1968ATX512

Friends, I have a ‘64 convertible that needs a complete front suspension rebuild. I’d like to hear opinions from folks that have done upgrades on their cars. There are so many choices out there I’m feeling overwhelmed and would love some advice.

Details: My car is not original and probably never will be in the future. It currently has a completely stock front and rear suspension and manual steering. I have upgraded the brakes to Wildwood disks/mc. It has a fuel injected big block, 5 speed and wide radial tires.

Goal: I’d like to get this right the first time by making a wise part combo/vendor choice. I don’t slalom race this car, but I do enjoy driving it briskly.

thanks in advance.

65-StingRay

What's wrong with it now? Does it handle poorly with the BB? Has your car had any suspension upgrades in recent history?
You can start with better coil springs in front that work for a BB maybe around 450 lbs spring rate. Maybe front and rear sway bars if you do not have any right now. Sway bars come in varying sizes for front and rear. Change all your bushings in the suspension hardware if it has not or never been done. Bushings come in poly or original rubber. Ball joints. There's so much info to donate in all this. Maybe fill us in better with what kind of driving style your looking for.
Myself I have gone the gamut from completely stock with 3 different leaf springs in the rear to what I've graduated to now. Which is offset trailing arms in the rear, aluminum upper control arms in front, stock on the bottom, coilover shocks on all four corners - double adjustable in front, single in rear, 400 lb springs in front and 350 springs in rear. The rear can be 50 lbs softer still with the adjustable shocks. Sway bars front (7/8") and rear (9/16") for 396/427.
Hope some of my info sets you on the right path.
65-StingRay

1968ATX512

Thanks for the reply. I should have clarified:

The front suspension bushings are very old, dry, Cracked and worn. At a minimum, I need to replace all the consumables including the shocks. However, the stance and ride height is perfect and I feel the spring rate is acceptable with the BB. I believe my “can’t go too wrong” option is to simply do a straight up rebuild with stock rubber bushings and install some nice gas shocks. Just wanting to hear from guys who have gone further. What did they use and are they super happy? I have heard of guys using the stock upper and modern lower A-arms. I’d love to learn from others or find out sources of info to help me decide what’s best for me. Like I mentioned, I’m not a track racer, but I like to drive the car like a Corvette. Many Thx

jim lockwood

You'll be pleasantly surprised at how well a C2 can ride with fresh, stock rubber bushings at all four corners. On the street you'll never (or shouldn't ever) approach the handling limits of the car but these, too, will be very good.

I have two '63s. One is my Grand Sport vintage racer (see avatar) and the other is a bone stock '63 roadster.

The lateral grip and at-the-limit handling of the Grand Sport is ferocious. The ride on public roads is atrocious.

My '63 roadster has a comfortable ride and handles well enough on the twisty mountain roads around here that I've never ever considered any catalog-engineered suspension "upgrades". Not a single time. I recommend against them.

reno stallion

All new rubber like stock and spend on good shocks and fresh tires

JakeLucas

The C3 system worked well on my sons ‘74 ‘Vette. Looks like it would be nice on the C2.


https://ridetech.com/product/1963-19...stem_11539599/

jim lockwood

For the sake of discussion, let's assume that fabricated suspension does all that is claimed. And let's ignore for now the inherent C2 rear roll oversteer which that suspension change does not address. Also let's ignore the unusual steering geometry which locates the inboard tie rod pivot points off-center from a line connecting the control arm pivots axes.

Unless you have the skill and experience to track your C2 at the limits of cornering adhesion, how and where will you ever benefit from doing that $3000 conversion (coil overs not included)?

A bone stock suspension rebuild will provide more handling capability at adhesion limits than 99% of current C2 owners can or have the nerve to exploit. It won't cost $3000 either.

1968ATX512

Jim, Really valuable inputs. Especially given you have two C2s, each set up differently. Thank you

FLYNAVY30

I would start by Googling "Six Steps To Corvette Handling" from the July 1984 Hot Rod Magazine. If you cant find it, shoot me an email at GPaules03@gmail.com and I'll email it to you....too big to post here. Same goes for "Corvette Handling A Performance Handbook"

Lots of good stock and aftermarket components out there, but if you dont have a basic working knowledge of bump steer, caster, camber, toe, spring rate, anti roll bar size, etc, you could easily end up sinking a bunch of money into a car that rides and handles significantly worse than the stock car did. You cant go wrong with a 100% factory rebuild, sticky Avon CR6ZZ tires, and a proper alignment.

65-StingRay

If you go with what Reno Stallion, FLYNAVY30 & Jim said you will be on the right track. Once you have your new suspension components in place you will be able to determine where you have to go from there or you will be happy at that spot. You will know within moments of driving if the decision you made paid off. Getting all the suspension bushings back to stock, shocks, ball joints, proper sway bars and a good alignment. I like the idea of using those Avon tires that FlyNavy mentioned. If you get it done in the near future post back and let us know how it went. Good Luck
65-StingRay

1968ATX512

Thanks Guys. I think that’s all super solid and wise advice and I’m planning to follow it. I’ll definitely circle back when it’s all done.

FLYNAVY30

Lance, sent you an email with a bunch of attachments....let me know if it doesnt show up and I'll just print them out and hopefully we can meet up somewhere since you're local.

Nowhere Man

Tires play a bigger role in all this then any bolt on part from a catalog.

Scott Marzahl

Agree with Jim 100%. When I was slalom racing with the Dick Guldstrand club, Dick hlped me set up my car. Only changes where heavier springs, HD idler arm, Bilstein HD shocks and his bumb steer kit. More than enough for weekend racing and street friendly.

sbsurfer

I would go with Ridetech or Detroit Speed setup. The driving experience and handling feedback will be much tighter and better than the stock setup. Even though you might not push it to its limits it will sit flatter and feel better going into every turn.

FLYNAVY30

uh oh.... here we go...

jim lockwood

63 340HP

With prepping my car for autocross in the late 1980's, Dick Guldstrand recommended heavier springs (F41), gas charged digressive valved shocks, and all new rubber bushings except for the sway bar end links. I had already installed springs (550#/305#) and good shocks, and previously installed poly bushings and bump stops in the a-arms and sway bar (poly was an 80's fad, like girls with big hair). Dick's candid advice was that I would regret the poly except in the a-arms and sway bar, the only poly that remains today. In the early 2000 era we discussed further changes for high speed days at big Willow and his only addition was to lower the rear roll center with his spacer or a C3 camber bracket.

FLYNAVY30

I agree with the overall sentiment that less is more with these cars, especially on the street.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will caveat that statement by admitting that my car does have coil overs on it. I did this for two reasons….the first being lowering the car 1 inch from factory (see Herb Adams article) without cutting coils or messing with longer bolts on the rear leaf. The second was to facilitate simple spring changes to dial in how the car rides and handles. Springs for the coil overs I run are $70 each and available in increments of 50lbs so youre not limited by available off the shelf coils and leafs.

For me it came down to ease of adjustability of the otherwise factory set up. Coil overs are just a packaging solution, not a reengineering of the suspension dynamics.

vjjack04

I wonder if anyone here (on this forum) has used the Ridetech stuff and has their personal experience to relay? No trying to antagonize, just curious.