Hot Rods Best method for lowering my car

Looking to lower my car, a 54 corvette. I know, I know the NCRS guys will go ape shit. I have heard of many ways to do so (air bags, cut springs, lowering kits, etc). My dilemma is that I don't want to chop the car up, just looking for a lowered look without altering it too much.

Right now I'm thinking of ordering a lowering kit from Jamco.

Any feedback is welcome and appreciated.

 

your best bet would be to add lowering blocks in the back and cut coils or dropped spindles in front.

 

How much lower ?

 

I have no experience, but I think there's a few jamco threads on here.


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I think whatever the guys that have 54 Chevys are using should work for you as I believe the front suspension is very similar if not exactly the same as yours. As stated earlier blocks for the rear.

 

X 2
Long as your only going to drop it 1 1/2 to 2 inches, this should be ok .

 

surely cutting springs will give a shit ride

 

as Baron mention 2 inch max will be ok. As a matter of fact, 2 is low for a Vette since they already sit low to began with.

 

"Cold Bulldozing" the existing springs to reset them. You'll have the same ride quality.
Costs Zero [except hard work] and you can re-set them later at the stock ride height.

 

Jamco kit should work fine, but call and ask them. Suspension is the same as passenger car but there could be clearance issues because vette sits lower to begin with.
Anything that bolts on can be bolted back to stock whenever you want - just don't throw anything away!
You can cut the front springs, but buying lower springs allow you to keep the originals handy.
Post some before & after photos when you're done.

 

There is a Moog coil spring catalog online that is a great resource. You may be better off finding a new shorter spring than cutting down the old ones.

 

Look here. http://fme-cat.com/docs/2001.pdf

 

Whatever you do, save the original parts so you could change it back if you wanted or needed to. New springs instead of cutting up the originals, etc.

As with every vendor, I would strongly suggest that you do a HAMB search before you order something. I think with JAMCO, you'll find many,many threads where parts were ordered, money was paid, promises where repeated given and the customers where left out in the cold. They even had their Alliance affiliation revoked, by Ryan some time ago. Supposedly a good product, if you can get it-but that's the problem.

Your money, your car,your choice. But, caveat emptor,eh?

 

Thanks for the reply everyone. I did read about members experience with Jamco so I'll probably go a different route. I was looking to lower it 2"-3". The car is mostly original which is why I don't want to modify it too much. I'm thinking springs/uprights and blocks might be the route I'm headed. I'll post some before and after pics.

 

When I was playing with the stance of my heap not long ago I used vice grips to clamp two front coils together, then fashioned U-clamps to hold them shut. I wasn't ready to cut coils yet. Worked great, I even drove it that way until I cut the coils. They used to sell clamps for this purpose.

 

Buy new springs in a shorter length with a little high spring rate. These cars don't ride / handle well by today's specs anyway, a little stiffer spring will help. Verify your shock travel, new performance based bolt on shocks will help as well. Of course inspect and replace bushings, even with low miles they will degrade, polyurethane bushings are a bolt on and will help with handling.

 

http://www.coilsprings.com/ This place was highly recommended by note writer/gear head Pat Ghanal. Custom spring rate for your need's.

 

http://www.eatondetroitspring.com/ A industry standard here.

 

http://www.fatmanfabrications.co/ Call them to verify that a set of uprights from a '54 Chevy (car) will work w/your unit. IF so, you may run FULL coil & length shock for maximum ride. Also upgrading the shocks to a much more responsive/modern set will be most welcome. A custom made ft sway bar would finish the efforts w/out destroying value of your rare collector.

 

3 inch could be too low without using Air Bags or Lifts. Don't forget about the scrub line rule.

 

2" blocks and after market 2" drop coil will be perfect! It will look just right and doesn't hurt the chances of that car being worth half a million in 15 years.

 

Nice car.

 

Changing to 53-54 Chevy uprights will gain you one more inch.
The 53-4 passenger car upright is on the left. The right one is 49-52 pass car and 53-62 Vette. And your Corvette does look like a very nice car.

 

http://www.fatmanfabrications.co/products/1949-1954-chevy-dropped-uprights/ Thanks Baron. Here is a pair of USA made 2" Dropped Uprights to leave your coils & shocks stock length. Drop it and send the pix to that Bowling Green KY crew. Chrome reverse wheels would finish the look.

 

Are these for a 53-54 passenger car. If that's the case, it would increase the drop to 3" per Barron's comment above, right? My concern now is lowering it more than 2". Maybe I should order new coil springs and leaf springs from one of the companies mentioned above and have them customized for a 2" drop?

Thank you everyone regarding the comments on the car, it's been in the family for a long time. I'm doing my best to keep it maintained and road ready but add a few personal touches in the process.

 

Try St. Louis spring. I have used them several times. They supplied my 55 ford rear leafs to Jamco. They didn't fit right so I called Jamco to make it right. After getting sick of waiting on jamco, I contacted St. Louis spring. They took care of the problem and had what I needed at my door step within a few days. I have since used them for other customer cars and projects.