I pulled the trigger...
- Thread starter RickM
- Start date
72BIGBLOCK
Veteran Member
Save the old control arms. Those are getting harder to find
RickM
Veteran Member
I still have them. I have posted in the swap meet section that they are free for whoever wants them, just pay shipping.
Unfortunately, shipping will be expensive.
Dueling73s
Veteran Member
Nice idea with the pizza pans!! Did you need to put anything between the pans like grease or?
RickM
Veteran Member
Nope, they are teflon coated the top pan spins with the tire the bottom pan does not move, I put some tape on the floor next to the bottom pan to verify it stays stationary.
Very nice way of doing this, thanks for sharing.
RickM
Veteran Member
Well, I drove the car today (81) for almost 2 straight hours. Good news is that the car ran very well, still have the ever so slight bit of hesitation off of idle but I am certain I can work that out. That is the longest the engine has run since I got her on the road. Yes, I have a stock 267 engine (let the flaming begin) but it cruises just fine and with the lock up torgue converter, (sitlll using the CCC system), at 60 MPH my RPM's are around 1800, I like that. Also the TH350 that I rebuilt seems to be working just fine.
But.. I fell like the car still does not steer as well as it could. The car is much better with the SPC uppers installed and I managed to get the alignment done myself. I believe I have:
Caster @ 5.1
Camber @ 1.4 negative
Toe 1/32 each side for a total of 1/16
Although the return to center feel is good, I was hoping it would feel more like a modern car.
Maybe I should get my car on a real alignment machine, but around here that is easier said than done.
The car drives very straight and true but it still feels like the rear wants to wander a bit.
So far I have:
Installed all new front end components with stock rubber bushings
Installed SPC upper control arms with tall ball joints and Delarum bushings
Installed new rubber subframe bushings
Installed a 9/16 rear sway bar with polyurethane bushings
I have the stock 15/16 front sway bar
Installed Edelbrock IAS shocks all around
Installed Moog 6450 coil springs (they are a bit stiffer than stock)
Installed new leafs with 96 lb spring rate (should be stock rate for a coupe)
Installed a new stock steering gear from Red Head. The gear is nice with virtually no slop
Maybe my expectations are too high. Maybe the car will never feel like a modern car.
Anything you guys think I could do to make things better?
Rick
But.. I fell like the car still does not steer as well as it could. The car is much better with the SPC uppers installed and I managed to get the alignment done myself. I believe I have:
Caster @ 5.1
Camber @ 1.4 negative
Toe 1/32 each side for a total of 1/16
Although the return to center feel is good, I was hoping it would feel more like a modern car.
Maybe I should get my car on a real alignment machine, but around here that is easier said than done.
The car drives very straight and true but it still feels like the rear wants to wander a bit.
So far I have:
Installed all new front end components with stock rubber bushings
Installed SPC upper control arms with tall ball joints and Delarum bushings
Installed new rubber subframe bushings
Installed a 9/16 rear sway bar with polyurethane bushings
I have the stock 15/16 front sway bar
Installed Edelbrock IAS shocks all around
Installed Moog 6450 coil springs (they are a bit stiffer than stock)
Installed new leafs with 96 lb spring rate (should be stock rate for a coupe)
Installed a new stock steering gear from Red Head. The gear is nice with virtually no slop
Maybe my expectations are too high. Maybe the car will never feel like a modern car.
Anything you guys think I could do to make things better?
Rick
Shouldn't be excessive
roadrace2
Veteran Member
Oh my....GOD! A 267??!!! hahahhaa! Actually I'm kidding. Who cares? You enjoy driving the car? Runs good? Happy? Perfect. Its all you need.
Those alignment specs are the same ones I'm running on my 1980 Camaro.
As far as the rear wandering a bit - I'd make sure everything is buckled up tight - An alignment machine would be able to verify if your diff assy is set straight - The only thing I could think of are those poly leaf pads - the ones that squish between the lower plate and the leaf spring. I'm under the impression that they are too thick, don't seat the plates in straight. I may be wrong but that's my 2 cents. (this is assuming you installed those poly lower spring pads in the first place)
Other avenue I would look at is rear tires - how old are they? Hard/old tires tend to lack traction and in some cases stability.....(ask me how I know).
Rear sway bar? Bushings? Links? Do you have one installed?
My 3 cents with change....
Those alignment specs are the same ones I'm running on my 1980 Camaro.
As far as the rear wandering a bit - I'd make sure everything is buckled up tight - An alignment machine would be able to verify if your diff assy is set straight - The only thing I could think of are those poly leaf pads - the ones that squish between the lower plate and the leaf spring. I'm under the impression that they are too thick, don't seat the plates in straight. I may be wrong but that's my 2 cents. (this is assuming you installed those poly lower spring pads in the first place)
Other avenue I would look at is rear tires - how old are they? Hard/old tires tend to lack traction and in some cases stability.....(ask me how I know).
Rear sway bar? Bushings? Links? Do you have one installed?
My 3 cents with change....
JMO, but to get a "modern car" handling, even with the good quality parts/alignment you now have would be to change your tires to a more modern design and construction.
As the old saying goes, there's only for things touching the tarmac.....everything goes from there.
As the old saying goes, there's only for things touching the tarmac.....everything goes from there.
