[i4abuygto]

1967 GTO Convertible --- Street daily driver - What do you recommend.
Tubular A-arms, Stock, or upgraded bushings in stock Control Arms?
I am asking your opinions here (instead of the suspension section) to refine my search to GTO guys with experience.
I currently have new stock bushings in front upper and lower a - arms.
I am reading that there are better camber options.
Is it worth it for a nice driver.
I put new stock bushings in the rear -- seemed to "sandwich" or smash the control arms a little -- will that matter with performance.
Should I go with upgraded bushings or tubular control arms in the rear, as well.
Thanks for your help.

[1967SC]

It depends on your budget.
New Upper and Lower arms can get get expensive.
They will improve the camber/castor,if thats what you're looking for.
I like the QA1 arms myself.

For just a street car,you would have to justify the cost.
If you're going to autocross,then yes

I went with the stock arms with poly bushings.

[Nicks67GTO]

Iv'e had everything from worn out stock to full SC&C Stage II suspension with Ridetech HQ shocks on my restomod/pro-touring '67 GTO in the last few years. There's a lot of info in my build thread if you care to poke through it. I can sum it up a bit if you want...

-A arms: The answer is yes and no. The A arms will make a huge difference in you cars handling and the car will absolutly be more fun to drive but it isn't cheap. If all you're going to do is parades and church driving then I wouldnt bother with the front A arms. If you like the beat on your stuff then yes its worth it. I have SPC A arms with the Howe Nascar screw in ball joints but I intend to auto X. UMI would probably be a great reasonable option and they have awesome reviews by the guys on PT.com. Now whatever you do....DO NOT BUY THE CHEAP CHINEESE EBAY ARMS.

-Rear control arms: They bind in stock applications. This is the cause of wheel hop and I would put a good set of aftermarket RCA's on a numbers matching RamAirIV car in a heartbeat. Buy RCA's {Rear control arms} with "roto joints or johnny joints" I would recommend Currie's RCA's but they are kind of expensive. An excellent reasonable option again would be some UMI arms with their roto joints. These are American made. These eliminate wheel hop and allow for full articulation that rubber and poly bushings dont give. I went from stock boxed rubber RCA's to some Edelbrock/QA1 RCA's I got cheap. This killed the wheel hop but I wasnt too impressed with the arms so I bought Currectrac RCA's. I am much happier with their construction and they are nice to look at too. My car went from a wheel hopping POS to planting hard and burning just changing them out. I have 0 wheel hop now just from the RCA swap.

- Sway bars directly help with feel, they will stop the "boat" feel in corners and on long sweeps. I went from a stock tiny 7/8" sway bar to a 1.25" solid WS6 sway bar to Hellwig front and rear hollow swaybars and they made a huge difference in my car at each step.

-Shocks are essential. Ive had worn out stock, brand new Monroe, Bilstiens, and Ridetech HQ's in my car. The Autozone Monroes are absolute ****. Pure dog****. I wouldnt put these on to roll my car out of the garage. I had them for a short period of time, lost some headers over a bump and bought Bilstiens. This was such a huge improvement it made me want to do the rest of the suspension and this is something I wouldnt hesitate to do at any level of restoration. The upgrade from Bilstiens to Ridetech wasnt as dramatic but it was still a nice improvement and now I have adjustability.

-Jeep Grand Cherokee Power steering box swap. This is the cheapest "awesome feel" mod you can do. For $100 bucks and 2 hours time you can go from crappy feeling 20:1 stock power steering to performance feeling 12.7:1 power steering. Its a bolt it deal, it looks pretty much stock and I would, again, do this one on a numbers matching RamAir IV car in a heartbeat. If you do a search on here I did a write up on the swap. If you google search it youll find all kinds of info. Its awesome.

The nice thing about your chassis is that you can do everything in pieces. I did it that way on purpose to realize what each individual component did as I added them and to help with the financial blow. I am 100% happy I did the chassis. Even if I was going to stay with 15" wheels I would do it again in a heartbeat. Again feel free to stroll through my build thread for lots of pics and info. Theres a link in my signature. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

[67GTONUT]

I will do a +1 to Nick's post..... because our cars are somewhat going the same path, but I admit, he is going to the next level up from me..... LOL

Mine is street driven..... aggressive.... but no plans to Auto-X

I have the UMI front control arms with the tall upper ball joints to correct the camber curve..
Bilstein Shocks

WS6 Front Sway Bar
UMI Extreme Rear Sway Bar
Generic Aftermarket Boxed rear control arms

Steering Box rebuilt and converted to Fast Ratio by Powersteering,com

Car is a complete hoot to drive...... Even on the 15" tires..... I have yet to throw the car hard enough into a corner to get the tires to give up.....
The car corners flat and neutral .....

Like Nick said.... if its a parade car..... I would just do stock rubber bushings in the stock arms, would not even bother with the poly.... chance of noise...

But if you drive the car... the right suspension can transform the car to something special...

[i4abuygto]

Nicks67gGTO, nice write up - thank you.

