Customs Advice Needed on Lowering a 1949 Buick

I am considering replacing my worn out springs with new lowering springs in my 49 Roadmaster. The front end has been rebuilt and it has 3 new Delco knee-action shocks. Running original drive-train with Dynaflow automatic transmission.

I could swap out the rather tall Firestone tires with some www radials I have from Coker but I like a still lower look without going full airbag route. I have never lowered a car so what might I encounter with a 2" drop? Will the tires hit the fender wells a lot? Ride go to hell? It has that wonderfully soft ride now.

I have seen lower springs at Eaton and Shocks2Springs for $404 and $450 a pair respectively.



Riding a bit high for my taste above. Leaning from worn spring as well.




Used some Zep floor wax on the finish in the last two photos.

 

I'd choose Eaton Spring, good folks and they back what is sold.

 

Buy you some dropped spindles from FatMan and don't mess up your steering geometry. Then you can shorten the springs if you want to bring it down another inch.

 

Following as I am still needing to lower my 50.

 

2 full coils cut out of front and 4" blocks in rear, Then from 205/75-15s to 560 15s

 

Spindles - yes, sounds like the most solid way to fix it up front. But what did you do in the back?

 

For years, plenty of cars were successfully lowered by cutting / heating coil springs.
I've lost count on how many I have done.
There was a time before dropped spindles, and cars got lowered.
Only time I ever bought new springs is when I went too far with the cutting / heating, and had to start over.

 

I don't know if he's doing these anymore but Russ Meeks (RM Engineering) Milwaukie Oregon made hundreds of sets for this era of GM cars.

 

4 link, coilovers, open driveshaft, GM rear axle.

 

Denny - thanks for the info but I think they are out of business.

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2005/09/01/fire-destroys-land-speed-racer-s-hot-rod-shop

 

Finish Line's website is still up and its logo includes RM Engineering. Doesn't list any parts, but can't hurt to ask.

 

I haven’t lowered the front yet ( plan on just cutting the coils) but the back I bought 69 Chevy truck 3” lower rear springs. They bolted in in 30 minutes. The lower bolt is reversed too by the way.

 

Maybe it was 2” drop springs I can’t remember but I lowered it a total of 4”. I’d like 2” lower personally

 

Simple cheap springs for the rear, 79 to 85 GM G body wagon rear springs BOLT in and are 3" shorter. You may have to relocate the Panhard bar or shorten it to center the rear end. I have built several old Buicks including a 49, as well as a 48, 47, 50, and a 52. The same spring fits all of them.

 

I called and Mr. Meeks is still around but no longer doing this type of work.

 

Very cool. They look to be $90 to $120 a pair for standard replacement springs. I don't think I care to drop 3" though. I was thinking more like 2". But what kind of issues will a 3" drop bring with it for driveability and ride? Also, any suggestions for the front?

 

So put a 1" block under the spring

 

what’s the H¿???
car is looking damn good already!!!

 

You don’t have leaf springs in the back so blocks are out of the question. I suggest 2” dropped 69 Chevy truck springs = 4” drop. It won’t bottom out, no issues with clearance with drive shaft or pumpkin. In the front Remove the lower A arm from the back so the spindle/ upright holds it together and remove the spring cut one coil out that should = 2”.

 

Moriarity - This is the experience I have been seeking! Now, what does that do to the ride of the car? I have never ridden in or driven a car with cut-springs or lowered ones. I'm sure you loose something, right? Does it corned the same? Body roll reduced? Knock the fillings from your teeth, make you bite your tongue?

 

Roadmaster! Cool. I had a '51.

My buddy Kirk put my Buick up on the hoist and installed a new full length exhaust tucked up real close to the trunk pan in anticipation of heating the rear coil springs with a torch to lower the rear of the car. It was after dark by the time we got to the springs. I stood outside and watched with glee as the rear of the car slowly dropped... and I made sure we didn't go too far.
An indelible memory.
Dark outside.
Bright lights inside the shop.
"A little bit more on the right, Kirk! Hold it! Okay, a little bit more on the left! Keep going... keep going..."

And then I suddenly realized I was only paying attention to the distance between the bottom of the bumper and the ground. I forgot about the clearance between the axle and the frame rails.
Ooh hoo hoo hoo... oops.
"HOLD IT!!!"
Oh well... it still had a little bit of clearance. LOL

Ok, that's the scenario.
I'll share my take on it.

