a few things. first IIRC, most lowering springs (hotchkis etc) have a rate of ~525 and i wanted more. also, they claim a drop of "x", but thats compared to what? what the heck does stock even look like? and with my slammed height, would i need to cut more coils off? that would obviously increase the rate, but since i didnt know how much i was cutting i couldnt calculate a final rate.

the circle track springs are nice because they are cheap and available in lots of different rates. but the spacer sucks. its internal dia is too small for the larger aftermarket shocks, and in fact, when i lowered my frame down for the first time it came to rest on the top of the shock. not good. so i made the above spacers and will fine tune with some more 1/8 and 1/4" shims that ill cut.

im running the global west lowers so i cant speak on the fitment. but, the circle track springs fit no different than a stock spring.

if you have the cash, i would look to dse for the splined bar. its expensive, but youve dropped a lot of cash thus far and it would compliment your package nicely.

Interesting, I will need to research this more. I ordered coils with my front end but at the time Marc from SCC sold me what they used but then after some time on back order we canceled the order. He said they stopped selling just the fronts and only the frt/rear package, I didn't need the rear of course but I may need to so I can get what they are using:willy: After I know where I am at for ride height then I can get alittle more custom if I need to.



I have seen that. I will see what I can pick one up for.

Same here with me Nick. I'm sold my stock chassis and I'm going aftermarket. Like yourself, it didn't set me back very much longer and I sold my entire stock setup for quite a good penny. So, I only had to put a little more money up for something that I really wanted. Besides, I'm the kind of person that if I didn't get the aftermarket chassis like I wanted, I would forever be kicking myself and wouldn't be happy with the car until I got it. So, I refused to finish the car stock just to drive it. I did that once before and that's why I'm on a second build right now. I say if that's what you want to do, do it. Even if it means waiting another year. I will have my chassis by the fall around August or September. So, that means I won't get to drive my car this summer of 2011. But, look out summer 2012 and I'll be pounding the pavement.

did you test fit with another chassis?

the problems could be endless. lowered ride height allowed by new chassis will mean driveshaft and trans tunnel mods. narrowed frame will need wider wheels and tires both front and rear. wider wheels will need tubs in the rear and major mods to the inner fenders up front. different rear suspension will need new rear end brackets welded to the rear, and if youre going this far you might as well just build a floater.

my thought is that if youre putting a new frame under it you need to do all the above work. if not, youll be kicking youself in the ass no less than if you dont do a frame at all.

if i knew i would have been putting this much money into the car, i would have gone aftermarket. but, i dont think i will regret it too much because its unique and hopefully may handle pretty well. ive also had to do ALL the work listed above and more.

All good points of view Widow Maker. I kind of jumped in head first. It did cost me a bit more than I initially planned, but I had already sold all my other stuff so I was stuck. :_paranoid So, I had to roll with it. I had already had the tunnel raised quite a bit if you see my build thread (see pic). I had just bought a new Currie 9" rear with the stock brackets. So, I sold that too. I'm buying a new finned aluminum Currie 9" from them with the 4-link brackets already welded on by them. As far as the tubbing goes. I already had 20x11 on the rear and will just have to play that by ear. I was going to do custom inner fender wells in the front anyway for a much cleaner look with the shaved firewall. By the way, I love your frame. :thumbsup:

What frame did you buy that you have to wait till August or Sept? That seems like a long time.

Naw, it's not them, it's me. I'm on a payment plan. My choice of course. I'm sending them money every two weeks. Sort of like one would do if a builder was doing a total build. Kind of a "pay-as-you-go" type thing. So, when I get paid from my parttime job biweekly, I send them a nice sum of money. Otherwise, I would have never saved that amount of money. If I had the total amount due, they could have built it in 4-6 weeks. It may be before August or September. I'm just allowing myself some leeway.

As we all know it is never as simple as it first seems in the aftermarket world of matching things up. I have been talking to someone about a pretty cool happy middle for a guy in my shoes not looking to go to a full jump into a chassis build and car that goes with it. The upgrade options are there but not as much as a full comp chassis. But again this car has not been a full race build from the start, just a street fighter if you want to say.... Street driver, take a cruze with the wife and kids, take a trip with the wife for a get away trip to the coast BUT dad can't leave things stock or strives to build something above normal. I hope to have a better "for sure" in a couple months but as of right now it's looking good but I am not the one building it so who knows. I will keep moving along with my build and parts already purchased and then when it's a go I just swap over everything and make my rear tube mod pending new tire wheel width I want to upgrade to. The new chassis will be stronger and have all the upgrades wanted on a factory chassis without going full race direction. Rear rails narrowed for I believe 335's if all goes to plane, tank mod needed.

509chevelle, awesome to hear you have a chassis coming, I am sure you are pumped!! Maybe next build for me but I am still learning my happy middle on car builds so even though I want it I am not ready.
I have to say 509chevelle and thewidow maker car builds have to be some very awesome builds that I have seen and read about on the forums sence I started reading on them, I just wanted to give credit to them because even though I have what I feel are some cool ideas I am learning from my reading and from what I have learned from there posts or questions they have answered have directed me on some sections on my build.... I just want you guys to know. I like these forums for the fact that damn near everyone loves to help each other and not make anyone feel they have to figure it out for them selves.:lateral: