Updating my '69 Camaro

[ItDoRun]

Looks like I'll be modifying my G-Link to get the ride height as well. I noticed the same thing on mine after I installed it. Of course, once it's welded in there's not much you can do.

The car looks great, Ryan.

[pokey64]

Your car looks great with the new wheels Ryan! I love the color. The stance looks good to me.

Originally Posted by ItDoRun

Looks like I'll be modifying my G-Link to get the ride height as well. I noticed the same thing on mine after I installed it. Of course, once it's welded in there's not much you can do.

Chris, Are you thinking about running shorter springs or modifying brackets and trunk floor? I'm working on a G-link install on my wife's 69 currently. I've only welded points that can be cut easy so far. If you or anyone else has thoughts on this we could start a new thread so we're not hijacking Ryan's.

[Rybar]

Originally Posted by ItDoRun

Looks like I'll be modifying my G-Link to get the ride height as well. I noticed the same thing on mine after I installed it. Of course, once it's welded in there's not much you can do.

The car looks great, Ryan.

Thanks Chris, this is tough to say. When Frank sold me on the G-link there weren't alot of cars with it actually installed that he could show me pictures of the ride height as low as I wanted it to sit. There were alot of guys running the older G-Bar/Air-bar/Prodigy-bar setup, but this G-link kit is a little different. Now I see that the G-link upper shock cross member under the stock trunk floor limits clearance for exhaust etc. So it's tough to get the car low like the Quadralink guys. On mine the shop ended up installing a shorter spring and moving the shock mounting points up. We also switched from the 175 lb springs to 200 lb springs. I find it rides quite nice with the 200 lb springs, especially compared to leafs which were much more bouncy and stiff, but I can't say I've driven it alot. And have definately not pushed it yet. The rear-end, tranny and clutch are all brand new and in the break in stage.

Originally Posted by pokey64

Your car looks great with the new wheels Ryan! I love the color. The stance looks good to me.

Chris, Are you thinking about running shorter springs or modifying brackets and trunk floor? I'm working on a G-link install on my wife's 69 currently. I've only welded points that can be cut easy so far. If you or anyone else has thoughts on this we could start a new thread so we're not hijacking Ryan's.

No worries to Hijack, I think threads like this are good for positive and negative critisism of parts. Just like Todd's Payback thread. Great that he's honest in his reviews good or bad. Everyone of our cars is a test mule for these companies as were all running different combos, be it engine, tranny, rear-end, frame connectors, wheels/tires, tubs, non-tubbed, exhaust routing, gas tank types etc etc.

Thanks again everyone for the positive comments.

Ryan

[Gandalf]

Also not wanting to Hijack Ryan's thread. Good GBar conversation and I too am interested in this.

I have the ver1.0 GBar and was looking to run lower than I could get with the lowest settings. A shorter spring (9") got me there but I didn't like loosing the shock travel plus I'm not sure if I should be worried about using the coil-seat adjustment for altering ride-height. I'm always scared that top spring keeper is going to fly out under full extension. Not sure if that is a well founded fear but I note they always say that is for spring pre-load adjustment only. (then again - we were never supposed to cut coils from springs back in the day either).

So the easy way out would have been to go to a shorter shock AND spring but again concious of loosing shock travel. If I did it over again I'd try that route first. Instead I had a DSE crossmember in the garage so we installed that with the DSE top shock mounts and cut the GBar crossbar out. Definitely not an install to be taken lightly on an assembled car and I'd not do it again - what a PITA but that is definitely NOT the fault of the parts! So that actually acheived more that I was looking for (addtl 4"). I am running the lower shock mount up a few notches and inverted - i want to bring that back down again so now I'm looking at getting longer shocks to compensate.

Varishock makes a shorter shock and spring combo (in fact I have a new set here) and I would definitely try that first next time.

My 2c.
G.