It's not the best choice to heat your coil springs to lower the car. I don't believe there's enough control in the process, and it can totally mess up the spring rate and the nice straight posture of the spring itself. In other words, if you were to remove coil springs that had been heated, once they're free, they're they're not going to be nice and straight anymore... they're going to look like your Slinky that Dad ran over.

No doubt, I was happy with the lowering job. It looked cool.
I waved goodbye to Kirk and got on the freeway... with a nice new roar from the exhaust of the 320 and flyin' low.

Three things I noticed right away.

We got the height very close to the same left and right, but that doesn't mean that the spring rate was even left to right.
The car had a tendency to "roll".
And
Yep, we got her a little too low.
The rubber snubbers would sometimes hit when going over the bigger bumps. Not too bad. I lived with it for a long time. Just watch out for the potholes.
And
Looking through the inside rear view mirror, I couldn't see anything behind me. We had lowered the car far enough that my view was now of only the few short yards of road directly behind me! Luckily, with an adjustment, my view through the outside rear view mirrors was fine. I now understand how an inside rear view mirror mounted on the dashboard might allow you to see through the rear window in a car that's been lowered a lot in the back.

And we lowered my car a LOT. I don't believe you'll have to worry about clearances at all unless you get crazy like we did LOL.

Definitely spend the money for professionally made lowering springs. You don't want to heat the factory springs and you can't really cut to shorten them because you lose the small diameter coil at the end used for attachment.

If your shocks work well, so much the better.

The ride quality should stay the same if the replacement spring rate is the same. Certainly not uncomfortable.

Oh yeah... you'll have to adjust your headlights so you don't piss off the squirrels in the trees.

Good luck.

 

No, Russ is still in business. Not sure if he's doing those spindles, but his business Finishline Coatings is still open, and doing more than just coating work.

 

As mentioned, make sure your bump stops are new.
Mine are worn out and smooshy which means I get contact between the propeller shaft and the floor on hard bumps with p***engers in the back.

Doesn't do the universal joints or diff bearings any favors...

 

Start your project by finding a GOOD alignment shop. Talk to them and get their input. If they don't know enough to guide you, find another shop. You don't have to hire them to do the work, but they'll be able to make it drive right after you do your thing.
Start with NEW springs, either lowering springs specific to your car, or other options as pointed out above. Modifying old springs can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction with the finished job. DON'T heat or cut coils!! That's a hack way of lowering anything (I know... it's been done for years.... that still doesn't make it right!). The goal is a safe, comfortable ride. Old springs probably have goofy spring rates after pounding the pavement for 70-odd years.
Don't lower it so radically that you get out of "normal" adjustment ranges of the rest of the suspension components... that's where finding a GOOD alignment shop comes in.
Good luck!

 

I have a '41 Buick which is similar to your '49 in terms of suspension arrangement. When I first lowered my car I cut the springs. It's true this method has been used since time immemorial and it will work. But it does mess up the geometry. Those cars have an independent front suspension with long A-arms. When you cut the springs, it introduces negative camber. I drove my car for a few years with that set-up and it looked *****in', but over time it tracked weirder and weirder on the road, and after about three years you could see how the tires (Firestone bias-plys in my case) were wearing unevenly (worn more on toward the inner edge, since the tires were angled in).

It wasn't an awful ride, and I could have just replaced the tires and just kept it that way. But I eventually decided it would be better to just set it up properly. Now I have a pair of the Fatman dropped spindles (which are available for your car). They keep the geometry correct and the car will still look *****in'. They aren't very expensive (I think they were around $400 or so when I got them) and the installation is simple.

The back is a little easier to lower on those cars because of the trailing arm-type suspension. You may need to raise your driveshaft tunnel a little depending on how low you go. Hope this helps.

 

Thank you for that honest, real world feedback. Yes, you CAN lower a car without changing the spindles BUT if you want it to drive well and not wear out tires, buy the dropped spindles. Just because it was done that way when there weren't any better alternatives doesn't mean it should be done that way today. We drive at higher speeds and travel longer distances today. What you got by with back then will cost you in expensive tires and ****ty driving today.

 

The last three posts are very good advice.
@'28phonebooth , @Curt Six and @rockable , I tip my hat..........