suspension maybe I'd go the cheaper route but probably not.
CPP is looking good.

 

I have the 2in drop spindles and the 4in dearched leafsprings for the rear for sell going for a gasser here.57

 

still got that big chip on your shoulder.

 

You might pm my brother Creams on here, he put some new Mustang springs in a 57, nice fit, nice ride, and a healthy drop. For what its worth--~Sololobo~

 

Just cut a few rounds out of the front and block the rear. You'll be glad you did and you'll be back up and cruisin later the same day.

 

Cut and move the lower balljoint and weld it back on.





I moved mine forward an inch at the same time, which is about 6 degrees extra positive caster, to make it easier to align.

 

i cut 2 springs of my 56 chevy, but was wondering if you guys get an aligment after lowering it?

 

It's always smart to get the front end aligned after lowering it. A lot of guys will just leave it alone if the car tracks straight and doesn't eat tires.

 

also before i cut the springs the seemed lower from one side than the other, i wanna take another half coil out to so should i cut off a little more from the side that seem higher? and how much more should i cut from that side thats higher. its little less of 1 1/4 inch taller on one side measuring from the front bumber to the ground

 

Easier than torching the springs, too.

 

Were you looking at it on flat, level ground?

 

What a completely ignorant thing to say. The HAMB is getting more and more of you OL ZKOOL jack asses. Cambere'd out front tires must match your 2 foot high pomp so well. Apparently anyone with a well thought out front suspension design is a gold chainer?

And I see you're part of a grumpy ol 'tards club. In some strange way you think championing your narrow minded technical prowess is something to be proud of?

You're way too traditional for me.

 

haha good point is no is not on a flat leveled ground, im sure thats what makes look like that