How do you lower a '62 besides bags?

[Nik]

I've been trying to find an economical way to lower my 1962 Lesabre, but keep coming up short. No one seems to make a dropped coil spring anywhere I have checked, and I can find dropped spindles for a 62 Impala, butno luck on a Buick. I hate to spend the kind of money running air bags cost, but I haven't found any other way. Do you guys have any suggestions or ideas?
Thanks.

[buford27]

These places both make dropped coils:

http://www.jamcosuspension.com/
http://www.eatonsprings.com/

I think Jamco will do upto a 3 inch drop and Eaton upto a 2 inch drop.

[CameoInvicta]

There are sources for dropped coil springs. I found a few companies when I was looking a few months back. Usually they just list stock replacement springs, but if you call and talk to them you can usually order them with up to a 3in drop.

I'll have to dig threw some paperwork and see if I can come up with some names.

Otherwise an Air Ride setup would be pretty slick.

EDIT: Sean beat me to it. Those are the companies that he reccomended to me when I was asking.

[Nik]

Thanks for the info on Jamco, that was one place I never called. If I remember right, I did call Eaton and was told they olny made taller then stock or stock springs for the '62.

Hey CameoInvicta, do you have any side pics of yours? What drop did you end up going with? If it was 3" in the front, did you have any alignment problems? What size wheels are you running?

Thanks again,
Nik

[BuickBorracho]

http://www.coilsprings.com/custom/index.html will make their springs to whatever ride height you want. Ive used them before and Im happy with the ride and height.

[CameoInvicta]

Thanks for the info on Jamco, that was one place I never called. If I remember right, I did call Eaton and was told they olny made taller then stock or stock springs for the '62.

Hey CameoInvicta, do you have any side pics of yours? What drop did you end up going with? If it was 3" in the front, did you have any alignment problems? What size wheels are you running?

Thanks again,
Nik

I never ended up ordering any. I blew out the front seal on my trans, so that kinda took the attention away from the springs. I planned on going 2in front and rear.

I had ordered some 17in American Racing Torqlites from a local supplier, but just recently was told he can't get them and was refunded. I'll probably just order them from Summit or Jegs. I ordered 17x8 with 4.5in BS for the rear and 17x7 with 4in BS for the front. I wanted to have a little sidewall so I was going to run a 255/50/17 in the rear and a 235/55/17 in the front. I might hold off on the wheels for now though, gotta pulll the motor and trans first anyway.

And I did just email the site Manny listed. We'll see what they say.

[CameoInvicta]

Just got a response from a guy named Kevin. For 2in drop springs, it's $186.75 for a front pair and $176.40 for a rear pair, so $363.15 for a set.

[WoodysHotRods]

I ordered the 63-65 Riviera 3 inch drop kit from Jamco Suspension on Ebay. It has springs and shocks. I checked replacement spring part numbers for the Riviera and LeSabre and they both showed the same number so I figured the Riv kit would work. It came out excellent. It rides awesome. This is the only pic I have so far. I think it was around $475 or so shipped.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c295/cleotisboneshank/Joes%20Cars/LesabreDropped.jpg

[CameoInvicta]

I ordered the 63-65 Riviera 3 inch drop kit from Jamco Suspension on Ebay. It has springs and shocks. I checked replacement spring part numbers for the Riviera and LeSabre and they both showed the same number so I figured the Riv kit would work. It came out excellent. It rides awesome. This is the only pic I have so far. I think it was around $475 or so shipped.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c295/cleotisboneshank/Joes%20Cars/LesabreDropped.jpg

Woody, your '62 looks fantastic! Care to share the wheel specs?

[WoodysHotRods]

Thanks! The wheels are Billet Specialties High Boys. The rear is a 20x10 with 5.5 inch backspacing and a 275/35/20 tire. The fronts had to be re-made and aren't here yet. They will be 18x8 with 4.75 backspacing and a 225/45/18 tire. It will steer lock to lock and not rub.

[CameoInvicta]

Thanks! The wheels are Billet Specialties High Boys. The rear is a 20x10 with 5.5 inch backspacing and a 275/35/20 tire. The fronts had to be re-made and aren't here yet. They will be 18x8 with 4.75 backspacing and a 225/45/18 tire. It will steer lock to lock and not rub.

Any suspension mods, or are those bolt in sizes? I didn't think I'd be able to get anything that wide under the rear of the car.

[WoodysHotRods]

It's so close in the rear. Anything larger will not fit. They had a heck of a time getting the exhaust routed behind the axle. They did it though. I made no other modifications other than the new springs, shocks and exhaust.

