this winter i changed everything in the front of the car, and it rides like brand new now.....and it handles much better and launches even harder.

i used eibach drag launch springs, moog ball joints, new strut bearings, koni red adjustable shocks and struts, and energy suspension control arm bushings and sway bar links.

the car drives nice and smooth up past 150mph:lala:

and with a few twists of a **** the front end comes up like a **** at the track

 

springs pic....

 

looks good, very similar to what I just did.

 

Well done 383backinblack! One thing though, never mind handling like brand new - your car will now be Better than brand new! :-)

Is that a genuine 150mph?

 

I can vouch for this car and agree that it hooks like a **** right now

 

i've gone over 170 in it lol

 

Wow! Excellent! Has it always been a manual? Or did you change from an automatic trans? How does the top speed compare?

My problem at the moment is being stuck with a TH700-R4 that can't upshift to 4th at WOT. Just another part to replaced at some point I suppose. It is beautifully stable up past 140mph though.

Any chance you can let me know the rest of your cars modifications, cam choice etc? In this thread or by PM?

Thanks!

 

ya its always been a 5 speed, t5 originally of course, now its a tremec TKO II....i'll get back to you on that otherstuff, im on my way to work

 

Thanks!

 

For a second there I thought in your original shot you were holding the car up with that 4x4...

 

lol nope thats just to keep the caliper from hanging on the hose

 

I'm in the middle of this suspension rebuild myself and I'm having trouble figuring out how i'm going to remove the old control arm bushings, would you be able to explain how you did yours?

 

You're gonna need a press. I ened up going to a machine shop and having them press the old ones out and having them press in Del-A-Lum Bushings. Supposedly they are better than poly bushing because you can grease these. I personally dont think they are any better than rubber but my car has a long way to go. So take my opinion for what its worth....(Project car with many many issues)

Dan

 

How much was it to have them pressed out and in? I need to do all the stuff you did and more, so I am contemplating if it would make more sense in the long run to just buy a press.

 

hey 383 did u notice any drop in those springs? does the car handle nicly in turns? becuz i got regular stock replacement springs from perfect circle suspention and things are just way to stiff. it handles sweet in the turns but killin me at the 1/4

 

The reason they are supposed to be better is because they do not wear out or have issues with dirt and debris like heim joints do but they offer some of the benefits from heim joints with a very smooth articulation, a solid design, and very little suspension bind. They have some of the benefits of a poly or rubber bushing as well as the very low suspension bind characteristics like a heim joint. Having very little suspension bind from things like bushings and joints allows the shock and spring package to do its job and control the suspension movement like they are designed to. Poly bushings take out the play in the bushing but do not help the bind situation and actually create more suspension bind.

 

Well for those "special" bushings I had it came out to about $170. I paid to have them press out or "hammer" the old ball joints out as well as the old bushings. AFAIK the new ball joints went in ok but the Del-A-Lum bushing were a hugh PITA from the machinist doing the work. He told me that he had to grind a few thousandths to make these bushings fit BUT HE also told me that as he was grinding he noticed dirt and grit in the arms so that was another factor in getting those bushings installed. So it was pretty involved. I personally put the arms in a parts cleaner tank BEFORE I dropped them off but apparently there was more dirt and girt that I couldnt get to with the old bushings in. All in all it was not a easy job to do AND I took my arms to a very RESPECTABLE machine shop. I freaked out when I got the bill but I "name dropped" and they lowered the bill to about $130.


Matt87GTA ~ Interesting tech info on those bushings! Thanks!



Dan

 

I made a little post about how to remove and install those bushings..

not qute del-a-lum, but the procedure would be pretty close I think..

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hlight=bushing

 

So it sounds like 2-3 visits to the will shop pay for the hydrolic press itself. Looks like I'll be looking for a press this winter.

I'll have to do all this stuff, then tranny rebuild and a rear-end rebuild.

 

have a quick question. what is the part number for those springs i was thinking about getting drag launch springs but cant find them. im going to the ls1 swap hopefully gotta see how funding pans out. and how much where they?

 

yeah i just noticed in Jegs they only sell the drag kit for 93-02 camaro's/firebird's. im really thinkin aboutgettin thing kit.

 

can someone point me in the direction to find out what "indexing" springs is, and how to do it.