Suspension experts, what are we doing for aftermarket suspensions for our big cars, the 69 wildcat is thinking it wants a lower stance and modern geometry like its A body cousins. Do we share the suspension parts of our 2nd cousins in the Chevy camp? Thanks Gord
N/A Nothing available unless you make or modify something. Still, with the stock components you CAN get the car to handle, ride & corner better. There are MANY things you can do to improve what you ALREADY HAVE!!!
Ok thanks Tom, we may have to talk in the coming months, motor and tranny coming out this weekend for delivery to JW in a few weeks. My winter project awaits, I replaced all the coils a few years ago, and very few miles driven, want to install discs etc. I'm heading to Sema and will be talking to suspension and brake suppliers about the big buicks.
Just received my tubular arms for the rear diff for the 69 wildcat from ride tech. Upper arms are adjustable for pinion angle adjustment and lower arms are set up for sway bar attachment. They are not listed in the catalog but they have them. Now we just need them to build a set for the front. Gord
Check out these front end parts, big sway bars available as well. https://p-s-t.com/c-1176071-suspens...ts.html#!year=1969||make=BUICK||model=WILDCAT
Rear tubulars are now listed, no sway bar listed but the lower strong bars have 2 bolt holes on each bar for sway bar mounting. https://www.ridetech.com/applications/musclecars/1957-70-buick/?features_hash=14-431_15-363
The ride tech lists the prices of the rears in the link I posted above, scroll down and they show $265. For adjustable uppers and same for lowers. Gord
Agreed, I got tubular arms built for the front and will be installing coil overs and thanks to you I can now get the bigger sway bar. Thanks Bill. I will post some pictures of the front end later this week
Bill, I paid way too much to have them made, using stock bushing on lower arm, and a modified reaction rod, is this also sometime referred to as a caster rod? I’m out of town for a few days, will post pictures later this week. The website you referred me to, PST shows a modified reaction rod in a front end kit which is similar to the one I have.
Here’s some front end pictures, threaded rod is in place of coil overs, once car is assembled I will weigh it and order springs accordingly. Wilwood 14” 6 pistons up front
^ I would assume so, but there could still be a couple degrees 'built in' to the tubular arm that you can't get with merely shimming the OEM piece. I don't have '69 numbers handy, but here's '63: 1.5 to .5 degrees negative. When I had my '64 Cat[alina] re-aligned, the OEM spec was basically the same: 2 to 1 degree negative. I asked them to put as much positive caster in that they could and all they got it to was 0.9 positive. If it's not caster, what gains do tubular arms have?
I think the fabricator made the geometry better? And still using shims to adjust. I had to butcher the stock mounts for mock up so will be making new mounting plate for the upper A arms.
I will have some flexibility on the caster/camber as the reaction rod is adjustable. I’m not going for a wheel alignment any time soon but hoping for better handling with lowering the car, sway bars front and rear, coil overs and a quick ratio steering box. Gordon
In the same boat. On my '59 Wildcat', I have also lowered the car, shorter springs, quick ratio box, radials, sway bar. '59s have threaded bushings (no rubber). Have adjustable 3-point ladder bar rear with Panhard bar. Hope to have decent handling; car retains the factory forged lower A-Arms, but stamped uppers. With a factory spec of -2.5 to -.5, not sure how much positive caster I can get into it, but when my '64 went from circa -1.2 to +0.9, the results were amazing (on 70-series radials).
just ordered sway bars, front and rear for the 69 wildcat from PST, will take pictures when i get them. Gord
I'm tagging along on this thread. I want to eventually get the Riv handling a bit better. Quick ratio box from Tom is first on the list.
