How do you lower a '62 besides bags?

Discussion in 'Classic Buicks' started by Nik, Jun 15, 2009.

  1. Nik

    Nik Member

    I've been trying to find an economical way to lower my 1962 Lesabre, but keep coming up short. No one seems to make a dropped coil spring anywhere I have checked, and I can find dropped spindles for a 62 Impala, butno luck on a Buick. I hate to spend the kind of money running air bags cost, but I haven't found any other way. Do you guys have any suggestions or ideas?
    Thanks.
     
  2. buford27

    buford27 '57 Special

  3. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    There are sources for dropped coil springs. I found a few companies when I was looking a few months back. Usually they just list stock replacement springs, but if you call and talk to them you can usually order them with up to a 3in drop.

    I'll have to dig threw some paperwork and see if I can come up with some names.

    Otherwise an Air Ride setup would be pretty slick.

    EDIT: Sean beat me to it. Those are the companies that he reccomended to me when I was asking.
     
  4. Nik

    Nik Member

    Thanks for the info on Jamco, that was one place I never called. If I remember right, I did call Eaton and was told they olny made taller then stock or stock springs for the '62.

    Hey CameoInvicta, do you have any side pics of yours? What drop did you end up going with? If it was 3" in the front, did you have any alignment problems? What size wheels are you running?

    Thanks again,
    Nik
     
  5. BuickBorracho

    BuickBorracho Active Member

  6. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    I never ended up ordering any. I blew out the front seal on my trans, so that kinda took the attention away from the springs. I planned on going 2in front and rear.

    I had ordered some 17in American Racing Torqlites from a local supplier, but just recently was told he can't get them and was refunded. I'll probably just order them from Summit or Jegs. I ordered 17x8 with 4.5in BS for the rear and 17x7 with 4in BS for the front. I wanted to have a little sidewall so I was going to run a 255/50/17 in the rear and a 235/55/17 in the front. I might hold off on the wheels for now though, gotta pulll the motor and trans first anyway.

    And I did just email the site Manny listed. We'll see what they say.
     
  7. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    Just got a response from a guy named Kevin. For 2in drop springs, it's $186.75 for a front pair and $176.40 for a rear pair, so $363.15 for a set.
     
  8. WoodysHotRods

    WoodysHotRods Active Member

    I ordered the 63-65 Riviera 3 inch drop kit from Jamco Suspension on Ebay. It has springs and shocks. I checked replacement spring part numbers for the Riviera and LeSabre and they both showed the same number so I figured the Riv kit would work. It came out excellent. It rides awesome. This is the only pic I have so far. I think it was around $475 or so shipped.

    [​IMG]
     
  9. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    Woody, your '62 looks fantastic! Care to share the wheel specs?
     
  10. WoodysHotRods

    WoodysHotRods Active Member

    Thanks! The wheels are Billet Specialties High Boys. The rear is a 20x10 with 5.5 inch backspacing and a 275/35/20 tire. The fronts had to be re-made and aren't here yet. They will be 18x8 with 4.75 backspacing and a 225/45/18 tire. It will steer lock to lock and not rub.
     
  11. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    Any suspension mods, or are those bolt in sizes? I didn't think I'd be able to get anything that wide under the rear of the car.
     
  12. WoodysHotRods

    WoodysHotRods Active Member

    It's so close in the rear. Anything larger will not fit. They had a heck of a time getting the exhaust routed behind the axle. They did it though. I made no other modifications other than the new springs, shocks and exhaust.
     
  13. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the info. After seeing your pics I've changed my mind on what rim size I want to run. Now I think I'm going for 17x8's in the front and 17x9's in the rear. You said your running a 17x8 with 4.75in BS on the front. Do you think 4.5in or 5.25in BS would work? Those are the only BS dimensions available in the rims I'm looing at.
     
  14. WoodysHotRods

    WoodysHotRods Active Member

    Out of those 2 choices I would go with the 4.5 BS on the front. The 5.25 would be too much.
     
  15. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    That's what I figured. I'll have to go out and measure at some point, but I won't have access to my car for another couple of days.

    Thanks for the info Woody. Got any other pics of your '62?
     
  16. Nik

    Nik Member

    Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!!. Your car has the look nailed. What was Jamco's i.d. on ebay, do you remember? I'm going to have to order the same kit and get it put on.

    Will a set of wheels that are 17"x8" with 4" b.s. work on these cars? I wasn't going for the big and little set up, just wanted something I could switch back and forth with my C10 if need be.
     
  17. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    You can actually just order the same kit off their website. There is a link listed above.
     
  18. Nik

    Nik Member

    The one I saw on Jamco was 63-70 so I thought maybe he got a different kit. I found them on ebay listed under jamcosuspension, duh, I didn't think it would be that easy. LOL
     
  19. WoodysHotRods

    WoodysHotRods Active Member

    You can go with the 17X8 but if you go too low you have to be careful not to clip the fender lip.
     
  20. Nik

    Nik Member

    Woody, are you talking the front or rear lips? Would a 3" drop be too much, maybe a 2" instead? this Buick is going to be my daily when it's done, that's one of the reasons for the switchable wheels.
    Thanks,
    Nik

    Got anymore pics of your car?????
     

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