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Leaf spring front conversion

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Old Aug 30, 2006 | 08:39 PM
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Leaf spring front conversion

Is there any company that makes or has made a leaf spring conversion for the front end? Something like the new vettes have?
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Old Aug 30, 2006 | 08:43 PM
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From: western ny
Car: '82 formula clone, 95 saab 900se
Engine: 350 vortec'd tbi, 2.0L turbo
Transmission: 700r4, 5 spd
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 2.77 open
leaf springs on the front end???
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Old Aug 30, 2006 | 08:53 PM
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no no and no
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Old Aug 30, 2006 | 08:53 PM
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Car: 1992 rs
Engine: 305 tbi
Transmission: 700r4
WTF?????????????????? a gasser thirdgen hmm............. gassermaddness.com, better trade for a ****** or anglia
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Old Aug 30, 2006 | 10:15 PM
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U guys havent looked under a new vette have you? They have a transverse leaf spring. Leaf springs are one of the better methods of suspending a suspension.
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Old Aug 30, 2006 | 10:23 PM
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
The vettes have had a transverse leaf in the rear for decades but a single leaf spring in the front hasn't been done since the old Gassers.

You look under a Vette and most of it is tube chassis also.
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Old Aug 30, 2006 | 10:33 PM
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From: Hattiesburg, MS, USA
Car: 1992 Jade Green---Trans Am Converti
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Originally Posted by Stephen 87 IROC
The vettes have had a transverse leaf in the rear for decades but a single leaf spring in the front hasn't been done since the old Gassers.

What do you call this then?

LS1Howto.com
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Old Aug 30, 2006 | 10:38 PM
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Corvette Z06: Racing Success Helps Breed the Fastest, Most Powerful Production Corvette ever Built
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Old Aug 31, 2006 | 12:41 PM
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no one has done it that I know of. The entire front suspesnsion and the motor and mounts and such have to be desogned around it. - Meaning, why would you go through that much work when you could have better by simply going double a-arm with adjustable coil-overs?

yes, the vettes have had it for years. I realized what you were talking about when I opened the thread, but from the topic line I was thinking gasser myself....
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Old Aug 31, 2006 | 04:17 PM
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Originally Posted by shr00m
What do you call this then?

LS1Howto.com
That's the rear suspension from a C5 Vette. Notice the exhaust.
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Old Aug 31, 2006 | 04:37 PM
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Read the whole thing, not just the rear up there.
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Old Aug 31, 2006 | 06:21 PM
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Coilover are one of the worst ways to suspend a car,unfortunately the media has made it one of best according to them. Google the transverse leaf spring.It will surprise you the reason why they use it.
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Old Aug 31, 2006 | 06:35 PM
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From: Buckhannon, WV
Car: 84' Monte
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700-r4
Axle/Gears: ferd 9" posi 3.50 gears
Care to explain why coil overs are the worst way to suspend a car? (coming from a guy who went out of his way to not have coil overs)
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Old Aug 31, 2006 | 08:02 PM
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
If the transverse leaf is the best, why are there not more cars using it or kits available to convert to it? Coil over is lightweight, clean, simple and takes up very little room. Ride height can be easily adjusted and spring rate can be easily changed by changing springs. Put in some firm springs for aggressive driving or some soft springs for daily driving.

With a Vette fiberglass body and very little frame to use conventional suspension, the transverse leaf works best for it.
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Old Sep 1, 2006 | 08:42 AM
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Even the spring is fiberglass since the last of the C3 vettes. Whole spring weighs something like 8lb's

there are kits to convert c3 vette front ends to transverse leaf.. I dont think they use it for any superior handling attributes as much as space and weight savings..
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Old Sep 1, 2006 | 11:43 AM
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not that I have an opinion on them, but its kind of a "duh" that they would use adjustable coil overs on a race car, adjustment being key here
if the leaf were adjustable it might be a fine option still
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Old Sep 1, 2006 | 01:17 PM
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The only thing adjustable about adjustable coil-overs are the spring height and the shock setting. Any spring system can be used in conjunction with an adjustable shock, and once you find the ride height desired, you wouldn't be changing springs, unless to change rate, which would require new springs, whether it be coils or leaf.
Coilover are one of the worst ways to suspend a car,unfortunately the media has made it one of best according to them. Google the transverse leaf spring.It will surprise you the reason why they use it.
- then why do they use them on gt cars, lemans cars, auto cross cars, nascar, street rods, etc...???? - *** tated above, even GM's race vettes are switched to coil-over. Do some research. -
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Old Sep 2, 2006 | 07:19 PM
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Originally Posted by MFA_Maro
That's the rear suspension from a C5 Vette. Notice the exhaust.
In case you missed madmax's reply, page down works on that page. Scroll down to see the front leaf spring.

Kevin D.
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