I have been putting off working on my 55 this year (due to bikes/move to the city/club and such), so now I have a few questions I need help with.<O</O <O</O Currently the car has QA1 12 way adj. coil overs up front – and 2’’ blocks in the back. The car actually rides really nice for how low it is, but I want the thing to sit lower. Air bags aren’t in the budget at the moment, so I need to go a different route. <O</O Currently the headers hang below the frame a good 2’’, but new ones were ordered last week so that won’t be an issue. Once the new ones are on do I just lower the front more and go from a 2’’ to a 3’’ block out back ? Should I even bother with <O</O Drop spindles ? I want the car to be as low as possible with still having a decent (and I stress the word “decent” ride.<O</O <O</O This car gets driven allot (about 3-4K a season), so I don’t want to make it un-driveable or make it ride so hard/****py I don’t wanna drive it. <O</O <O</O As usual, ALL help/opinions are greatly appreciated…<O</O <O</O
with QA1 coilovers up front , can i ***ume you do not have a stock front suspension? that would make a difference on what gets recommended
my thought would be to use 2" drop spindels because it will not affect your ride at all,versus a change in suspension will.....good luck
The car does indeed have stock suspension front and back. Only thing that's been changed are the coil-over's up front and the 2'' lowering blocks in the rear. Everything else on that car is pretty much stock/era correct (still has the stock/front motor mounts)..
I am running 3 in. blocks out back, with 2in. dropped spindles and cut coils up front. I wouldnt say the ride is great, but deffinately not that bad. Never bottoms out. The front cross member is about 3 1/2 in. off the ground. Drive it about the same amount as you. Very nice 2 dr. you have there! Heres a couple pics of mine so you can get an idea of where it sits.
Thanks for the advice, and killer wagon ya gots.. With the 3'' blocks out back, what kinda shocks are you running ? Now with my 2'' blocks the shocks bottom out offa a good bump. Guessing they are setup for stock height (not 2'' lower). So I am guessing I am in the need of shorter shocks to go with the shorter ride height ? Here's a decent pic of how the car currently sits.. I would like to take atleast another ince (if not 2) outta the height but still have it driveable.
I got the blocks and shocks from Jamco. Not sure the exact size on the shocks, but they were the size that they paired up with the 3 in. blocks. Never had em bottom out on me. Is the front stock heighth? Damn thats a nice 55!
2" blocks won't make your shocks bottom out unless you have somehow mounted the shocks to the rear end housing.
The front end has been dropped as low as it can go (with the stupid long tube headers that the car has now). The pic above was taken at a weird angle and makes the car look higher than it really is. The shocks might not be bottoming out, just feels like they are compressed too much or something. When I go over a tight bump or something it feels like it is slamming up aginst the bottom of the car. Need to do alittle more research and see what is really going on..
A lot of cars look like a toddler shuffling around with a full diaper when they are too low. A tri-5 is one of them. It's low enough, already. There's a saying that was common back in the 60's, maybe earlier... "Some people can **** up a wet dream!" I can see the next thread now.. "I changed the headers and now the carpet's melting and I have blisters on my heels. What can I do to insuate it?"
Everyone is en***led to their own opinion. I for one think these cars lock killer when they are laied out. Guess I will have to **** it up and bag the car to get it looking how I want..
Yeah, to me, I think it looks great as is. You should have rubber bumpstops in back that should bottom out against the axle tube before the shocks bottom out. If the shocks actually bottom out, you might break something.
Maybe the bump stops are whats hitting/making the noise ? I will have to look into it more. Thanks for all the help guys..
Nice 55 Teal. Just curious as to what headers you purchased. I installed a set of Thorley Tri-y's on my 57 and you can't see them from the side of the car. You can barely see the 45 degree bend of the exhaust pipe where it meets the header.
I have ****** Super Compe***ion Ceramic Coated 90 degree headers, with chrome ****** turn down mufflers (direct bolt on) on my 56 Bel-Air (stock height), and they drag on speed bumps, (wish I had purchased blockhuggers). Would like to lower my car a little but cannot.
I lowered my 59 with drop springs from these guys http://www.coilsprings.com/index.html I told them what year/make/model I had and what engine I dumped into it and that I wanted it to sit 3" lower. 2 weeks later, I had them. The car rides better than new and it sits really low. Actually since the springs setled, it's more like 3.5 inches or more. Anyway, it was $300 shipped for all 4 coils... $150 for a car like yours with only 2 coils
The new headers I have coming are from Sanderson. They are their "tight fit" shorty block hugger deal-e-o's. Said to not go past the frame, and if they do I will "adjust" them so they dont. I got a deal on them thru work (I work @ Billet Specialties). It's funny becasue I am the only guy who has hubcaps on his car here
Damn Teal, I gotta ask, why would you want to mess with what I think is perfection?? The height is dead on perfect and a damn fine looking car.
My opinion, since you asked, is in agreement with DrJ. They look weird when they get down too low. Might be that tri-fives have always been hot rods in my eyes, not customs.
I am in the same boat as you ..... I want it a little lower. I have Hedman Aluma coat shorty hedders, 2 inch dropped spindles, 2 inch rear blocks, Monroe shocks all around, no bottoming out issues. The rear came down pretty good with the 2 inch blocks, but the 2 inch dropped spindle isnt even close to what I was hoping for, it seems like each 55 varies quite a bit from one to another, matter of fact I think yours sits about where mine sits and I have a dropped spindle, I have not cut the spring. keep us posted, nice ride you got there! . . . . xtra
I'll give you my 2 cents- Leave it alone. Looks good as is. Car is bottoming out in front on the A-arm bump stops. Loose the blocks in rear & run a de-arched reverse eye leaf spring instead. Now if you're ignoring me- get out the wallet & I'll show you how to drop a Tri-five. My 55 is about as low as you dare go at ride height. Bags are the lazy way out. Leave the bags to the truck scene. Now my 55 isn't HAMB friendly & definately not a custom. Front is dropped w/ 2" TCI dropped spindles & QA1 coilovers. The rear is a whole different story. It's backhalfed, runs a 9" locker & a parallel 4 link. Upper bars are above the floor so pockets were built for them. Shock bar is above trunk floor so floors are heavily modified. Trans tunnel was cut & raised to cleared the driveshaft at ride height. Headers are Earle Williams. Here's a pic, not for the faint of wallet unless you are a great fabricator. This is a pic of car they did for a magazine. Low enough?
Proteal, Remember if you run it low you have to get the spring rate higher or you will be s****ing everything you drive over, and you really need to get everything above the frame rails. My 29 lakes roadster is very low but I have pretty stiff springs so I don't have a lot of dragging problems if I am careful. Soft springs and it will drag on everything. Steves32, Screw "HAMB friendly" your 55 is *****EN!!!! Rex
Thanks for all the kinds words on the 55. Dont get me wrong, I am MORE than happy with how the car is turning out, I am just a HUGE fan of these cars slammed to the ground. I did allot of thinking last night (over some Crown Royal) and have decided to leave the car as it stands for the time being. Eventually (and who knows when this will happen) I will put the car on bags so I can have the best of both worlds (good ride and slammed when parked), but for the time being it is what it is.. Hope to see some of ya at the Pile up next week (the 55 & I will be their along with the rest of the Half Fast guys...
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