67 Firebird Rear Leafs. . .1.5" or 3" Drop

[atomicjoe23]

I'm getting ready to order new rear leafsprings for my 1967 Firebird (400 Pontiac engine/TH400 tranny) and I was wondering if I should go with the 1.5" or 3" drop leaf springs.

I haven't decided which brand yet. . .between DSE, Hotchkis, or Global West.

The car will see some street driving, but my goals are autocross and road course track driving. . .I have a set of coil springs I picked out after reading on the Pozzi Racing web page(I think they are the ones for Blazers. . .I can't remember which part number they are off the top of my head, but they are substantially shorter than stock and substantially stiffer), a 1 1/8" solid front anti-sway bar (Hellwig. . .I can't remember the rate off the top of my head), Kore 3 C5/C6 GM big brake kits front and rear, Koni shocks front/rear, solid aluminum body mounts, and Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings all around. . .this is my starting point for my first season of autocross. . .I will be adding tubular upper and lower control arms and switching to coilover shocks I nthe future once I get some driving time under my belt.

I will post the front coil spring and front anti-sway bar rates after I get home and can check them.

I just don't want to end up too low vs. the front and it looking weird. . .or affecting the handling.

Thanks for the help/suggestions!!!

[TheJDMan]

Have you looked at RideTech composite leaf springs?

http://www.ridetech.com/store/1967-1969-camaro-streetgrip-composite-leaf-springs-pair.html

[atomicjoe23]

I had not. . .they are a little more expensive than the DSE or Hotchkis Springs. . .more on the price point of the Global West Cat5 leaf springs or the DSE complete spring kit (springs, shackles, bushings, and shocks). . .

. . .I already have new shocks, bushings, and shackles. . .plus I don't plan on keeping the leaf sprung more than a year or two once my driving improves to the point that I feel I need to improve the rear suspension I will be looking at either a 3-link with a Watt's linkage or a 4-link.

What about drop. . .I did a search and I think the general consensus has been to go with the 3" drop springs, but I just wanna double check.

Thanks for pointing out the Ridetech springs. . .I didn't even know about them.

[Rod P]

I used 1.5 inch leafs and then I used different thickness lowering blocks (1"..1-1/4, 1-1/5) to tune the car at autocross events..the lower the car the more push/traction, the higher the car the better it rotates on tight corners.....the base setting was the 1.5 leaf with the 1inch block, and I changed block after a few runs if needed


http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx162/crazyshopmonkey/2013%20ridetech-hotchkis%20upgrades/IMG_0449_zps76dc509f.jpg

[atomicjoe23]

Thanks Rod. . .I that sounds like a good way to go for what I want to accomplish right now.

Better to be a little high and be able to lower it slightly than be too low and potentially not be able to fix it.