[CameoInvicta]

It's so close in the rear. Anything larger will not fit. They had a heck of a time getting the exhaust routed behind the axle. They did it though. I made no other modifications other than the new springs, shocks and exhaust.

Thanks for the info. After seeing your pics I've changed my mind on what rim size I want to run. Now I think I'm going for 17x8's in the front and 17x9's in the rear. You said your running a 17x8 with 4.75in BS on the front. Do you think 4.5in or 5.25in BS would work? Those are the only BS dimensions available in the rims I'm looing at.

[WoodysHotRods]

Out of those 2 choices I would go with the 4.5 BS on the front. The 5.25 would be too much.

[CameoInvicta]

Out of those 2 choices I would go with the 4.5 BS on the front. The 5.25 would be too much.

That's what I figured. I'll have to go out and measure at some point, but I won't have access to my car for another couple of days.

Thanks for the info Woody. Got any other pics of your '62?

[Nik]

I ordered the 63-65 Riviera 3 inch drop kit from Jamco Suspension on Ebay. It has springs and shocks. I checked replacement spring part numbers for the Riviera and LeSabre and they both showed the same number so I figured the Riv kit would work. It came out excellent. It rides awesome. This is the only pic I have so far. I think it was around $475 or so shipped.



Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!!. Your car has the look nailed. What was Jamco's i.d. on ebay, do you remember? I'm going to have to order the same kit and get it put on.

Will a set of wheels that are 17"x8" with 4" b.s. work on these cars? I wasn't going for the big and little set up, just wanted something I could switch back and forth with my C10 if need be.

[CameoInvicta]

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!!. Your car has the look nailed. What was Jamco's i.d. on ebay, do you remember? I'm going to have to order the same kit and get it put on.

Will a set of wheels that are 17"x8" with 4" b.s. work on these cars? I wasn't going for the big and little set up, just wanted something I could switch back and forth with my C10 if need be.

You can actually just order the same kit off their website. There is a link listed above.

[Nik]

The one I saw on Jamco was 63-70 so I thought maybe he got a different kit. I found them on ebay listed under jamcosuspension, duh, I didn't think it would be that easy. LOL

[WoodysHotRods]

Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!!. Your car has the look nailed. What was Jamco's i.d. on ebay, do you remember? I'm going to have to order the same kit and get it put on.

Will a set of wheels that are 17"x8" with 4" b.s. work on these cars? I wasn't going for the big and little set up, just wanted something I could switch back and forth with my C10 if need be.

You can go with the 17X8 but if you go too low you have to be careful not to clip the fender lip.

[Nik]

You can go with the 17X8 but if you go too low you have to be careful not to clip the fender lip.

Woody, are you talking the front or rear lips? Would a 3" drop be too much, maybe a 2" instead? this Buick is going to be my daily when it's done, that's one of the reasons for the switchable wheels.
Thanks,
Nik

Got anymore pics of your car?????

[WoodysHotRods]

Woody, are you talking the front or rear lips? Would a 3" drop be too much, maybe a 2" instead? this Buick is going to be my daily when it's done, that's one of the reasons for the switchable wheels.
Thanks,
Nik

Got anymore pics of your car?????

I was referring to the front. 2 inch might be best for a daily driver. Best thing to do might be to put it on jackstands and take the wheel off and measure just to be sure. Use a yard stick and a ruler and turn lock to lock with the suspension compressed.

I will have more pics of the car in about a week or so.

[WoodysHotRods]

Here are some current pictures of my LeSabre.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c295/cleotisboneshank/Joes%20Cars/IMG_1721.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c295/cleotisboneshank/Joes%20Cars/IMG_1722.jpg
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c295/cleotisboneshank/Joes%20Cars/IMG_1723.jpg

[CameoInvicta]

Looks fantastic!

[Kqqlcat]

Did you have a hard time getting it aligned after you lowered it? I cut my 3/4 of the coils in the front and the alignment was tough on my 63 Cat.

[WoodysHotRods]

The shop that aligned it said it came out fine. I haven't had a chance to drive it too much since then but it seems OK. I will be putting a few miles on it this week so I will post if there are any problems.

[Kqqlcat]

Here's how mine looks now. I think I might want to go lower.

[WoodysHotRods]

That looks very nice! I love that body style. I had a 63 Cat, It was burgundy color. I miss it but this 62 is a lot of fun.

[Kqqlcat]

I like the 62 Body style as well. Yours looks great.

[low225]

cutting your coils is free

[wildcat1562]

do what we used to do back in the 70's
heat them babys up:blast:
be carful though you don't do it to much:spank:
you still want some spring in her:3gears:
Greg:TU:

[yumyumchoppers]

those are some awesome motorcycle black marks!!!