Originally Posted by Rybar

Thanks Chris, this is tough to say. When Frank sold me on the G-link there weren't alot of cars with it actually installed that he could show me pictures of the ride height as low as I wanted it to sit. There were alot of guys running the older G-Bar/Air-bar/Prodigy-bar setup, but this G-link kit is a little different. Now I see that the G-link upper shock cross member under the stock trunk floor limits clearance for exhaust etc. So it's tough to get the car low like the Quadralink guys. On mine the shop ended up installing a shorter spring and moving the shock mounting points up. We also switched from the 175 lb springs to 200 lb springs. I find it rides quite nice with the 200 lb springs, especially compared to leafs which were much more bouncy and stiff, but I can't say I've driven it alot. And have definately not pushed it yet. The rear-end, tranny and clutch are all brand new and in the break in stage.



No worries to Hijack, I think threads like this are good for positive and negative critisism of parts. Just like Todd's Payback thread. Great that he's honest in his reviews good or bad. Everyone of our cars is a test mule for these companies as were all running different combos, be it engine, tranny, rear-end, frame connectors, wheels/tires, tubs, non-tubbed, exhaust routing, gas tank types etc etc.

Thanks again everyone for the positive comments.

Ryan

[Rybar]

Originally Posted by Gandalf

Also not wanting to Hijack Ryan's thread. Good GBar conversation and I too am interested in this.

I have the ver1.0 GBar and was looking to run lower than I could get with the lowest settings. A shorter spring (9") got me there but I didn't like loosing the shock travel plus I'm not sure if I should be worried about using the coil-seat adjustment for altering ride-height. I'm always scared that top spring keeper is going to fly out under full extension. Not sure if that is a well founded fear but I note they always say that is for spring pre-load adjustment only. (then again - we were never supposed to cut coils from springs back in the day either).

So the easy way out would have been to go to a shorter shock AND spring but again concious of loosing shock travel. If I did it over again I'd try that route first. Instead I had a DSE crossmember in the garage so we installed that with the DSE top shock mounts and cut the GBar crossbar out. Definitely not an install to be taken lightly on an assembled car and I'd not do it again - what a PITA but that is definitely NOT the fault of the parts! So that actually acheived more that I was looking for (addtl 4"). I am running the lower shock mount up a few notches and inverted - i want to bring that back down again so now I'm looking at getting longer shocks to compensate.

Varishock makes a shorter shock and spring combo (in fact I have a new set here) and I would definitely try that first next time.

My 2c.
G.

Sounds like you as well would have been better off installing a DSE Quadralink.

[Gandalf]

Originally Posted by Rybar

Sounds like you as well would have been better off installing a DSE Quadralink.

I hear you but the Gbar cradle is fully welded and Moser rear was built with GBar mods. Tough to go that far back to go forwards.

G.

[Rybar]

Originally Posted by Gandalf

I hear you but the Gbar cradle is fully welded and Moser rear was built with GBar mods. Tough to go that far back to go forwards.

G.

Understood, I meant deciding on a different suspension during the planning stages.

[ItDoRun]

Originally Posted by pokey64

Chris, Are you thinking about running shorter springs or modifying brackets and trunk floor? I'm working on a G-link install on my wife's 69 currently. I've only welded points that can be cut easy so far. If you or anyone else has thoughts on this we could start a new thread so we're not hijacking Ryan's.

My choice would be to modify the brackets/trunk floor so that I don't lose shock travel. Not sure yet. I'm working on the engine build for now. I may just see where the car ends up after it's finished and then go from there. It's too early for me to tell because I have no weight in my car. It's still a shell.

[strtlegal]

I know on my Gbar setup there are several holes at the axle to lower the shock mounting. So you dont loose the overal length of 13-14" when lowering it more.

Do you not have this option? Or is it at the lowest setting? I know Im on the middle setting and my quarters sit right at my rims.

[Rybar]

I know it's been a while, but a local photographer took a nice shot of my car clean this past weekend. I may get him to do a shoot of my car now.