[66sprint6]

That front one seems like a great idea and an easy upgrade. I've heard of people having fitment issues with the rear braces, stuff not lining up, etc. These QA1 ones are adjustable.


https://www.ebay.ca/itm/QA1-5283-Adj...53.m1438.l2649

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by OG68

You may want to call LEE to have your original steering gear upgraded for a tighter torsion bar. I have a 30# bar in my ElCo and its the next best thing to manual steering on the highway while still providing assist at low speeds.
They are pricy though. About $450 to upgrade and overhaul my Grand Cherokee box.

The 600 boxes our host sells are about $550.

.

[torqhead]

I've made progress on this project, but wanted to get some additional input. Decided to go with a LEE's 12:1 steering gear box and SC&C stage II setup that includes upper and lower ctrl arms and replacing the spindle with one that's about 1 1/2 " taller stock ride height, new springs and dual adj shocks up front. Since everything else is new was thinking of going with a new centerlink, tie rods and idler arm. Anyone have experience with the summit package?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/a...tiac/model/gto

[torqhead]

Thought I would provide an update on my progress. I've got the rear end upgrades complete that includes Currie lowers and QA1 adj upper control arms, Hellswig sway bar and springs. Ready to attack the front and found after disassembly the drivers side lower part of the A frame mount weld and frame cracked, on to that detour...

[torqhead]

Been a few months and have the car together running with new springs, etc. Car handle's great but I found the knobs on the dual adjustable shocks were binding against the springs. I took a pic of looking straight up into the spring cavity, see pic. Is this normal for an A-body frame for the drivers side, shock hole is more towards the outside of the frame. Is this how they all were off center from spring mount area?

I was told the knobs on the shock are supposed to point towards the outside but turned them around opposite and looks like they've got a lot more clearance.

[Tom Vaught]

Trying to figure out why all of the weld on the suspension arm.

Factory arms do not look like that. Did someone mod the upper control arm mount at some point? The 1st gen Camaros had the Guilstrade mod done to them for better handling by the racers.

Tom V.

[torqhead]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

Trying to figure out why all of the weld on the suspension arm.

Factory arms do not look like that. Did someone mod the upper control arm mount at some point? The 1st gen Camaros had the Guilstrade mod done to them for better handling by the racers.

Tom V.

This is a pic of the frame looking straight up into the spring hole. It hasn't been modified, but repaired. The weld from front to back that connected the drivers side frame to the cross frame that travels under the engine had to be re-welded as well as noted in the pic.

[1968GTO421]

Am subscribing although its an old thread but with GREAT info. Thanks to all who contributed.

[torqhead]

As noted in a previous post my new expensive dual adjustable Varishocks got damaged due to rubbing against the springs. I turned them around so the knobs faced center and on the drivers side, the top of the shock got buggered up rubbing on the spring. I took some measurements from the spring to the wall of the outside of the frame and found the drivers side gap was 11/16" and the passenger side was 5/8" gap. This explained to me at least why the drivers side was worse than the passenger.

Well it appears my factory top shock mount hole is what's causing the issues. You can see in the previous pic how far off center where the spring sets it is.

So this is what I've sketched out as the plan (see attached pics)...The red dot is where I'm thinking is the best and centered as close as possible where the spring sets. The blue rectangle on top I'm thinking I will need to cut out of the gusset to make room for the bushing on top of the shock. Do you think this will create any issues with strength? I would assume it would be ok.
Also I plan to add a washer noted by the blue circle around the red dot for the rubber bushing on the bottom side up in the spring hole so there is even metal all around it for the shock bushing to press against. Does this make sense? I was thinking I would make these modifications first and wouldn't worry about welding up the original hole until later after I proved all is good and test drive. Thoughts?

[JLMounce]

Shock loading is comparatively minimal. However what you may want to do is weld a plate to cover the existing mount, then drill your new hole. The lamination should help and you also don't have an issue where you may break through and elongate the existing shock mount.

[torqhead]

Originally Posted by JLMounce

Shock loading is comparatively minimal. However what you may want to do is weld a plate to cover the existing mount, then drill your new hole. The lamination should help and you also don't have an issue where you may break through and elongate the existing shock mount.

Yeah, I thought about that. Trying to weld a plate on the bottom side I don't think I could do and if I do it on top I think it would be harder to hide the modification. Still pondering, might be best to weld that hole closed to ensure I don't break through and elongate from the get go....

[torqhead]

I made the mod referenced in post 29 to my car, but only did the drivers side. Moving the top of the shock to the new position definitely made a big difference, but there is no way there's sufficient clearance at the bottom to install varishocks with those adjusters at the bottom and pointed to the outside of the vehicle. I don't believe there is an A-body you could safely use double adjustable's pointing the knobs outbound.. If you look at the lower control arm the mounting for the bottom of the shock is not centered and more towards the outside of the lower control arm and puts it right next to the spring.

Since I had to keep the knobs turned in anyway, I validated I had sufficient clearance on the passenger side and it did not require the mod.

In the end this mod needs to be considered if you have a wide body shock, it's not about only the varishock adjusters since I was experiencing bindingI

This winter I'll weld up the hole and knock it down so it looks factory.