HandsomeMike

Have a 1989 FE1 auto. Getting back into autox. Mostly NASA-X and whatever the groups that come through the Corvette Museum Motorsports Park offer. Will be in NXC class in NASA. Mods include cut airbox, pulleys, roller rockers (prev owner installed according to records that came with car. Assuming 1.6.) performance valve springs, y pipe with cat delete to high flow cat to high flow muffs, lowering kit, crappy kyb shocks, Continental extreme traction street tires.

My question is are Z51 Bilsteins the same as Bilstein sports? I plan to buy sports and was wondering if they are the same valving. Also will sport shocks and 32/26 bars work with stock lowered FE1 springs? I've read that some people say it makes the car flat with minimal push and a few say it pushes bad. Thanks!

Locke

I had the Sport shocks on my '96 and am very sure they are stiffer in both jounce and rebound than the Z51 shocks which came stock from Chevy.
I would defer you to Paul at Vansteel for expert advise on setting up a C4 suspension and recommendations.
I ran the sports with Z51 bars but stock springs, 9.5 front/11" rear wheels and Kumho 710s. I felt the car was quite neutral and could balance it with about 4 lbs of tire pressure if wanted. Real street tires may have liked a little less stiffness in the shocks but we were not allowed adjustables (and I'm not sure I'm smart enough to use them but look forward to finding out).

Locke
North Florida Corvette Assn., NCCC
Jacksonville, FL