i noticed driving my 72 that its not the best in curves. unlike my 66 where i can find parts a dime a dozen for its a bigger challenge. what can i get to make this thing corner? does it share any parts with an a body? it looks like they use a similar 4 link setup so the a body parts may swap over or at least i can box the components. id like to have tubular front and rear parts and new sway bars.
Be happy with what you have and enjoy the ride. No A body parts will interchange but any B-C-E body stuff will work. Look at chevy and pontiac for stuff.
I'm thinking the same way with my 70 Estate Wagon . In my case , I think the Chevy Impala rear sway bar will work on the B body Buicks . Bill
Good gas filled shocks are a start. If the suspension is original it's for sure worn out. A rebuild will tighten things up. Using urethane bushings will improve handling but they can be squeaky. Worn steering box will also make it drive sloppy. As mentioned sway bars from other large cars can be added with some research. Going a step further, reducing unsprung weight will help. A custom built suspension is an option but $$$$$.
What they said. Some more expensive options from Summit - however, do your own research. Global West Suspension G-Plus Control Arms CTA16H Global West Suspension G-Plus Control Arms CTA-19A Howe Cast Spindles 344GN
not sure if vital suspension parts are the place to learn how to weld. Boxing is easy enough and hard to mess up. New control arms, not so sure.
You need to make yourself a plan. 1. Evaluate what you have and what your goals are. 2. Make sure all the stock stuff is in good shape. 3. Make the chassis and body as stiff as you can. Plan on all new body bushings. Is the frame a "c" channel or factory boxed? I know the convertible frame is boxed. If not consider boxing the frame. Think about what your goals are on this one it's a lot of work but not really expensive. When you lift the body to get bushings in would be the time to do it. 4. I don't know about the front end on the B bodies but back then they often had positive camber and ran 0 degrees of castor. You need a way of getting negative camber and at least 5 degrees of castor. That is where the Global West upper control arms will help out. Bill Bell sent you in the right direction. You do not have to have the lower control arms but they are nice. Do not need coil overs. Talk to Global West about springs and they can set you up. 5. Jeep Grand Cherokee steering box? It's what I used on my Skylark. Big improvement. Switched to a 600 steering box and it was not that big of an improvement. 6. Good set of shocks and tires. Do not go with low profile tires. Will ride like crap. I like a 50 series in the front and a 60 series in the back.
i watched a few guys do it for jeeps and the like. it doesnt look like to complicated at all. they used johnny joints and dom tubing. im talking on the rear. front no way id try that.
i think im just going to replace all the bushings with poly, new shocks , find a rear sway bar that will work and figure out something on the rear control arms. the rear is where it really leans. front stays pretty well planted.
Just that will make a big difference! also: bigger bar for the front: https://www.addco.net/product/buick-full-size-station-wagon-1971-76-front/
yeah that too is on the list. i think that all wont break the bank on top of it. i love driving the thing though. i forget how much new cars suck.
Put all the poly you want in the front end. Do not use it in a triangular 4 link rear end. Check with Currie, Global West, or any of the really good suspension shops and they will say the same thing (unless they sell the stuff.) I like your idea of building rear control arms with Johnny Joints. I have those in the rear of my Skylark. As far as the welding I just know I suck. All I ever do is tack my stuff together and take to a buddy that will finish it right. And can't believe I did not think about sway bars.
i may tack it of just cut it all and have a guy do it up for me. i know about the binding issues from my 66. it has the johnny joint uppers and solid tubular lowers.
I would be careful with the Global West offerings. My experience on my 71 A body is that they will fit a Chevelle very well but not the Skylark/GS. Typical “oh yeah - Buick is just like Chevy”. What I have suspected is that the 2 door Skylark is really a 113” wheel base and not 112”. If you measure from the front door gap along the rocker straight forward to the wheel arch opening, the Chevelle is 1” shorter than the Buick. I have lower Global West arms and the wheel is too far back in the opening. I replaced the upper GW arms with fully adjustable arms since the Buick track width is less than the Chevelle and could not get the camber time adjust properly with the GW upper arms
well they state they fit all b bodies that year however they are expensive. so i dont see me buying a set.
I have a 72 Pontiac Grandville, I used a 76 Olds Custom Cruiser 1.125 front sway bar, and aftermarket Addco 1.25 bar in the rear, just plain Napa gas shocks and new rubber bushings where needed. Now the car corners flat as can be, the tires are actually the limitation. I'm running Cooper Trendsetter 235/75/15's, and if I really throw the car around the tall sidewalls bend. Car stays flat though..
was the 72 lesabre also equipped with buicks AccuDrive (double-wishbone) front suspension? i know the c and e bodies came with that standard