C3 Rear spring

[Rob M.]

Hi all,

The original rear spring of my recently purchased car probably not strong enough anymore to handle the cars ride... Therefor bubba did a nice trick which will unlickely pass our Dutch roadtest preventing me from getting the needed title and license plates (see picture).

My questions are (as I promissed a huge number of questions when the car would arrive):

1) Can the original spring be re-arched ?
2) What is the quality of a repro. Is it exactly as the original or does it differentiate in form/shape/characteristics ?

What do you all recomment as a corrective action keeping Flight Judging this car in mind?

greetings and as always thanks for your help,
Rob.




C3 weblog !!!

[Wayne P.]

Re: C3 Rear spring

This is an old trick to increase ride height. The springs can be re-arched. The repros are not exact. Good used ones can be had at the major swap meets here in USA.

[lyndon sharpton]

Re: C3 Rear spring

I seen a car the other day that some one had done that also. it was a 76, wanted 18.000$ had flow master mufflers. the spring can be re-arched, like he said, an you will be in good shape for flight judging.

[Jim T.]

Re: C3 Rear spring

Rob your 69's picture also shows that your car has the rear sway bar with the original attachements.

[Rob M.]

Re: C3 Rear spring

Was that standard or an option (as you notice I'm still learning in the C3 business)...

greetings,
Rob.




C3 weblog !!!

[Mike M.]

Re: C3 Rear spring

Yes, I recommend re-arcing and refinishing and have done so many times.
This eliminates all the originality, fit and re-installation problems.
H. a N. D.

[Rob M.]

Re: C3 Rear spring

What should the original arch depth be ?

greetings,
Rob.

[Jim T.]

Re: C3 Rear spring

Rob I almost deleted my msg about the sway bar after reading your previous msg about buying a 69 427. It is my understanding, that the 427 cars came with the rear sway bar as a standard suspension component for the 427 optional engine.

[Craig S.]

Restorer Articles by Gary Beaupre

Rob - you need to dig up the Restorer articles that Gary Beaupre and Joe Lucia wrote (I had a few pictures they included as well). There was a 3 part series about two years ago on this.....and the best route is to use a new/repo main leaf with the original upper leaves and this allows the spring to be renewed with the identical appearance to original....Craig

[Charles P.]

Re: Restorer Articles by Gary Beaupre

Rob-I would recommend the 9 leaf spring that is manufactured by Eaton Detroit Spring which sells a GM licensed restoration part. It was as close to a match as can be desired (ie the same except not rusty). I am unsure if they sell individual leafs or not but complete it was $159 via UPS. When you get the spring you will probably want to use it as is. I asked Eaton for one that was not finished and purchased the leaf spring rebuild kit from Quanta. When the spring came I took it apart and blasted it clean, painted it gray as original, threw away the liners and used the ones that came with the Quanta kit. Keep your old spring and re arch it if you want at your leisure. I re arched an original spring that snapped a leaf a few weeks later. I believe the metal becomes hard and almost crystalline probably from use, age, heat, oxidation etc and may be more prone to this late in life (sort of like bending a piece of metal a few too many times). Also the combination of a fresh spring/bushings may get rid of any listing that is sometimes present in these cars. Good Luck!