1969 Camaro Suspension Help...

ericsz · 06-02-2008, 02:53 PM

I know you all have your own secrets, as I do too. But I need to know what it is you folks do to make these cars work so well. Especially on a HOT Greasy track. The track beat this weekend and I hate being beat by the track. Here is my current set up and please someone with a camaro that works help me out I am tired of fighting in the summer, my car works awesome when the track is good but man its bad when its not. here goes.

Front Suspension
Koni SPA1- set as soft as they will go
Moroso Trick Springs - 214 rate
Rear Suspension
Slide a links
Rancho 9 way adjustables
Afco Multi leafs

28x10.50-15 Tires

Good day 60's 1.53-1.54
Yesterday 1.65-1.67

PLEASE GIVE ME SOMETHING.....

Thanks

Eric Bowling
2008 Ohio Crankshaft No Box Nationals Winner

race watcher · 06-02-2008, 04:32 PM

Need more info. Motor size, trans, convertor, weight. There is one thing that I don't think you have right. There are no secrets it is just basic.

ericsz · 06-02-2008, 04:44 PM

motor 406 sbc
400 turbo tranny w/ brake
5500 8 inch coan converter
4.56 gear
Not sure of weight other than HEAVY
33-3500lbs

40Coupe · 06-02-2008, 05:25 PM

One thing you will NOT regret purchasing is a pair of AFCO double adjustable shocks for the rear. You need the ability to adjust rebound and bump independently.

The other thing that has been mentioned is a 30" tire. Very good idea.

How easily/smoothly does your front suspension work? Have you worked over the bushings so there is no resistance or bind? This is absolutely critical. Consider some Del-A-Lum bushings. Have you cut any coils off your Moroso springs? I would imagine that you have since you've got a SBC up front. Consider some Santhuff front springs. www.santhuffshocks.com You're probably looking at 160 or 180 lb/in units. They will provide maximum weight transfer.

How much travel do you have up front? You need a minimum of 5". If you don't then you need to cut the upper/lower bump stops and get the car sitting lower in front.

Just a few things to think about.

What are your current ET's? What RPM are you leaving at on the brake? Based on your low 1.5x 60 foots you should certainly be able to hook consistantly.

Jeff Lee · 06-03-2008, 12:33 AM

deleted response

Grant Eldridge · 06-03-2008, 04:32 AM

Re/ Slide-a-Link bars. We've had success with these using a re-arched stock monoleaf but replacing the entire two piece bar and poly bushing with a fabricated single chrome moly tube threaded to accept the supplied ends. Getting rid of the flex and distortion helped, as well as lowering the rear pad 1" to alter the angle on the bar. A bit of preload on the right bar and neutral on the left worked on our Nova with 60 foot best of 1.41. Strongly recommend the double adjustable shocks as well. If you were starting from scratch, I'd probably get the Cal Tracs instead, John Calvert is great to deal with and helpful from my experience....

ericsz · 06-03-2008, 08:46 AM

5+ inches of travel in the front.
I have tried launching anywhere from 3000Rpm to 4000 and nothing works. No coils have been cut out of the springs, front end is as free as a can be, bump stops are all the way out. When the car works it runs high 7.30's-7.40's 1/8th mile.

Dave Goob Cook · 06-03-2008, 12:08 PM

9 x 30 Goodyear radials, in a D-4A or harder compound, with a light burnout.
One tire compound does not fit all tracks or conditions.

ericsz · 06-04-2008, 01:59 PM

Thanks Goob I'll let you know, I am still tossing around trying a Glide but I dont want to be on my back every week changing it and I dont want to have to spend 2 Grand to have one that wont break. My car is about 3400lbs isnt that to heavy???

Mike Pearson · 06-04-2008, 04:03 PM

Eric

As i remember from another thread you posted several months ago you mostly bracket race your car. The set up you have in your car is more of a street type chassis setup. You will not get the kind of performance or consistancy you are looking for with the chassis setup that you are using. I would suggest for you to install a rear frame section with a 4 link or ladder bar suspension using a coil over shock. I have HAL single adjustables on my car. I think this will be money well spent. You can go to a wider tire which will help on the marginal tracks. The powerglide will give you the consistancy that you are kooking for. If you have a decent trans with race quality parts you will not have to touch it for a whole season. The point I am trying to make is if you want to have a race car you have to set it up like a racecar and use race quality parts. The stocker guys use some of the similar parts that you are trying to use. They spend countless hours perfecting and testing their combinations. They do not run their cars weekly and they replace the tires on their cars very regularly.

