I am going to cut the coils up front and lowering blocks out back on my 55 caddy fleetwood (I don't have enough money to get it bagged) but I am on the fence about if the 3 or 4" blocks will be too much of a drop to drive the car around. also I am worried about axle wrap. anyone have any experience and knowledge they can pass along???
Normally, I go with stupid low and then back off from there until I get where I can just drive the damn thing. For the old Caddys though, I'm thinkin' that the 3" would be about all you should do. When you get some buds in the back seat, you might be too low with the 4 inchers. You also have to look at how much of the U-bolts hang below your lower part of the rim. If you get a flat, you don't want to be plowin' the pavement...too much. Just my $0.02. Let us know what you go with and how it works. Michael
yeah thats what I was thinking too...4 seems a little bit too much but 2 doesnt seem to be enough. anyone have any pics of 50s caddys lowered with 3 or 4 inch blocks?
This is not a "Cad" but does have 4" blocks. I use "Helper springs" and in 4 years have not had trouble driving the car. Just have to watch where you drive and how you drive !!!
DO NOT say bagged on this website. I once asked about a Vbutt windshield and I cried for a week. Gary
why not get your springs reset at the local spring works, i had mine done for about $130 and i have no blocks so no long u bolts, mine is on a falcon but it the same on any leaf spring car. check my album for pics
Make sure you let us know what size blocks worked. One thing I have learned, cut some blocks of wood for fit-up until you get the final weight, tire size and ride height done. Just don't forget... I would say that 4" blocks would be the largest without wrapping the leaf spring. I have had luck with 3" blocks. I am just finishing up a truck with a set of 4" blocks, I will keep you posted.
I have some steel TIG welded 4" blocks a customer backed out on. Been sitting on them for about 6 months. Will let them go cheap if you are looking to go the 4" route. I have some 4" blocks (same ones) on my daily driver, and I just added an overload leaf from a 4WD Toyota truck (easy to find) and it doesn't ever bottom out unless I'm in a hurry over some speed bumps.
I think I am going to balls it and go with the 4" blocks and cut springs in the front. is there anything I should add onto this setup to alleviate the possibility of axle wrap or bottoming out all the time? sorry for all the questions I am a motorcycle guy new to old cars
Hellspawn, I don't think there is anything that can stop axel wrap with 4'blocks.I may be wrong and if there is someone who knows a way please post it. Cars with these size blocks are made for "Low and Slow" and not frying tires off of the line !!! LOL.As for the bottom out problem as I said I use helper springs as in over load springs and they seem to help.
get a price and get your springs reset or by another pair from a junkyard and get them reset it may cost a little more now, but you dont get the axle wrap problems or the problem with your u-bolts being too low, it is worth the extra cost
Just put 3" blocks on the rear of my cousin's 53 caddy and with put in air shocks, just in case it got too low with friends in it. Looks F**king great. Air shocks would help out with it getting any lower.
Check if the driveshaft itself won't hit the car when it's lowered 4" or more with extra weight in it. Also you might put some calculated amount of taper on the blocks so the axle maintains it's designed axle of operation in relation to the driveshaft.
Bagged Bagged Bagged. Used in a sentence: I am going to Bag my Caddy. Now just ignore anybody that tries to give you a hard time for saying it, they're just jealous. P.S., I plan on bagging my Caddy soon.
So hellspawn, Whadidya end up doin'? Did you get the 4" blocks, rework the springs or do the bag thing? Michael
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