You guys are great- this is the kind of info, I am looking for. And yes, I was going to buy the ebay "cheapies".
I have my Jeep Grand Cherokee box already done. Picked it up for $20.00 and (although it seemed fine) I decided to re- seal it on my work bench. Just sitting in a box waiting for the build- I am excited to try it - Nicks67gGTO- thank you. I learned about the steering box upgrade by reading your earlier posts.
I wont lie, - cost is a big deal and the stock look used to be a big deal, but I will drive it and I will have fun with it and likely no parades.- I plan on their being a lot of "burnouts" at the ball field.
I am a weekend softball guy, no time for car shows and parades - just want to have fun getting to the ball diamond. I have been riding my Goldwing 1800 - soon I will have a choice - rag top or wheelies -- tough decision. Either way both will make my wife and I be bug eaters.
I want to do this right - most bang for the buck with performance that will be safe and fun.
I plan on the "hydro boost front brakes" with an after market disc setup and stock 14" rally IIs (mostly because those are the wheels that I have).
What springs and shocks?
I have heard that just adding the thicker sway bar to the front and one in the rear makes a BIG difference.

So, am I hearing here - stock front a- arms (rubber bushings) with upgraded rear control arms for more valued performance?. What about the factory add on traction bars that came with the stick cars?
Send me some links to what is good.
Thanks guys,
I will hang up and listen.

[geeteeohguy]

My 2 cents: both my GTO's have been street driven by me for over 30 years. During that time, I've replaced the front upper A arm bushings 3 times per car and one time for the rear trailing arms. The rears hold up well (stock rubber bushings) The fronts, not so much, mainly due to their close proximity to the exhaust manifolds. I did them last on both cars about 10 years ago, and they are now due again. This is a 'no fun' job that necessitates a wheel alignment afterward. This next time, I am going with polyurethane upper CA bushings on both cars, as I really don't want to do this again any time soon. Friends with Poly bushings in stock A arms have had good luck with them, and I have driven these cars and don't notice any additional harshness. So, my vote is stock A arms with upgraded bushings. Also, remember to tighten the bushing caps with the car on the ground and the suspension loaded. Otherwise, if the arms are hanging when the car is on a lift and you tighten them, the bushings will have a huge pre-load on them when you lower the car back down, and this can cause them to tear and wear out very quickly.

[i4abuygto]

Geeteeohguy,
Thank you,
I have installed new stock rubber bushings in the a- arms and have not put the car together yet. If I stay stock I will go with the new rubber bushings until they wear out. I just don't want to put the car together and wish that I had done it a different way.
If tubular - cost is a concern - how does a guy weigh the value difference?

[b-man]

What wheel and tire combo will you be running?

What kind of brakes, stock drum/drum, stock front disc/rear drum or something aftermarket?

The need for upgrading the front suspension with aftermarket tubular arms kind of depends on what the wheel/tire combo and braking system will be asking for.

Personally for my '64 LeMans convertible I am leaving the suspension all stock using rubber bushings, front brakes have been upgraded to factory 11" discs from '69 GP. I installed a 1-1/4" sway bar from a 2nd-gen T/A and 7/8" rear bar and factory boxed lower control arms. I also added a 1980 WS6 steering box, 3 turns lock to lock. I bought KYB gas shocks mostly because they were cheap, later on they might get swapped out for something a little less stiff. Will be running 14X6" steel wheels or swapping on some 14X6" Hurst wheels depending on the look I want, 215/70-14 tires. This is a pleasure cruiser, with upgraded factory braking and sway bars.

I totally went crazy on my '64 Tempest coupe with all aftermarket suspension, C6 Z06 brakes and 18X9" wheels. I wanted outstanding handling and braking, stopping well from high speeds was a priority. Details here: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=610357

My '64s both ride on the same basic frame/chassis as any other '64 -'67 A-body, so it has relevance here in the '66-'67 forums.

For a convertible I would say don't go crazy with suspension upgrades, these cars are very flexible and you don't want to overstress the body/frame structure. Going to urethane body to frame mounts would be a good idea to help stiffen and strengthen the car's body integrity. I would agree with the urethane bushings for the front control arms from a durability standpoint, will likely do the same to my car the next time around.

[i4abuygto]

B-man,
Thanks for the comments - disc brakes up front with hydro boost. More than likely 14" stock Rally IIs for rims- mostly because that is what I have. I was going to do disc brakes in the rear but have been convinced with hydro boost baking up front that the rear drums would be fine.
This is the first that I have heard about different body mounts??????
Send me more info. I have new stock mounts sitting there now- body isn't bolted down yet. Is the body mount upgrade a significant improvement?
Just when I thought I was close- more information to absorb and consider.
Thanks
Mark

[b-man]

Originally Posted by i4abuygto

B-man,
Thanks for the comments - disc brakes up front with hydro boost. More than likely 14" stock Rally IIs for rims- mostly because that is what I have. I was going to do disc brakes in the rear but have been convinced with hydro boost baking up front that the rear drums would be fine.
This is the first that I have heard about different body mounts??????
Send me more info. I have new stock mounts sitting there now- body isn't bolted down yet. Is the body mount upgrade a significant improvement?
Just when I thought I was close- more information to absorb and consider.
Thanks
Mark

Mark,

With your 14" wheels and tires I see no reason to buy any kind of aftermarket front control arms. Just go with a good set of bushings, ball joints and stiffer tubular aftermarket tie rod adjusting sleeves.

