Old Chevelles
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This site is completely free and there are no costs. Please enjoy and provide feedback.New purchase…preferred Suspension kit
- Thread starter riki7s
- Start date
Nice looking car. Mine is stock suspension so I can’t comment other than having read a lot on the topic, UMI is a highly regarded company.
Also Global West, Hotchkiss and Detroit Speed.
Also Global West, Hotchkiss and Detroit Speed.
You can get really good handling by just upgrading the stock components.
Or you can get a little bit better than that by buying an expensive kit for a few thousand $$$.
Here's what I did
Chevelle Suspension mods
I went the conventional route (cheap).
Use 1" lowering springs (these assume you have a BBC)
BMR 1" LOWERING SPRING KIT - RED (67-72 A-BODY) SP030
KYB mono tube shocks
Addco sway bars 1-1/4 front
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/opg-rp0170114/make/chevrolet/model/chevelle/year/1967
1" rear
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/opg-addc939/make/chevrolet/model/chevelle/year/1967
Kit for boxing rear control arms; do this before installing rear sway bar
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...KHAoUOk8OjDZeOufzcev5vkLHuXL1O1BoCLLcQAvD_BwE
1992-98 Grand Cherokee steering box for fast modern feel : $200 to $300 from RockAuto rebuilt or new
I also installed all new Moog rubber bushings in the front and rear. New ball joints too.
Or you can get a little bit better than that by buying an expensive kit for a few thousand $$$.
Here's what I did
Chevelle Suspension mods
I went the conventional route (cheap).
Use 1" lowering springs (these assume you have a BBC)
BMR 1" LOWERING SPRING KIT - RED (67-72 A-BODY) SP030
KYB mono tube shocks
Addco sway bars 1-1/4 front
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/opg-rp0170114/make/chevrolet/model/chevelle/year/1967
1" rear
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/opg-addc939/make/chevrolet/model/chevelle/year/1967
Kit for boxing rear control arms; do this before installing rear sway bar
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...KHAoUOk8OjDZeOufzcev5vkLHuXL1O1BoCLLcQAvD_BwE
1992-98 Grand Cherokee steering box for fast modern feel : $200 to $300 from RockAuto rebuilt or new
I also installed all new Moog rubber bushings in the front and rear. New ball joints too.
Everything Nashville said x 2.
I said mine is stock but not entirely. I have quicker ratio box out of a Monte SS, boxed my rear lower control arms, 1 5/16 in front sway bar and 1 in rear. I also have Hotchkiss 1 in lower spring in the rear. In the front many years ago I put in heavier front springs. For now I just cut a 1/2 coil off them because the car sat too high but I might need to go more or just buy new springs.
I also went with KYB shocks. I’ve never heard anyone who wasn’t impressed with Bilstein but it just wasn’t in the budget.
Only thing I wanted to add as a cheap upgrade ( as compared with tubular front A arms) is taller ball joints. They make tallers for the top and bottom. Supposed Chevelles have shorter spindle height that affects cambering. Taller ball joints help correct that and only cost a bit more than stocks ones as I recall.
I said mine is stock but not entirely. I have quicker ratio box out of a Monte SS, boxed my rear lower control arms, 1 5/16 in front sway bar and 1 in rear. I also have Hotchkiss 1 in lower spring in the rear. In the front many years ago I put in heavier front springs. For now I just cut a 1/2 coil off them because the car sat too high but I might need to go more or just buy new springs.
I also went with KYB shocks. I’ve never heard anyone who wasn’t impressed with Bilstein but it just wasn’t in the budget.
Only thing I wanted to add as a cheap upgrade ( as compared with tubular front A arms) is taller ball joints. They make tallers for the top and bottom. Supposed Chevelles have shorter spindle height that affects cambering. Taller ball joints help correct that and only cost a bit more than stocks ones as I recall.
I've always felt that coilovers are nice for adjustibility, but are very pricey and don't ride as smooth as full coil springs.
I would do a TKX 5 speed and vintage ac before spending big bucks on the suspension.
But everyone has different priorities.
Derek69SS
Veteran Member
My recommendation on suspension is UMI and Viking stuff through my buddy Justin at Vector Force Industries.
www.vectorforceindustries.com
You'll see my car on his page. We run together a lot with 2 of the fastest autocross A-bodies in the country.
Vector Force Industries- Your Guiding Direction and Parts Source
Welcome to Vector Force Industries, where precision engineering meets a passion for learning and high-performance solutions. At VFI help to educate, consult, and supply solutions to our customers to fit their requirements and needs.
www.vectorforceindustries.com
You'll see my car on his page. We run together a lot with 2 of the fastest autocross A-bodies in the country.
New here, but have had my Chevelle for more than 40 years (second owner). I have put well over 400,000 miles on the car (driven daily for more than 25 years). This is a street driven car, not a track car, although it may do OK on a track but too much work doing auto cross.
First Set up: Stock springs and purchased 'HO Suspension' 1.5" and 1.25" sway bars. This was a very good set up. The car handled wash-board in corners without skipping or dancing around. This was a great set up in the San Gabriel mountain roads and with about 300 hp and a T-350, you could really put power down going through corners. I managed to capture 3 sets of these and added them to my Elco and 2 door wagon.
Second set up: Added those BLACK poly bushings to the A-arms and trailing arms. Within 6 months, I was on new rubber bushings. For the rear, I did an old school trick, pressed 16d nails in the rear bushings, huge improvement.
Third set up: With added power and a 700R-4, I also pulled the frame, added gussets on the rear upper cross member for the suspension and boxed the frame rails before powder coating the frame. I went with Hotchkis sway bars and Global West A-Arms and trailing arms and springs. I trimmed the fronts to bring it down about 1.25" and had the rears 're-sprung' to lower the rear about the same. The best part of this set up is the de-alum bushings. You hit a pot hole and the suspension just tracks, no hard bang on the car, no un-wanted steering input, just plain tracks well.
I will say, if I were going to change anything, I might consider a slightly softer spring and larger sway bars.
First Set up: Stock springs and purchased 'HO Suspension' 1.5" and 1.25" sway bars. This was a very good set up. The car handled wash-board in corners without skipping or dancing around. This was a great set up in the San Gabriel mountain roads and with about 300 hp and a T-350, you could really put power down going through corners. I managed to capture 3 sets of these and added them to my Elco and 2 door wagon.
Second set up: Added those BLACK poly bushings to the A-arms and trailing arms. Within 6 months, I was on new rubber bushings. For the rear, I did an old school trick, pressed 16d nails in the rear bushings, huge improvement.
Third set up: With added power and a 700R-4, I also pulled the frame, added gussets on the rear upper cross member for the suspension and boxed the frame rails before powder coating the frame. I went with Hotchkis sway bars and Global West A-Arms and trailing arms and springs. I trimmed the fronts to bring it down about 1.25" and had the rears 're-sprung' to lower the rear about the same. The best part of this set up is the de-alum bushings. You hit a pot hole and the suspension just tracks, no hard bang on the car, no un-wanted steering input, just plain tracks well.
I will say, if I were going to change anything, I might consider a slightly softer spring and larger sway bars.