SR-71

Lowering is good for center of gravity and handling. My stock WS6 suspension is very good, but it's got that 4X4 stance and a harsh ride. Aftermarket springs would fix the stance, but from what I read, they ride even rougher.

I'm after a nice stance with great "real-road" handling and a comfortable ride. Not Caddy soft, for sure. But it'd be nice to run our under-maintained interstates around here without feeling every little seam and pot-hole. I'm not ever planning to do autocross or road racing, and I like the original 16" wheels.

So... My present wild idea is to get the springs from a "standard" V6 Camaro or Firebird. That should lower the front a bit, AND give a softer ride. The lowered height combined with the WS6 sway bars, a full poly bushing upgrade, trailing arms, panhard, and stiffeners, should retain most, if not all, of the car's original handling.

It just happened this morning that I passed a standard V6-model Camaro on the way to work today, that had the perfect stance. And he pulled over to talk when I signalled him! It had the original springs with a V8 upgrade. Stock tire size up front. Oversize in back. Young guy without much of a clue. He said his dad did the engine upgrade for him. But he said the handling is "decent" and the ride is nice. I suggested he upgrade his sway bars to make it handle better.

Has anyone here installed a small-block V8 in a V6 3rd-gen, without also changing the springs? How was the ride and the stance?

ws6transam

Give Herb Adam's Suspension book a read some time. He's a big advocate of getting soft springs that have only sufficient spring rate as to keep the car from bottoming out at the track, then compensating for anti-roll with bigger anti-roll bars.

91B2L

I have heard some of those combos are good: softer springs pluse stiffer shocks I did some research on my 96' S-10 SS w/ the ZQ8 suspension from the factory had softer springs than a regular S-10 but had the stiff deCarbon shocks. It handeled great.

vorgath

Could that work with a '91 RS, drop it down one inch but with a 36 swaybar front and Koni yellow hmmmm, what is the spring ratio of the V6 springs anyway, when compared to the standard V8 ones ?

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Here are pictures of my Firebird with V6 front springs and WS6 rear springs. I hate it! The car was a V6, only reason the V6 front springs are in there. The V6 springs are so weak that the front air dam is way too close to the ground for my liking. I can't even jack under the car, or use ramps to drive onto, anymore. It's a huge ordeal just to get a jack under the car, you have to cut a wheel all the way and go under the LCA, being very careful not to bang up the ground effects. It will also give you a nice mushy front end ride that will wallow on bumps. I am installing new front struts and WS6 front springs this weekend.

I would really not recommend running V6 springs on a V8 car. The rake looks cool but the ride is unbalanced, with so much weight over the nose wallowing over bumps with the light springs. It's not a horrendouse ride but it is not what you want on a performance car. The only thing this setup would be good for is 1/4 mile drag racing, since the light springs would transfer weight to the rear better. They certainly won't help cornering.

Please note these are only 15" wheels in the photo! 225/60/15 fronts, 235/60/15 rears.

Here you go!
http://members.aol.com/bondospecial/.../finished6.jpg

MrDude_1

if you have an iron V8, you wont like the V6 springs up front for handling..

the RS V8 springs have sufficent stiffness for the V8, but they retain a.... not very harsh ride..

for a "plush" ride, you could get berlinetta springs.....

vorgath

I was considering not stock V6 springs, but with half or a full coil cut, together with Koni Yellows.

firstfirebird

iTrader: (3)

Hmmm, I have a V6 car....with a V6 in it and I have all those same problems!
Does anybody make ramps that are low enough?