71 Skylark, best upgrades but needs to look close to original.

Added a shopping list to the first post
What do you think?

 

Any sugestions on what number I should go for when I eventualy do the front end alignment?

 

I finely got some work done on my wife's Skylark.
I put on the rear boxed lower control arms, rear frame braces, umi rear sway bare, umi front sway bare, tall upper ball joints and Jeep GC steering box. I still have to do the front end alinement. But I have done a couple of test drives with it, and it is amazing how big the difference is when it comes to the steering. I feels like a totally different car. It is like driving a much newer car. I had a couple of friends try it as well, and they could not believe how good the steering was on that old car.
I can't wait to get new tiers on it and get the front end alinement done
This are the numbers I should look for according to Ramey at UMI: 2 deg caster, 1/4 deg neg chamber and 1/18 toe in.

HD

 

Very nice. Any pictures? How did the offset shafts work out?

As for the alignment specs, I'd go with as much positive caster as you could safely get without an excessive shim pack and a little more negative camber, maybe a 1/2 to 1 degree. It will make it that much more like a newer car.

 

No pictures yet. I hope to have the rims finished painted during this week. So I will take some pictures when they are one the car.
I have skipped the offset shafts for now. I want to se how the numbers work out without them. If I can't get close to the suggested numbers, I will order the right away

 

How did you like the tall ball joints? They work out as planned?

 

The ball joints are Proforged and look like a quality product...(not that I am an expert or anything)......, and fitment where perfect.
I won't know what improvement they will give me before I get the front end adjusted. That will happen Wednesday next week.

 

Here is a picture of the Jeep GC box with Lee rag joint and adapter kit to use original hoses, and of the front sway bare. Sorry the pictures are not the best ones.

 

Ah, that looks good. I think you'll be very happy with it for quite a while. The Proforged tall ball joints are a quality piece.

 

After $250, two hours, alot of arguing and complaining from shop that the car was to old to worke on, i finly got some alingment number. What do you think?

 

Had to put up a fight? That's a pretty bad attitude for a shop to take when the customer comes in with specific requests and certain knowledge! If that's the best you can get, it will still be better than the factory settings.

Good luck.

 

I don't think they knew wat they were doing. They hadent adjusted whit shims before. So I kinda had to explain it to them. I also had to bring my own shims
I think I can get bether numbers, but they did not want to try anymore and they said that they did't have time....
The numbers I had when i started was not that bad, but I could feel the diference when I took it for a ride when they were done. I still have rims with the wrong offset, so the car still keeps tracking the rode. But it is better than it use to be. I look forvard to try it with the rally wheels when they come back from painting. But that wont be before in 5 weeks. I had to go to worke in the Caribbean.

 

Got the rims and tiers on. It rides good and no rubbing

 

Very nice build. Wife should be happy to drive that around

Was in Norway a few years back. Great country, nice people, great scenery and lots of "rally" roads

 

Those Poncho Rally wheels look good on your 'lark. We got 'em here in Aus on our Holdens back in the day.
Looks like you got negative camber & 2 deg positive castor if I read the sheet right. And those tall ball joint are going to help the camber curve too.

 

If you want to see the best! Google "no longer losing" and check out Very Few II. It's a six page article in Hemmings Muscle Machines May of 08.
It pretty much tells & shows everything John did to it. It's a brand new 43 year old Buick!!

Sam

 

I managed to get my hands on a front disc kit incl booster, master and everything for a good price. So that will be one of the upcoming winter projects.

The kit came with 2" drop spindles. I am not sure if I should use them or not. I have a new set off stock spindles I can use if not. But then again the car might look cool lowered 2" more......

Anyone tryed to put on 2" drop spindles when the car already have 1" drop springs?

HD