This is a really nice looking car and it shows very well. Looking at your pictures of the front suspension I noticed that the upper ball joints are the original ones and possibly the lower ones are riveted in place as the factory would have done. This car may have the original front suspension on it yet. My 74 Riviera GS Stage 1 that I am restoring ball joints are also riveted in place and the front end is all original at 88911 miles. Good luck with it. Thanks, John
Yep, It's all numbers matching. The only thing I know the previous owner did was put headers 3" to the flowmasters and 2-1/2' over the axle and out, and a shift kit in the trans. I was 7 in 1976 :laugh: so I grew up dreaming of owning a car like this! I'm saving all my parts too, even the acorn tinfoil covered lug nuts lol
The uppers are original (rivited in) the lowers were press fit. I'm fairly confident that the whole suspension is OEM other than the shocks. The ones I took off weren't the twisty kind. Thanks for the good luck, I already need it... I set it down off the hoist on Friday, and the 'stock ride height' front coils I got from Eaton are sitting at 28.625" when they should be 26.52" according to the chassis manual. Eaton told me they would settle about 1/2" when I ordered them, but that would still leave me around 1.6" too high up front. NOT the look I wanted at all. The only thing I can think of is they sent me 455 springs for my 350 no air. I'm calling them as soon as they open this morning. Hopefully they can help me out somehow.
Hope you have the upper spring located properly. I too didn't want to raise height, so I retained and used the original springs. All new Moog everything else up front. You won't be using those capped lug nuts!!
I confirmed over the weekend that they are located properly, but... I did use the isolators that Eaton sent but they are only about 1/4" thick. Maybe that's my problem right there. The chassis manual shows a 'spacer' ring that I assume is optional to level out the car at the factory. When I took off the old springs there was nothing on top of them, they mounted right over the factory frame detents that align the ID of the spring. Did you use isolators or just spring on frame? This is how it's sitting now even after I replaced the 245-60-15 tires with 275-60-15 giving me a 3/4" lift in the back from that. To get the rake I wanted, I would need a +3 spring in the back. But that puts me way up in the air...
I have a brand new set of wagon springs that would bring the back up. Not sure if that's what I would do but if interested PM me. In Fenton area.
I used NO isolators as there were none on disassembly. Those upper springs fit and locate a certain way. Yours look like they are out of location, of course it could be the new springs / isolators you bought too. My Rear coils have isolator on topside only. They also have a required locating position. My car sits approximately 1" low all around. Stock springs, 215-70 on 15x7 in frt., 255-60 on 15x8 on rr. Both frt. & rr tire height combos come out very close to same, abt. 27" tall. Nice stance.....
Are these the 455 springs ? Do you still have the stock factory springs ? If they're not to hard to swap out you may like the stock ones better.
The stock factory springs were toast. Confirmed with Eaton yesterday that they shipped the correct springs for a 350 non air GS. They also told me that the isolators they sent were optional for noise reduction. I'll be removing those before the weekend to see if it drops any more. They also asked me what I replaced on the front suspension and if I used rubber or poly bushings. Of course I used poly which has much less give than rubber which may be a contributing factor in why its not settling down as much as it would with stock rubber bushings. Also the fact that the rear springs and shocks need to be replaced is part of the reason the overall vehicle weight is not being distributed properly. I ordered +2 for the rear coils and QA1 single adjust shocks. Once I get those on I'll re-evaluate the situation. Eaton was very accommodating and said that if I didn't like the way it sits, they would swap them out for whatever I wanted. Even after install. That says a lot for their customer service.
Thanks for the offer sailbrd. I went with +2 from Eaton because they will swap them out if I don't like they way it sits.
If you think the front is still to high I can help you with getting a 455 in there to bring that front end down some. :Brow: Derek
Thanks Derek, maybe after the 350 takes a dirt nap I'd consider upgrading to a BB powerhouse. I just can't bring myself to unmatch the numbers... yet :laugh:
You put the 455 in it so the numbers matching engine can be stored safe and sound while you enjoy the car with a 455. Or if you want we can do a hot sbb 350 perhaps a sbb stroker so the numbers matching engine can be stored for the day when you want to take it back to original? I doubt you would ever want to bring it back to original though but the numbers matching stuff can be sold with the car if the next guy wants that stuff in there or put back when you sell so its not worn more than it is now. o No: Anyway nice car, and don't let anyone talk you into changing it if you don't want to. :TU: Derek
Front end is kind of weird. Any spacer has a 2 to one effect. Put in1/2 inch spacer = 1 inch in ride height. Spring length diff would have the same effect if spring rate is the same. If it was me I would want to bring the front down.
So you're saying the +2 coils I ordered for the rear are going to raise it 4"? Or is that only on the front coils?
So, I got the +2 rear coils and shocks on now. The back end is right where I want it to be. I'm still going to remove the front isolators but its measuring only about a 1/2" higher than stock ride height with them on. A shot from late last night when i got done:
It's a bit exaggerated in the driveway like that. Its not that pronounced when level. It is a bit high but i was going for more of the rat fink look. I may have overdone it a bit... I'm still taking the front isolators out. Something shifted yesterday, I'm not sure what happened. I had a noticeable lean to the passenger side I need to investigate.
Well OK, but then you have to get some wheels with no backspacing so half of the tire is outside of the body. :idea2: Just remember this is MI, not CA:laugh:
Yep, double check the upper spring location notch. One side may have settled in and the other is not sitting pretty. Ditch the isolators on top too. I had mine out of location for a minute, looked like 455 springs were in there.
