[Chilly]

I'm looking to get new rear springs for my 66 but not sure what ride height I should get. Mine currently has a 3-leaf spring so I'm not sure where my ride height is now compared to original.

I'm looking for the rear wheel well height measurement of an original 66 coupe. Please include tire size because I know that can make a difference in height.

Mine is currently at 23 inches with a 235/60/15 tire. I'm looking to make it an inch lower.

Thanks
Chris

 

[Chilly]

Giving this a bump up.

Maybe someone with a 66 or 67 will find a tape measure.

Appreciate the help.

 

[JIMS63s]

One inch lowering blocks placed between the diff spring perch and the top of the spring and the rear of your car will be one inch lower without replacing the springs. You may need longer u-bolts if your current ones are too short.

 

[Nova Thug]

Novasourse has chassis dimensions from the rocker to ground.

Front - 8.0”
Rear - 7.5”

NovaResource - Nova Dimensions

 

[Nova Thug]

Also, you can reference chassis specifications from the 1967 Fisher Body Manual section 3-5.

1967 FISHER BODY MANUAL.pdf

drive.google.com

 

[Redrider66SS]

Novasourse has chassis dimensions from the rocker to ground.

Front - 8.0”
Rear - 7.5”

NovaResource - Nova Dimensions

i looked at the dimensions from the link you gave for the 66. an notice that a 66 coupe sat lower than an SS. that is strange as they are both the same model except for trim.

 

[Chilly]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Jim - Thanks for including the lower blocks. I'm thinking of getting calvert springs as well since I bought the caltracs. I figure they would go good together. I'm planning on hitting the track when it finally opens.

Nova Thug - Thanks for the links. I saw the dimensions on nova resource bought wanted to get numbers from others. My car is inches above the rocker numbers they have listed. It sits a little high in the back but the front seems pretty low. I'll take a look at the body manual as well to see what it has for dimensions.

 

[Nova Thug]

Pictures of your ride height and suspension would be helpful for us to help you figure out what’s going on with your car..

 

[Chilly]

I don't have many pictures so this isn't going to help much. I'm not looking for a full revamp of my ride height at this point. I'm just looking to get the back down an inch since the front is 2 inches lower. It has a TCI front clip so I can adjust the front height easily. Since I was going to get new springs I wanted some real world numbers of my height compared to others. This way I can decide on stock height or minus 1 springs. I also have drag radials for the back so disregard my white letter mismatch at this time.

 

[Pragmatist]

Novasourse has chassis dimensions from the rocker to ground.

Front - 8.0”
Rear - 7.5”

NovaResource - Nova Dimensions

Does anyone have pics of this being measured?

 

[Nova Thug]

The SS cars came with the optional 14” wheels while others came on 13” wheels.

i looked at the dimensions from the link you gave for the 66. an notice that a 66 coupe sat lower than an SS. that is strange as they are both the same model except for trim.

 

[Nova Thug]

I don't have many pictures so this isn't going to help much. I'm not looking for a full revamp of my ride height at this point. I'm just looking to get the back down an inch since the front is 2 inches lower. It has a TCI front clip so I can adjust the front height easily. Since I was going to get new springs I wanted some real world numbers of my height compared to others. This way I can decide on stock height or minus 1 springs. I also have drag radials for the back so disregard my white letter mismatch at this time.

I think that you need to look at what has been done to the rear of the car to get it to the height it’s at currently and decide what needs to be undone to get the 1” drop you are after. Longer shackles, add-a- leafs, deeper arched leaf springs, air shocks, and coil over helper shocks are all strategies employed to lift the rear of the cars back in the day. If all you want to do is drop it an inch find out which methods were implemented and reduce the height by removing that which is causing the lift..

My 64 had stock mono leafs with longer shackles, air shocks and taller rear tires when I bought it. It now has stock shackles, KYB Gas-AJust shocks, de-arched leaf springs, and a lower profile rear tire..

Before and after.

 

[Chilly]

Thanks Nova Thug for your comments. It must just have deeper arch springs because everything else looks normal. I want the car an 1 lower, but I was really planning on getting the calvert split-mono springs. So I guess I'll start with a normal ride height and see how that works. At least I can adjust those springs if needed.

Your car looks great. I like the low look. I would do that with mine but living in MA we have terrible roads and I would be hitting the headers all the time. I had that issue with other cars.

 

[Nova Thug]

My car really isn’t that low. I have not had any conflicts with pavement, driveway ramps, or loading on a trailer..

 

[JIMS63s]

Hey Chilly, I have the 1" lowering Calvert springs in my 63 sedan. Top of fender opening is 1" higher than the top of my 15" wheel. You can see in Thug's picture, his is lower than mine. I love the caltracs and springs, ride is firm but not harsh and it hooks perfect at the track. 10.29 @ 130.

 

[Chilly]

Nova Thug - your car looks great. You are making me rethink dropping my car and not just the back. I'll have to see what I have for clearance.

Jim - thanks for the information. I have been doing a lot of reading on the calvert springs and it seems like a lot of people like them. My only issue I was concerned with was the noise level with using the aluminum bushings in the front. After reading a bunch it seems like its not a big deal. I was also looking at getting the global west del-a-lum bushing/shackle kit for the back. Your car runs good. I'm hoping for high 11's with mine.

 

[JIMS63s]

These are the only springs I've had since my build so I can't compare to stock but I have no noise issues. I do have Dynamat plus carpet on my floors though.

 

[JIMS63s]

Just noticed your comment on shackle bushings. Calvert gives you a polyurethane rear bushing kit with the springs. I used them with my stock shackles, nice and stable at speed.

 

[Chilly]

Thats good to know about the shackle bushings. Does the poly bushings squeak at all? The TCI front end has a bunch of sqeaks and I'm guessing its the poly bushings. I also did my old fox body front end with all new A-arms and poly bushings. I lubed the crap out of it and it squeaks like crazy. The roads by my house are very bumpy and you drive about 20mph, all I hear is the sqeaks. Drives me nuts.

 

[bpb6602]

Thats good to know about the shackle bushings. Does the poly bushings squeak at all? The TCI front end has a bunch of sqeaks and I'm guessing its the poly bushings. I also did my old fox body front end with all new A-arms and poly bushings. I lubed the crap out of it and it squeaks like crazy. The roads by my house are very bumpy and you drive about 20mph, all I hear is the sqeaks. Drives me nuts.

Hey Chilly, I have the poly bushings on my 66 and had the same problem with squeaks so I took it apart and put a small bit of lithium white grease on all the mating surfaces of the bushings, problem solved. I did this 4 years ago and still is quiet.