How low is low?

[Chevette]

I'm trying to determine the best ride height for my 56. I'm thinking one Budweiser/Vancouver Canucks beer can to the bottom of the rocker pan. But today I bolted the front fender on (temp) and it seems too high. I'm going to be using coilovers, so there won't be an easy adjustment as in an air system. Anyone have a ride height suggestion?

[parkwood]

what are you using for the front suspension? that will have a lot to do with how low it sit's...

[4DSEVEN]

Some things you may want to keep in mind are trying to keep your control arms close to parallel at ride height. Your headers are another factor especially going over speed bumps or pulling in to a driveway.

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by 4DSEVEN

Some things you may want to keep in mind are trying to keep your control arms close to parallel at ride height. Your headers are another factor especially going over speed bumps or pulling in to a driveway.

Yes. It's that speed bump issue that I'm concerned about. My lower control arms will be parallel at ride height. I'm running a C6 Z06 front suspension and all is mocked up but I want it low and need help determining what is too low since I'm not using an air system. Is anyone using coilovers in concert with low ride height and if so, how low? Thanks for the input.

[_Ogre]

i'm a little over 6'' static, i wouldn't want to any lower
i've rubbed the front bumper and one exhaust hanger (turned u-bolt around)



though it does look better on tall grass (10 days on the road during hrpt)

[OrrieG]

Depends on where you drive. My wife still remembers going to the store with the neighbors wife in his lowered 70 Challenger in the 80's and getting the headers and tranny crossmember high centered in the drive approach/sidewalk at a shopping center. As long as she drove across the diagonally it was ok, but the straight approach grabbed it. They are both pretty good looking (much more then) and didn't have any of the kids with them so a couple of cars of guys stopped and lifted the front enough for her to get it off. Car was beast 340. dual quad 4 speed with 4.56 rearend. Lightened and set up for street racing, it was her DD when hubby needed the mini van.

[Chevette]

Looks good Ogre. I'm at 4 7/8" now and at one time was thinking of maybe going with an air ride (shockwave) instead of the coilovers. If I did that I will have to cantilever the rear and run the shockwaves horizontal because there is no room for the shock/bag with the upper "a"arm configuration. I really don't want to do that, it looks too F1 ish. I've been debating this damn thing for a couple of years while collecting suspension parts, so I may have to put it low with coilovers, use Google maps to locate speed bumps and stay clear of them, haha.

[hotrod1]

I asked a lot of people about the same thing when determining my ride height. It seems like the magic number is between 6 and 7 inches if you are going to street drive. I have had vehicles that were too low, and for me, they are nothing but a pain in the neck.

[meter swinger]

6-7 seems drivable. My travelall is about 5 and it drags alot. I have to hit everthing at angle and ive been high centered in a few parkinglot entrances. But its a binder so i dont care. LOL
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[hotrod1]

what is a binder?

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

what is a binder?

Corn Binder = International Harvester

[meter swinger]

Sorry for the slang hot rod 1.
IH vehicles are commonly reffered to as binders, due to thier manufacture of tractors.
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[wickid demon]

On most of the vehicles I have built, I try keeping the lowest point at 5". That’s for driving capability but will be low enough for road coursing it. Your c6 setup did you use the original corvette sub frame or go off of measurements to set up the suspension. starting my chassis this summer just curious how people are approaching corvette builds.

[Chevette]

Originally Posted by wickid demon

On most of the vehicles I have built, I try keeping the lowest point at 5". That’s for driving capability but will be low enough for road coursing it. Your c6 setup did you use the original corvette sub frame or go off of measurements to set up the suspension. starting my chassis this summer just curious how people are approaching corvette builds.

Thanks demon. Five inches it is. As for the suspension setup, I built my own version of the Corvette cross member, but narrower. I looked at the Art Morrison design but wanted the ability to adjust the camber/caster the same way as the stock corvette C6, so I built my own.

[_Ogre]

measured truk today, new springs are breaking in
dropped the front corner of the cab to 5.5''

[bowt1ed]

Where is everyone measuring from? I have a GM IFS, and currently have 3" at bottom of engine crossmember. When I had it installed (yeah, a few decades ago) a coil was cut from the stock springs. But now that I am on it again, I want go as low as I can with IFS and not constantly drag. Thanks for any insight.

[wickid demon]

lowest point of the front usually the bumper.

[bondobob]

My 57 with a Fat Man suspension is 5" at the bottom of the front fenders with a 26" front tire. The crossmember is 6" as is the pan and headers. I thought about making a skid plate that would hit before the pricey front fenders but haven't done that yet. The advantage of a Chevy vs. a Ford (of the same vintage) is the Chev has a shorter ovehang in the front so it's less likely to drag the bumper on dips. Adding a rake to the truck raises the back of the fender up a little too. A new Vette is lower than what you guys are talking about isn't it? And that has a big overhang too.

[bowt1ed]

Hey BondoBob, Do you have any pics or build thread to share?

[Speedbumpauto]

I did my clip using the lower part of the channel as the weld point for the lower part of the clip. Have a cab corner measurment of 5 1/2 at ride ht.(coilovers are adjustable), but have a pesky d/s header that has a tube that is 4 1/2". I'm thinking I might go 1" taller on the front tires, but won't make that decision until I get the fenders etc. on in a few weeks.

[wickid demon]

When I get home I'll mesure mine, pretty sure its close to that height.

[bondobob]

Nice top chop speedbump!! I want to do that badly.

bowt1ed: Search my name and you should find some. I've been off the project for 4 years due to divorce/sell house/buy house/add on to garage/rebuild '82 Chev plow truck etc. I'll be back on it in a few weeks.

[hotrod1]

hey Bondo. Can u show us a pic of your tailgait? What is the circle in the center? Brake light?

[bobinbc]

The bottom edge of my fender was just a shade lower than the bottom edge of my front rim, I drove around the Vancouver area a LOT for 2 years and only scraped it on a speed bump once. Static drop, no bags, beer can would not clear, I believe it was about 4.5 - 5 inches , had to drive onto boards to get a floor jack under it

[Rusty Hooker]

5" to the underside of the front cross member is my rule of thumb