I about finish rating out my 50 buick super the final touch will be lowering her. Any ideals out there on how to drop her with out spending my kids college fund upfront thanks
You might want to check the diameter of the spring itself, and compare it to springs in a salvage yard. You might be able to use a set of springs out of an old Impala or other Buick wagon (see big heavy land yacht) and cut them down to fit through trial and error. These springs tend to be much stiffer, and shouldn't bottom as much with a shorter spring. If that all makes sense.....
How did you "rat" it out? Fake Patina? Sounds cool with a K. Anywho, drop blocks in the rear, and torch the springs.
Well if you want to go super cheap just get some lowering blocks for the rear or take out a leaf or both it all depends on how crazy you are, and for the front just cut the springs, this will all run you about as much $ as a burger king lunch.
If you decide to cut the springs, just go slow and cut a little at a time so you don't overshoot your mark.
You can heat the coils with a torch...... I know I'll get a lot of response on this, but I have done this on a couple cars over the years. Put thousands of miles on them and never had one break. With the car on the ground and level ,you'll have to heat a section about the size of 1/2-2/3's of a coil. It will drop quick as you heat it "red" so be quick to pull torch away. It is easyer if you have someone ***ist with holding the tape measure. While I'm under the car on my side I also use my shoulder wedged against the bottom of the 1/4 panel (fender or rocker if it's the front) to help stop the "drop". Just remember a little at a time.You can always let them cool ,then go thru the procedure againto get the desired hight. cheap but effective!
Lowering blocks on rear leaf springs, usually 3 to 4 inches..its better to buy the extra case of beer and go ahead and take front coil spring out and cut 2/3 coil off with die grinder or some sort of cutting wheel rather than put a torch to it as the heat will mess with the spring tension and cause a bouncier rougher ride....
I've never taken a coil spring off to cut it and I've cut my share. You just cut about 1/2 - 2/3 of the way through and hit it with a big hammer. It makes a loud bang and you have to fish your broken piece of coil out of where it got wedged when the big coil readjusted. If you cut more than 3/4 of a coil, you often have to cut the broken piece again to get it out. That was when I was younger though, these days I'd prolly install spring compressor before cutting. I don't think I'd actually pull a coil though...
just lowered my 51 buick special. cut the coil springs in all four corners and it rides just as good as before.
the 50 does have a 4 way coil spring suspension, you can cut the coils in the rear but, the snubbers come in real quick. knock the snubbers off? ok, but then you are axel to frame, no suspension and not a whole hell of a lot lower. and then you have the closed drive shaft to worry about, and the trans/drive shaft tunnel. unless you are doing bags all of the above ****. thats why i cut all the old **** out from under mine and started a new. good ride and on the ground. no bags. and cheap.
those Buick's had some long coils, they can lose several inches without affecting the ride. add gas shocks and radial tires
I would cold cut the springs, as well...I know, nobody ever had a problem with the torch, right? I have....I had one break afterward, as soon as it was back together, and had weight on it.
I'm surprised no one suggested the really, really old-school, el-cheapo lowering method: Locate a block building being torn down; load trunk with as many concrete blocks as will fit. I suppose a couple of sand tubes could be jammed in under the hood somewhere to get the front down, too.
Station wagon coils cut down ( they are heavier guage ). That's how my 50 sedanette ran for a couple of years before we bagged it and it did real fine. Rags
dont cut your springs with a torch! Dont heat your springs with a torch!..use an abrasive cutoff wheel and a 4" hand grinder..put a cold rag on the serviving side of the spring. measure each spring and mark it cut it there..do same on each. let the spring cool on its own dont force cool it. go slow on the cutting take your time do it right and they will last! get the ****ers hot with a smoke wrench and you will eventually have ****!
So what exactly did you cut out, and what did you replace it with to get it low, cheap and without bags?
it has a 85 trans am rear suspension, the torque arm set up. cost $50 and took about 5 hours to install. too easy. the front is a 74 trans am clip welded in high with springs loaded for full travel. front and rear, $150. my time? one weekend. cheap and easy.
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