You could perhaps call and talk with Mark Savitske at SC&C http://scandc.com/new/ and see if it would be worth the trouble to install taller ball joints to improve the front end geometry. I'm not sure if spacing the control arms further away from the spindles with taller ball joints would move the ends of the control arms too close to the edge of the wheel rims or not, maybe Mark can tell you. This is concern with the somewhat small-diameter 14" wheel, not many people other than some of us who like the original look are using them anymore.

I replaced the old rubber mounts on my '64 Tempest coupe with Energy Suspension polyurethane mounts and it lowered the body by about 1/4", so be aware of that. Will be doing the same on my convertible in the near future.

Body mount install here: http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=580593

[i4abuygto]

B-Man,
Thank you for your advice and the nice write up and link. My body is completely loose right now so I can do most anything.
I currently have put new bushings in the front A - arms - I believe AC DELCO - it was many years ago that I pressed them in so I dont really remember. I just would have gone hight quality.
Do you recommend non stock bushings in the A- arms?
What is the biggest advantage to going with Energy Suspension polyurethane mounts?
I also have two sets of old school Crager SS 15" rims that I debated using. I think I more prefer the stock look - haven't decided yet.
I will call Mark at SC & C as you advise.
I also need brake and fuel lines.
Is our host the best value for these?
Thank you for your comments and help.
Mark

[ITSBACK]

Hey Guys,
I was going to put gas adjust shocks on my 67 GTO but after reading this post would you agree Bilstiens are the better way to go? I am stock A arms and trailing arms except for the QA1 adjustable uppers, all with polygraphite bushings. I also have a rear sway bar.I haven't ordered the shocks yet and will soon so based on others experience I will follow the advice. Mine will be just an agressive street car with occasional track time for fun.
Thank you.

[b-man]

Originally Posted by i4abuygto

B-Man,
Thank you for your advice and the nice write up and link. My body is completely loose right now so I can do most anything.
I currently have put new bushings in the front A - arms - I believe AC DELCO - it was many years ago that I pressed them in so I dont really remember. I just would have gone hight quality.
Do you recommend non stock bushings in the A- arms?
What is the biggest advantage to going with Energy Suspension polyurethane mounts?
I also have two sets of old school Crager SS 15" rims that I debated using. I think I more prefer the stock look - haven't decided yet.
I will call Mark at SC & C as you advise.
I also need brake and fuel lines.
Is our host the best value for these?
Thank you for your comments and help.
Mark

Mark,

I've used poly bushings in the front A-arms and would use them again, no problems with binding and they are more durable than rubber. The poly body mounts area huge plus for convertibles especially, they will add strength and stiffeness to the body/frame unit.

I'm sure PY is competitive in pricing, please support our forum sponsor if you can.

Bart

[Nicks67GTO]

Originally Posted by b-man

Mark,

I've used poly bushings in the front A-arms and would use them again, no problems with binding and they are more durable than rubber. The poly body mounts area huge plus for convertibles especially, they will add strength and stiffeness to the body/frame unit.

I'm sure PY is competitive in pricing, please support our forum sponsor if you can.

Bart

Another option on body mounts are the ABC Performance aluminum mounts and SC&C NVH isolaters. I run this setup with 0 squeaks or added NVH over the good rubber mounts I replaced when I swapped frames.

[Nicks67GTO]

Originally Posted by ITSBACK

Hey Guys,
I was going to put gas adjust shocks on my 67 GTO but after reading this post would you agree Bilstiens are the better way to go? I am stock A arms and trailing arms except for the QA1 adjustable uppers, all with polygraphite bushings. I also have a rear sway bar.I haven't ordered the shocks yet and will soon so based on others experience I will follow the advice. Mine will be just an agressive street car with occasional track time for fun.
Thank you.

Are you referring to KYBs? I have never ran them. Iv'e only read that they ride really rough and that people that went from them to Bilstiens were very happy they did so. With that said, I went from Monroes to Bilstiens and the improvement was huge. World changing. It was a completely different car at that point. I then went from Bilstiens to to Rideteh HQ's and the ride quality was even better yet, with easy adjust ability to boot.

[67GTONUT]

Originally Posted by ITSBACK

Hey Guys,
I was going to put gas adjust shocks on my 67 GTO but after reading this post would you agree Bilstiens are the better way to go? I am stock A arms and trailing arms except for the QA1 adjustable uppers, all with polygraphite bushings. I also have a rear sway bar.I haven't ordered the shocks yet and will soon so based on others experience I will follow the advice. Mine will be just an agressive street car with occasional track time for fun.
Thank you.

Bill,

Do the Bilstiens .... I had the KYB's , a great shock on a budget, but for long term the Bilstiens are awesome

You ever get up to NW NJ this year, I will take you for a ride in mine....