I just picked up another boat for the collection. Its a 66 wildcat 4 door hardtop, original gold paint with gold interior, Has a 401 wildcat 445 motor. I got it for $400 out of a field where it had been sitting for 20-ish years. It was about to be junked, definitely a car most guys would part out. The quarters, trunk, lower fenders, and of course a few spots on the floor pans are rotted. The car has great patina though and I don't wanna pull it apart. Its complete and has a solid frame and what appears to be a good drive train. all the glass and trim is good as well. I have a 67 that's almost stock other than the Cragars, so this one I wanna drop a couple inches all around, clear coat it, throw the Buick rally's on it with some white walls, and do the interior up real nice. For the trunk I may even do a wood floor like the bed of a 50s pickup. I'll call it the WildRat. Here's the question. Can I buy a pair of rear lowering coils for this car? I was also curious if I could use rear coils from a lighter gm car? I'm not about to sink 3 grand into an air ride setup on this thing, It's a budget cruiser. Just a fun cheap project to give this thing a second life! Any advice is helpful. Thanks!
Use the search function, there is a discussion on point, the OP had I believe a 62 he wanted to lower. There are lowering springs available, and compatible shocks. Or just heat em, that's what was done to mine and it really doesn't ride that bad.
Every time I see one of you American guys pick up cars for that amount of money, I just feel envy.. I car in that conditions would be ~$8000 in Denmark... I wouldn't use ligther springs, and probably wouldn't heat'em as well, but you can easily cut 1 or 2 coils of without problems.. I cut 2 coils away on my z28 Camaro, and that dropped the front 3"... Houmark
I have a similar car in a '65 2dr that sat for many years so I carefully got the drivetrain 'awake' again and it's now a good runner. I call it the Ratcat. After all the years, the coils were a bit less and after some driving they settled a bit more, so it lowered itself-good luck.
I would start by cutting 3/4 of a coil from the rear & 1/2-3/4 coil from the front & see where this brings you. Unless you wan to go more than an inch or two this is the way I would start. Going only an inch or two will not require shorter shocks in most instances. Replace the rubber bumper stops with poly. Tom T.
Front coils can be cut with a cutoff wheel simply enough, but if the rear springs are the "beehive" style like '67, I don't see how that could be done and still have them mount properly: Devon
