Front suspension – springs and bar

In keeping with the theme of providing adequate range of adjustability, the front suspension required a lot of work.

The geometric concerns (static caster, kingpin inclination, offset bushings) we covered before.   In most cars you wouldn’t worry about that stuff, and could go straight to bolting on whatever coilovers you wanted.  Ideally those coilovers would have a damper matched to the corner weights of your car, and the range of spring rates you’re likely to run.

As with everything else in Old Camaroville, such is not the case here.  While the stock arrangement is a shock with a spring situated concentrically around it, we can’t convert to a simple coilover (yes, I wrote my letter to seb@scca.com asking them to say I could).  The spring has to stay mounted to the arm.  Coilovers are great because they’re a light and simple way of providing ride height adjustment.  The first-gen Camaro comes from the factory with 5.5″ diameter springs, while coilovers can use 2.5″ or 2.25″ diameter springs, which weigh significantly less for the same spring rate, and are much more widely available.

So to get ride height adjustability (a critical thing to have), we have to build some kind of adjuster that retains the stock mount point on the arm.

The circle-track world appears to come to the rescue again, Afco makes an inexpensive threaded adjuster for 5″ or 5.5″ springs.  The problem is, they didn’t design their part to work with the “really high” spring rate I’m starting with (which isn’t even the stiffest off-the-shelf spring Hypercoil makes in 5.5″) – the “wire” in the spring is so thick, its ID interferes with the centering cylinder in the adjuster.  So more work for John, who first has to remove the faux cad coating from the parts-

And then he has to cut off the original centering cylinders (the vertical part, in the two shorter pieces above), and weld in a new cylinder with a smaller OD, to accommodate the big fat coils

Hooray, the 5.5″ spring now fits the 5.5″ adjuster!

From there, he works to get them attached to the lower control arm in a secure fashion-

The two bolts holding the spring adjuster go through the original holes in the arm, and integrate with the new lower shock mount brackets

(shocks themselves are still a ways away from completion, will come later)

Here’s the adjuster at its lowest position.  There’s 2-3″ it can move upwards from here.   If this isn’t low enough, then I make the springs shorter! 🙂

The stock upper spring seat is retained, which works well with the Hypercoil springs.  The stock springs are “open” at both ends, and have curved pockets to sit in at both ends.  The Hyperco springs are closed/flat at one end, open on the other – which suits their new flat lower seat, and stock curved upper seat, perfectly.

The above pic doesn’t look all that jaw-dropping but is the culmination of a whole lot of work.  All you people out there with easy to adjust ride height, don’t take it for granted!  🙂

Up top, the stock upper shock mount (aka “a hole”) was modified with a retaining cup.

This will allow for the shock to be retained at that end with a circlip and spherical bearing – a much better solution the stock solution, which resembles a skewer through two marshmallows.

So that’s the spring adjustment mechanism, and the new shock mounts, which will allow me to re-use my 28-series Konis pulled from the Viper.  I’ve been very happy with the shocks, and with ProPartsUSA as a provider of shock service.  In addition to excellent performance, a nice thing about the 28’s is their modularity – on the Viper they used spherical eyelets top and bottom, but without too much effort (or additional $), they can be modified to use this bayonet-style upper mount.  In a lot of cases, you’d just have to punt and buy new shocks.

Next thing is the front swaybar.  As with the rear, I wasn’t really happy with any of the available solutions.  Most offer no means of adjustment, use mushy rubber or poly mounts, and crummy endlinks.

Again I went to the Speedway-style bar.  With multiple holes in the arm, I can fine-tune bar stiffness, and with a replacement center section (~$100), I can perform larger adjustments, moving the whole range up or down.  With bearing chassis mounts and spherical endlinks, slop and inconsistency is minimized.

The arm needed to be spaced down a bit to clear the frame rails and engine compartment components

The arms themselves are steel – a bit heavier than their aluminum alternatives, but work better when you need to make a bend or two-

Sighting down the arm prior to hookup

Endlink receiving brackets were fabricated and welded to each lower control arm.  As with the rear, the adjustable end is put on the driver’s side.

And here she is, all put together!

At this point, Phase 2 (fabrication) is really truly close to being complete!  It has been exciting to see imagination manifest in metal.