All right fellas, I am finally getting around to start the process of lowering my 51 Buick special. I decided for now I am just going to cut my coils. the question have is there anything I need to be careful of? It is retaining the original inline 8, 3 speed trans and closed drive line. Any tips or suggestions welcomed! I have my cutoff wheel ready to go and will have my spring compressor as well.Thanks as always to all of you.
I recently cut 1.5 coils out of the springs in my 54 chevy and was pretty happy with the end result. not too sure how much it dropped cuz I forgot to measure how high up it was before I started. just don't cut too much. I'd suggest cutting 1.5 out and if it's not low enough you can always cut more out later Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
I believe they are like my pontiac with uprights and king pins. If so you can get a dropped upright from Gambino on the hamb and get 2 1/2" without cutting the coils but the steering arms will have to be bent to avoid bump steer. Chevy's are totally different.
why waste time cutting springs, i regreted it once i did it, makes your car not handle as well. lowering springs are cheap and way safer. cut springs are for hacks that dont know what there doin , dont be a hack.
seriously? I can see calling someone a hack for using a torch to heat and lower springs but actually cutting a coil to get a bit lower is a old as this hobby. I really don't see what is so hack about that. I understand what your saying about buying lowering springs but come on man, nothing wrong with loping off a coil. Its when you whack 2 or 3 rings off then you run into problems, but most reasonable "non hack" builders can usually tell when they crossed that line. Again nothing hack about cutting a coil! Brent
Is there a difference between front and rears? Like pigtailed or not. If so can I still cut them or what else can be done besides lowering springs and dropped uprights which from Gambino run 400 bucks which is out of my range for awhile. And a hack is someone who knows absolutely nothing about what it is they are doing. Thanks again everyone!
So are you sayin you cut yours too short and had to buy new lowering springs......Kind of sounds like "lowering springs" are for hacks that dont know what they are doing...sorry,couldnt resist
I have been cutting coil springs to lower cars, for over 30-years. I was taught how to cut coil springs to lower cars by a man who had been cutting coils to lower cars for almost as long as cars had coils to cut. Done properly, it yields excellent results. Results so excellent that people like to pay me to cut their coils for them. That said, if you can get, and can afford a dropped upright, or a dropped spindle (whichever is appropriate), that is the proper way to go, before considering cutting. As has been mentioned, look up Alex Gambino, at Gambino Kustoms, here on the board. See if he has dropped uprights for this car, and what they run.
Do it! You won't regret it. I cut 1 coil on the front of mine and it rides better than stock. The rears are pig tailed top and bottom though, so you can't really cut them.
Oh and I remember reading somewhere on here that springs from like an elcamino or something are pigtailed and will drop the rear around 3 inches? Hopefully someone knows the specifics.
1967-1972 GM A body (includes the El Camino) have rear coils that are indeed pigtailed at both ends. Whether or not they fit, as suggested, I don't know, but it is certainly worth looking into.
Cut my coils on my '53 Special and it worked awesome! The bottoms of the uprights come apart fast and easy so you'll enjoy that. When doing the rear keep in mind the torque tube can and will hit the floor pan if you go too low! Eventually I just bagged it-but I know you'll like the way it handles if you simply cut the coils. Btw, same suspension on '52 and'53
And: http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=658895&highlight=lowering+buick+el+camino http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=793038&highlight=lowering+buick+el+camino&page=2 http://jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=801845&highlight=lowering+buick+el+camino
thanks for all of the great information all of you. I will keep you all posted and try to take some pics as I go and get them posted. it will be a couple weeks more than likely but I am super excited to get this going in the right direction...........low down.
I had a 54 ford with 1 coil cut out of the front springs. Dropped it about 3 inches and still rode really nice. The best advice I've gotten from the hamb is to cut a little at a time. Half coil or one coil to start. You'd be surprised how much just one coil will drop it. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I used Type 4 vw van springs in the rear of my '53 buick, can't recall how much the drop was but worth comparing height and specs to the el Camino ones to see which suits your needs the best. Get on a vw site and find someone lowering their van and pick up some very cheap or free springs. Worked for me.
Oh, and put the money down on good shocks. They make a world of difference. As a rule, I use KYB Gas-a-Just for sporty or heavier vehicles, and KYB Excel-G for lighter vehicles, or a little softer ride on a heavier vehicle. Easier on the wallet than Bilstiens, which are the top-notch, if you can swing them.
so with the el camino springs am I correct in assuming it would be the ones for a v8 and not the 6 due to weight?
Napa has 3 different ones listed. free height on them are 12.93 with load hieght of 8.2 and spring rate of 167, 14.4 load height 9 and spring rate 141, and 15.3 load height 10 with spring rate of 158. which of these have you guys used? I know I could just shoot from the hip but i would rather work off the knowledge you guys on the HAMB have. Of coarse I want her st nice and low but do not want the torque tube to hit my tunnel.
Gimpy, as for shocks i still have the knee action. Do you or any of the others see a problem with me staying with these?
That's a good question, since these cannot be trimmed for final height. I am off the edge of my experience here. I hope someone will weigh-in. If it were me, I'd pick the middle one, and install some nice soft bump stops, if it hits on big bumps.
That what I was thinking. Plus if I have to at that point I a could always pull them out and take them back for one of the others since they are fairly close to me.Thanks for all of the advice and input.
just out of pure curiosity. How were the cars dropped originally when new or relatively new? did they just try springs from other vehicles or did the heat them. not that I will be heating them but just interesting to find out more of the way things were done then.
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