1985 Monte SS with a ZF6

[JohnC]

Very nice! nice paint!

[SickSpeedMonte]

Originally Posted by olds

Very nice car, I've got some questions about how you dropped it.

Which A body springs did you use? It's hard to calculate pigtails correctly but yours looks perfect.

Also how did you relocate the inner fenders - did you move them in or cut them? Also the outer fenders are they just stock or did you roll a lip in them?

so many questions... Do your 235's rub at full lock or have any problems?

The rear springs are 2" A-body drop springs from here:

http://www.classicperform.com/chevelle.htm

PN: RCS60342

They dropped the rear of my car 3", so I guess a stock A body spring will drop a G body by 1" or so. I dont have the spring isolators in there either.

You will absolutely need adjustable upper control arms to get the pinion angle right. Otherwise, expect alot of vibration on the highway.

Inner fenders: I cut where the bolt to the outter fender and made new tabs to secure the inners. You can't re-use all of the bolts, as the holes dont line up, but they are very secure and I havent had a problem in 2 years worth of street driving and autocrossing. When you cut the portion out of the outter fender (on the engine bay side) it will weaken the structure, so you should take a piece of angle aluminum and brace the outter fender. Bolt it to what is left of the arch going over the inner fender, and bolt it ahead of and behind with at least 2 bolts each, fore and aft, as well.

The outter fender lips are rolled in the rear for the fat tires, but the front is stock. The 235's do not rub with 4.5" backspacing. We'll see if that changes when I put the big brake kit on and move them out 1/4" on each side.

[SickSpeedMonte]

Originally Posted by JohnC

Very nice! nice paint!

Thank you!

[SickSpeedMonte]

Are images not permitted in signatures here?

[CadVetteStang]

Nice ride. That was crazy with the old lady. What is the weight of the car? I’ve been thinking about doing a stock 500 Caddy powered 86 Cutlass, but I like your body style better. I would be autocrossing too- what diameter bars do you use and are they stock? My engine would add 35 pounds up front and I would want stiffer springs and shocks to corner flatter. I’d also need to put in a Ford 9” rear with 2.43 or 2.73 highway gears because of the torque. Since you have autocrossed yours, what changes would you make if your engine made 550 lbs. torque @ 3400 RPMs and added 35 lbs. up front? Do you have room for wider wheels under the fender if you increase the positive offset?

[olds]

Originally Posted by SickSpeedMonte

The rear springs are 2" A-body drop springs from here:

http://www.classicperform.com/chevelle.htm

PN: RCS60342

They dropped the rear of my car 3", so I guess a stock A body spring will drop a G body by 1" or so. I dont have the spring isolators in there either.

You will absolutely need adjustable upper control arms to get the pinion angle right. Otherwise, expect alot of vibration on the highway.

Inner fenders: I cut where the bolt to the outter fender and made new tabs to secure the inners. You can't re-use all of the bolts, as the holes dont line up, but they are very secure and I havent had a problem in 2 years worth of street driving and autocrossing. When you cut the portion out of the outter fender (on the engine bay side) it will weaken the structure, so you should take a piece of angle aluminum and brace the outter fender. Bolt it to what is left of the arch going over the inner fender, and bolt it ahead of and behind with at least 2 bolts each, fore and aft, as well.

The outter fender lips are rolled in the rear for the fat tires, but the front is stock. The 235's do not rub with 4.5" backspacing. We'll see if that changes when I put the big brake kit on and move them out 1/4" on each side.

That's good info, and thanks for the A body spring tip, you just saved me 100$ on drop springs

[SickSpeedMonte]

Originally Posted by CadVetteStang

Nice ride. That was crazy with the old lady. What is the weight of the car? I’ve been thinking about doing a stock 500 Caddy powered 86 Cutlass, but I like your body style better. I would be autocrossing too- what diameter bars do you use and are they stock? My engine would add 35 pounds up front and I would want stiffer springs and shocks to corner flatter. I’d also need to put in a Ford 9” rear with 2.43 or 2.73 highway gears because of the torque. Since you have autocrossed yours, what changes would you make if your engine made 550 lbs. torque @ 3400 RPMs and added 35 lbs. up front? Do you have room for wider wheels under the fender if you increase the positive offset?

The car weighs 3740 lb with 3/4 tank of fuel and me in it. It's got a fiberglass hood and no A/C. 55/45 F/R weight distribution. It's nice having a platform scale at work

My bars are both stock. From the times I went autocrossing, I would have said that I was in serious need of more front roll stiffness, but after changing to the currie arms in the rear, things have changed. I seriously suspect that my stock suspension was in a good bit of bind at this low ride height. The Johnny Joints seem to have freed up the suspension articulation quite a bit. I've noticed some roll steer and the car just feels different (less stable actually). I wonder if I need to get the currie lower arms now, as the stockers have 200k on them and the bushings.

With 550 ft-lbs and an extra 35lb up front, over stock, you'll definately need stiffer springs. Then you will have to do some racing and testing to determine what to do with your bars, as the stiff front springs will add roll stiffness and may balance out the car.

I would also try to fit the fattest tires up front that you can, which on the SS is a 275/40/17 on a 9" wheel. I'm not sure on the offset, as I have never run wider than an 8" wheel.

Personally, I don't have much room for a wider tire, front or rear. The car is too low in the front (it tucks tire) and the rear tire is as wide as it gets without rubbing the frame or sticking out past the wheel arch.

[SickSpeedMonte]

Originally Posted by olds

That's good info, and thanks for the A body spring tip, you just saved me 100$ on drop springs

Glad to help! I refused to spend $170 on the 3" g body drop springs, and then one day someone posted their car with these springs on MonteCarloSS.com.

Again, to be this low, you'll need the adjustable arms, and you'll have to remove the frame rail bumpstops. Leave the one on the pinion.

[olds]

Originally Posted by SickSpeedMonte

Glad to help! I refused to spend $170 on the 3" g body drop springs, and then one day someone posted their car with these springs on MonteCarloSS.com.

Again, to be this low, you'll need the adjustable arms, and you'll have to remove the frame rail bumpstops. Leave the one on the pinion.

Well I'm going to call and find the specs on that spring to try and find one that drops the rear 2". Which would be 1" drop for an A body like you said, 3 inches is just too low for me, but it does look killer

[SickSpeedMonte]

Originally Posted by olds

Well I'm going to call and find the specs on that spring to try and find one that drops the rear 2". Which would be 1" drop for an A body like you said, 3 inches is just too low for me, but it does look killer

I've got a pair of hotchkiss rear A body springs too, which aren't as low as these. Might be a good place to start looking.