coil over suspension

[9dreizig]

Was thinking I'd like to add coil over shocks to the track dog (1980)
Plan on keeping the stock suspension and just adding it as a supplement not a replacement.
Car will be primarily for track but street legal. So what kits and spring size and ratings has anyone used ?

[Lyle O]

You can add "helper springs" to the shocks, while leaving the torsion bars in place. In the rear, adding 150# spring is equivalent to approx a 30-31 mm TB. You also can do this without reinforcing the shock towers with this low of a spring rate. I did this six or seven years ago, and I love the flexibility for corner balancing and height adjustment, as well as the roll dynamics, because the added spring rate comes at the end, when you need it. Just be sure to digressively valve the shocks (very important). In the front, it's much easier to change out the torsion bars if you want something stiffer, so not sure why you really want to add springs up there. Clint at rebel Racing helped me a lot on this, and it has been a fabulous upgrade for me. YMMV.

[Midlife930]

I'm running 650 pound per inch front and rears 31 mm diameter bars with 375 helper springs. Chuck at Elephant has been my source for the parts and shocks from MCS. I'm told 31 mm bars are about equivalent to 500 pound springs so I am around 875 rear. My car would be absolutely undriveable on the street but gives you a data point.
Cheers,
Dave

[9dreizig]

Thanks Midlife and oh you too L :-)
What length springs ?

[Midlife930]

Have been 6" front and 7" rear but have gone to MCS shocks with remote reservoirs so mounted the rear shocks upside down and now have both 6" and 7" for the rears. Testing which length works best, current thinking is 6" because it allows better access to the spring perch adjustment which is at the top. 6" brings the perch lower out of the shock pocket, hope that made sense,
Dave

[Lyle O]

Mine are 6" in the rear (with Bilstein custom / RSR shocks).

[gumba]

I'm in the process of doing a front end re-fresh. Swapping out the 22mm front torsion bars, factory 22mm sway bar and Smart Racing F10 re-valved shocks for the Rebel Racing coilover conversion kit, 250lb 7" springs, Ohlins adjustable front inserts, and Tarret 22mm adjustable sway bar.
I'll stay with the rear setup, 31mm torsion bars, Wevo/Ohlins adjustable shocks, 22mm slightly adjustable sway bar. May add rear helper springs after I get things dialed in.

[Blaine Sellie]

........as an FYI I'll soon be selling a set of front/rear Rebel Racing RSR Coilovers (20mm raised spindle) and the RSR bump steer kit if anyone has interest.

[krasuskyp]

I'm running Rebel custom valved coilovers in rear and removed OE torsions, plug and play / bolt right in. I'll likely at some point add helper springs so they stay loaded during fuller suspension travel.

I'd not gusseted the strut towers - maybe I'll live to regret it, maybe not

[David]

I converted to coil overs a couple years ago. I went from 22/31 torsion bars to 300/450 8" springs. I thought the springs were a bit stiff so now I'm running 250/375. I don't do much track driving with it though.

I'm finally getting around to adding gussets on the rear shock towers.