want to lift my car or at least get it back to stock height!

[2dooreighty5]

I have a 85 caprice that is riding pretty low and I want to try and fit some rims on it.. What should I do to raise the suspension? Shocks... Springs... Lift spindles? I heard u can use chevy truck springs? And Ideas guys?

[manicmechanix]

I think using non-stock spring to change your ride height can really throw off your alignment. The proper way to do it is lift spindles, but if they don't keep your scrub radius the same, that will be off. It's not the end of the world though because different diameter wheels could change the scrub radius too. Too get your ride back to stock height you probably just need new stock springs and new shocks.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by 2dooreighty5

I have a 85 caprice that is riding pretty low and I want to try and fit some rims on it.. What should I do to raise the suspension? Shocks... Springs... Lift spindles? I heard u can use chevy truck springs? And Ideas guys?

if these springs are the OEM springs instaled in 1985 these are in need of replacing...

the forum here has this info in the other posts on what springs to use...you do want to get the height corrected to the proper spec..

the use of the HD / 9c1 springs will increase the height to the correct amount, and last a long time...this is the tow pkg/HD option..

the stock standard springs are soft and after a few years of use on bad roads and or operation with cheap oem / worn shocks rapidly cause your issue..


you must replace all 4 springs,,you need the spring rates to be the same...

[deesandvees]

Is this Favre's homie? If so you know me.

[2dooreighty5]

yea whats up bro... my car is going into paint tomorrow! i did hella work to the motor over the summer but i wanna get it riding right and get some 22's on her for next summer....any advice for that.... also whats good with the 87

[Blt2Lst]

Originally Posted by 2dooreighty5

get some 22's on her for next summer

22's on an 85, I don't get it , call me old school.

[2dooreighty5]

i like the vogue and craggier look too but i think big wheels make the car look small which is a cool look....maybe i wont do them im not even sure one thing i do know is i hate engine work and im ready to cruz next summer

[deesandvees]

I know 20's will fit on a Caprice with out modifying nothing. I say go with the Vogues and some clean 15's. Nothing will ride smoother, I hate how riding on big rims feels. It's just a trend anyway I say. Might as well get a honda and cut the springs and take out the struts.
What color you painting it? I'm planning on stripping mine down sometime this winter so it'll be ready for paint and that new vinyl top in the Spring. Nothing else much new with it, just been going through the motions to get this trani to operate properly since I made the mistake of using a trani shop that has no idea what the hell they're doing when it comes to a 700r4.

[deesandvees]

I redid my front suspension when I did my motor, new bushings everywhere, balljoints, and Bilstein shocks (Bilstein's in the rear too, but waiting to replace all bushings etc when I redo the rear end). That makes the car feel like new when you're cruisin the town.

[2dooreighty5]

im painting it the same color with some metalic flakes and all the pin striping it came with in 85... ye i might end up doing the vogue look but there so pricey these days plus i would only ride cragar spokes if i did daytons and those are hard to find.... didnt your homey with the cutlass ride cragar spokes

[deesandvees]

Originally Posted by 2dooreighty5

im painting it the same color with some metalic flakes and all the pin striping it came with in 85... ye i might end up doing the vogue look but there so pricey these days plus i would only ride cragar spokes if i did daytons and those are hard to find.... didnt your homey with the cutlass ride cragar spokes

Yah he had Cragars, not the real deal Texas style but Cragars, I think they're the same as the one's Favre had. That Cutlass is at my house now, swapping the 260 for a 350 Rocket. It's almost ready.

[2dooreighty5]

Yea bummer that Brett sold his car... But what can you do... Anyway that's tight your doing the cutty up! Always liked that dudes are but hadent seen it in a while...u should give me a hand with this suspension shit or atleast show me what's what... I'm gonna do new springs and shocks and I guess bushings... What's going on with your tranny... Bad shop huh

[2dooreighty5]

Your not running a belt powered fan are u??? Also aparently immgonna need a camshaft soon... I might just have to up grade to a 350 cuz I heard doing a camshaft is just about the same amount of work

[deesandvees]

Yah belt powered fan, I'm not trying to shave miliseconds off in the quarter mile or nothing. I'd get a 350 if I was you but it's a lot more work than just changing your camshaft. All you got to do to do that is pull the intake manifold off.
What did you do with that motor this summer? 305 right? I was impressed with Favre's 305's power when I drove it. For being stock it shit on the 302 Fords I've had in the past.

[2dooreighty5]

i did new edelbrock intake and carb rebuild...basically everything except camshaft and heads and shit....yea it halls ass but one cylinder i think isnt perfect do to camshaft...