Mike

06-02-2008, 02:53 PM	#1
ericsz Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 140 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	1969 Camaro Suspension Help... I know you all have your own secrets, as I do too. But I need to know what it is you folks do to make these cars work so well. Especially on a HOT Greasy track. The track beat this weekend and I hate being beat by the track. Here is my current set up and please someone with a camaro that works help me out I am tired of fighting in the summer, my car works awesome when the track is good but man its bad when its not. here goes. Front Suspension Koni SPA1- set as soft as they will go Moroso Trick Springs - 214 rate Rear Suspension Slide a links Rancho 9 way adjustables Afco Multi leafs 28x10.50-15 Tires Good day 60's 1.53-1.54 Yesterday 1.65-1.67 PLEASE GIVE ME SOMETHING..... Thanks Eric Bowling 2008 Ohio Crankshaft No Box Nationals Winner

06-02-2008, 04:32 PM	#2
race watcher Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 50 Likes: 5 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... Need more info. Motor size, trans, convertor, weight. There is one thing that I don't think you have right. There are no secrets it is just basic.

06-02-2008, 04:44 PM	#3
ericsz Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 140 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... motor 406 sbc 400 turbo tranny w/ brake 5500 8 inch coan converter 4.56 gear Not sure of weight other than HEAVY 33-3500lbs

06-02-2008, 05:25 PM	#4
40Coupe Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 91 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... One thing you will NOT regret purchasing is a pair of AFCO double adjustable shocks for the rear. You need the ability to adjust rebound and bump independently. The other thing that has been mentioned is a 30" tire. Very good idea. How easily/smoothly does your front suspension work? Have you worked over the bushings so there is no resistance or bind? This is absolutely critical. Consider some Del-A-Lum bushings. Have you cut any coils off your Moroso springs? I would imagine that you have since you've got a SBC up front. Consider some Santhuff front springs. www.santhuffshocks.com You're probably looking at 160 or 180 lb/in units. They will provide maximum weight transfer. How much travel do you have up front? You need a minimum of 5". If you don't then you need to cut the upper/lower bump stops and get the car sitting lower in front. Just a few things to think about. What are your current ET's? What RPM are you leaving at on the brake? Based on your low 1.5x 60 foots you should certainly be able to hook consistantly. __________________ '67 Camaro 1.25 5.77 @ 118 Last edited by 40Coupe; 06-02-2008 at 05:29 PM.

06-03-2008, 12:33 AM	#5
Jeff Lee VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Anthem, Arizona Posts: 2,766 Likes: 0 Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... deleted response __________________ Jeff Lee 7494 D/S '70 AMX Last edited by Jeff Lee; 06-03-2008 at 07:35 PM. Reason: crabby thread

06-03-2008, 04:32 AM	#6
Grant Eldridge Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 124 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... Re/ Slide-a-Link bars. We've had success with these using a re-arched stock monoleaf but replacing the entire two piece bar and poly bushing with a fabricated single chrome moly tube threaded to accept the supplied ends. Getting rid of the flex and distortion helped, as well as lowering the rear pad 1" to alter the angle on the bar. A bit of preload on the right bar and neutral on the left worked on our Nova with 60 foot best of 1.41. Strongly recommend the double adjustable shocks as well. If you were starting from scratch, I'd probably get the Cal Tracs instead, John Calvert is great to deal with and helpful from my experience....

06-03-2008, 08:46 AM	#7
ericsz Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 140 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... 5+ inches of travel in the front. I have tried launching anywhere from 3000Rpm to 4000 and nothing works. No coils have been cut out of the springs, front end is as free as a can be, bump stops are all the way out. When the car works it runs high 7.30's-7.40's 1/8th mile.

06-03-2008, 12:08 PM	#8
Dave Goob Cook Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Indy Posts: 422 Likes: 0 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... 9 x 30 Goodyear radials, in a D-4A or harder compound, with a light burnout. One tire compound does not fit all tracks or conditions.

06-04-2008, 01:59 PM	#9
ericsz Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 140 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... Thanks Goob I'll let you know, I am still tossing around trying a Glide but I dont want to be on my back every week changing it and I dont want to have to spend 2 Grand to have one that wont break. My car is about 3400lbs isnt that to heavy???

06-04-2008, 04:03 PM	#10
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,468 Likes: 629 Liked 1,967 Times in 595 Posts	Re: 1969 Camaro Suspension Help... Eric As i remember from another thread you posted several months ago you mostly bracket race your car. The set up you have in your car is more of a street type chassis setup. You will not get the kind of performance or consistancy you are looking for with the chassis setup that you are using. I would suggest for you to install a rear frame section with a 4 link or ladder bar suspension using a coil over shock. I have HAL single adjustables on my car. I think this will be money well spent. You can go to a wider tire which will help on the marginal tracks. The powerglide will give you the consistancy that you are kooking for. If you have a decent trans with race quality parts you will not have to touch it for a whole season. The point I am trying to make is if you want to have a race car you have to set it up like a racecar and use race quality parts. The stocker guys use some of the similar parts that you are trying to use. They spend countless hours perfecting and testing their combinations. They do not run their cars weekly and they replace the tires on their cars very regularly. Mike __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS