Hi Everyone, I am new around here. I recently bought a 55 chev g***er 2 door post. It is a great car to modify and have some fun with since it is not perfect. Far from it. I am definately doing the work myself and have been learning a lot a long the way. SO one of the first questions I had was about the front end. I am not at this point going to go to the extent of modifying the front end with a straight axle, however I do want to keep my front end up to have that g***er look. Does anyone have any pics of 55s that have kept the stock a arms and have just changed the springs to get the front end up. What are the best springs to use? Is there anything else I have to do when putting springs that are higher than stock suspension geometry? Ideas with pics would be great to get me going guys Thanks 55g***erkid
for what its worth if you do this dont let someone sell you a ball joint spacer in hopes it will raise the car, it wont, it will let it rise farther however , you will need longer shocks and heavy springs and then a c style ball joint spacer and it will look great... good luck ...
Hi, Thanks for messaging me back? What exactly is a c style ball joint spacer? What springs and shocks will I need? Confused? I have heard mixed messages. Sometimes people say 64 409 springs will work?
here's a really neat one I saw, apparently two spindles welded together. Not a project for a beginner though.
One of the tricks used for DONK cars is to raise the ride height by using raised spindles that some of the pre-runner type trucks are using. Maybe either an S-10, Blazer or full size truck. Side benefit would be using the disc brakes. Don't know if it would work with your current ball joints but I have seen it done with a 70's Monte Carlo. Maybe someone in the know can chime in......
My 57 has the same front suspension...I used 63 Chevy 409 9 p***enger station wagon springs. I also installed the upper ball joint spacers sold on Ebay. This gave me additional space between the upper control arm and the frame.Rides a bit rough but looks great!Using the ball joint spacers I also had to use a rim with only a 2 inch back space.
I bought a pait of J.C Whitneys "Hi Lift" front coils for my '57, but had to cut one coil off in order to compress them to get them in the car. A little stiff, but liveable. I put in a pair of Eelco ball joint spacers for upper control arm clearance but had to trim the mount for the old upper snubber to clear the spacer at full travel. You can use a pair of 2" long fine thread coupling nuts to make your own upper shock stud extensions. Its not as high as a strait axle, but it gives the car a good stance.
Thanks for all your support so far. Does anyone have apic of a car that has the 409 coils in it with these ball joint spacers?
One of the "GOOD"reasons for the stacked or welded-up pair of spindles, is that you get the height you're after, but the ride does'nt suffer. Everything is left stock, only the spindle to suspension relationship is changed. But, like it's already been said, find a good metalurgist/welder. Plenty of companies make dropped spindles; wish one would make raised spidles!
...don't know the particulars on this car, but I know it has upper balljoint spacers made by the owner and taller springs. The drilled out A -frames look cool too. I think he's a HAMBer.
Wow, Thanks for the replys guys. I guess that I can use 409 springs and these ball joint spacers. So are there different spacer kits or what? Where can I source these spacers from? Are they hard to put in?
Ebay is a good place to look for spacers. DukeofBluz has a really nice 57 with steel spacers and 62 chevy springs. Duke, you around?
Yep im here, The springs I used are for a 63 Impala heres the part # TRW CS 6004 , I bought them at Advance Auto parts. My buddy made the spacers but theres a guy on ebay selling them. I you want to see how your car will look, jack it up exactly 5 inches and take a look. Duke
Now that is what I am talking about. That is the exact look I am aimin' for. Thanks Duke! Part # a huge help! Does anyone know where I can find this guy and his spacers.
I have also been toying with the idea of a g***er look on my belair, not too common for my year though... Here some that should work: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/55-5...012QQitemZ220179784992QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/58-5...012QQitemZ220180577006QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW BTW, I heard that the 6 cylinder weighed more than a v8, so those springs actually have more lift, just what I heard though. My car was originally a 6 banger and now has a 454, sits pretty nicely with the original coils...
Hey thanks for the link. Now on the box it says to use the original springs. Do I have to do this? Or can I still use the impala springs. Now for the rear end. I really appreciate all the help guys. My next step from here is to figure out how to radius the rear quarters properly so it doesn't look like a bag of $h1t.
A lot 55-57 with stock A arms would relocate the front shocks to the front of the lower control arms no extenions needed better angle.
I know this may sound taboo, but I like the way this looks more than many of the sraight axles I have seen lately!
The raised up look is fine, as long as it's not overdone with too heavy of a spring, or load imposed on the spring. The lower A-arm pivots can actually pull through, and out of the frame, particularly with cars using line lock/roll control devices, and particularly the FRONT mount points. Just look at where and how the pivots are mounted, outside the cross member, and in a very narrow space. I've seen many repairs over the years, and IF the springs are going to be swapped out, that would be a good time to reinforce the lower pivots. The "stacked" spindle method is a good one as it really does'nt change the spring rate, or change the ride drastically. Finding a good weldor (a welder is a machine) that will do them is difficult; no one wants the liability. The spindles are cast steel, not cast iron, and can be welded by a competent weldor. Butch/56sedandelivery.
i am going to build a stacked spindle set for my 56 any one have the particulars on this? measurements and such ? thanks maybe a photo or two?
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