Composite leaf springs om 69 Camaro

[T-T]

Hello there.
A couple of years where I just have followed the various posts, this is my first post on this forum.
I hope that it will give me a lot of response to my humble questions, as I will do anything to help out where I can make a difference.
I've separated my 69 Camaro and seek knowledge and new parts to make it a scary street machine, -ready to give all the "exotic" buy-cars like Ferrari and Porsche opportunities to look at my rear taillights and smoking rear tires

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I plan to buy myself a set of composite leaf springs from VBP to my 69 Camaro.
- Those of you who have the fiberglass leaf springs already installed and running for a while, maybe you can tell me what it gives and takes. -Good and bad.
- In my Camaro, i´m planing approx 500 hp,5 speed manual and I will use the car for street and “semi-serious” weekend autocross.
- Is it possible to order the composite leaf springs 2 inch lowering rear of the car. -or do I have to do it with lowering Blocks.? .. don´t like!
- I've seen people talk about 150 to 210 pounds of pressure/strength ??? ... what can be recommended - please tell from your experiences.
-Can they break ...!!! .. -- is after all just two rods of fiberglass ... or is it??

Leaf spring link: http://www.vbandp.com/Camaro/1st-Gen-1967-69.html

Thanks for all help before I order ....??
Tom –Denmark-

[Roberts68]

Welcome to the forum.

I looked into VBP composite springs again recently, I had their catalog and considered that route back in the early 90's. I was mostly curious whether they were still being made or if VBP was still around.

I have no firsthand experience with their product.

I have seen very few folks here running a composite spring.

CarlC ran them on his 68 Camaro but they were Flex-a-form and he had custom spherical bushings in the front eye. I do believe that he has gone back to a metal spring and that may coincide with the additional power from a Magnuson supercharger.

flex-a-form link

Deaver spherical bushing link

From what I have read here there is somewhat of a hp threshhold indicated at around 500hp. Some say that a leafspring is being asked a bit much to work with that load. You may want to look into alternative suspension setups for the goals you mentioned. I am sure others will be along to mention the vast number of options available for a build like that, and I can think of at least one vendor with ongoing experience shipping parts across the big pond to your neighbors.

[Sieg]

Welcome Tom!


I have not seen any of the "top" Camaro parts vendors promoting fiberglass springs and I haven't seen any project cars using them. The trend is coil over 4-link or torque arm rear suspension, which would be my recommendation if you want to take on the big boys.

I considered them 10 years ago, but ended up with Global West steel leaf @ 175 lb. I went 2" lower and added 1" blocks and it's still a little high for my liking. These cars vary a little so don't rely on my numbers. FWIW - My future plans include SpeedTech's torque arm rear suspension.

[T-T]

Originally Posted by Sieg

The trend is coil over 4-link or torque arm rear suspension, which would be my recommendation if you want to take on the big boys.

Thanks for response.
I know, -it's certainly not easy to play with the big guys (or girl).... but why not - I know that the road is long and most of the road is uphill, but the big guys also began their dreams as little boys .....
-- Okay - You're probably right, that it would be more up to date with a 4-link system from one of the major vendors, - but there is just this huge problem here in Denmark. - It will still be a legal streetcar with license plates on, - and if (read when) I get tackled by police (the state), they will look at my "old" 1969 Camaro like a brand new car and therefore collect a huge amount of tax as if it were a brand new car - we're talking about plus 8-9000 dollars. -Yes!
Therefore we have to rebuild cautiously, with only small improvements in our old cars.
...and therefore a set of leaf springs of composite is very interesting -if I can reduce weight by 30-35 pounds per leafspring (60-65 pounds waauuw!!), it can not be all wrong.
I´m looking forward to here some more response - Thanks

[Sieg]

Check this rear system: https://lateral-g.net/forums/show...&postcount=161
Dollar for dollar it's one of the better options and appears to be a relatively simple install. Certainly not a cheap as a simple leaf spring change though, but if you want to play with the big boys I don't think leaf springs are the answer. Don't know how the state regs would apply to this kit.

[JKnight]

I run 220 lb/sq in. Hyperco composite leafs on my car with a Fays2 Watt's link. I can tell you that the ride is great due to the lower unsprung weight and it handles really well. I haven't done any competitions so I have no numbers or rankings in events to back it up, but for less than $1,500 I feel I have a very competent rear suspension. I believe I will need to add a sway bar or more front tire to improve balance at some point, but for an 90% street car it's not really necessary. I would have preferred the adjustability of a 4-link, but given my budget it just wasn't in the cards.

I would think one of the limitations, downsides, for any fiberglass spring is going to be with axle wrap/wheel hop. This has not been an issue for me thus far, but I'm only running 425-450 hp and have a heavy 9" rear end in the back.

[T-T]

Originally Posted by JKnight

I run 220 lb/sq in.
I would think one of the limitations, downsides, for any fiberglass spring is going to be with axle wrap/wheel hop. This has not been an issue for me thus far, but I'm only running 425-450 hp and have a heavy 9" rear end in the back.

Hi JKnight. -Thanks for responding-
- You got the 220lb??.. isn´t that too hard, -when i look in the Classic Industries catalog they are talking 125(mono) to 143 lbs(multi)??

- Yours 425-450 is almost the same as i´m planing.
The guy at VBP ask me - whether they should be prepared for Calvert Racing Caltrax bars - maybe that´s the way to do it?!

Tom

[JKnight]

You have to keep in mind the end user for a spring from Classic industries. That guy is going for a restoration, not building a Camaro to handle on the street or track.

I don't believe mine are too stiff at all. In fact, I would have no problems going with 250 lbs or maybe even higher. Paired with a good shock, there is no rough ride associated with a spring that strong. The reduced unsprung weight helps the ride quality quite a bit.

[T-T]

Originally Posted by JKnight

You have to keep in mind the end user for a spring from Classic industries. That guy is going for a restoration, not building a Camaro to handle on the street or track.

I don't believe mine are too stiff at all. In fact, I would have no problems going with 250 lbs or maybe even higher. Paired with a good shock, there is no rough ride associated with a spring that strong. The reduced unsprung weight helps the ride quality quite a bit.

Okay - many thanks JKnight.

and next .............?????
Come on guys..... are you serious now
- there must be several Camarosss out there who have mounted a pair of fiberglass leafsprings - otherwise the company must be close to shutting down the fabrication.

[Sieg]

Over the 22 years I've had my car and dabbled in research the glass springs don't appear to have little if any popularity in the upper-end hi-performance arena. Simply put - If they were really that good they wouldn't they be more popular?

In general the leaf spring for passenger cars are pretty much a dead design. Another issue is consistency of flex/spring rate, with golf club shafts the early graphite/boron stuff was horribly inconsistent, impossible to exactly duplicate a club due to overall stiffness and flex-point variations. The newer generation golf shafts have narrowed the margin of deviation substantially. You have to ask the question: Are the fiberglass composite leaf manufacturers as sophisticated?

I know you want them, but I just don't perceive them as the better choice in todays market.