[LD85]

Ooops, sorry for the dupe! I did not realize that I had already posted this info back in May or there abouts, you can pull it if you like!

I did this a couple of months ago and thought I would post some pics if you have not seen them.

OK, I bought the Coil-over part list from Mo's website, www.ndneyes.com

Since the 1985 shock towers are wimpy and narrow, I cut them as seen in the pic below.

Then I machined some 1/4" thick 1018 CRS to match the same angles as the stock towers and ol'RJ welded them up.

The last pic is just the mock up of the new QA1 in the new tower.

Once the wheel well area was cleaned it was repainted,

Welding

Wrapping it up!

Just an FYI, vette2vette.com and tabercorvetteparts.com had 1990-1996 front shock towers you can buy and weld onto your 85-89 (not sure where the thin towers end and the wider towers begin) to replace the factory towers.

The early years shock towers use .125" thick steel and the later years use .160" thick steel. I used .250" thick on the sides and .375" on the top due to the larger span

I would say that it would take @ 4 hours to cut off both towers,
1. IF you had a decent air compressor using a cutoff wheel
2. and a spot weld drill bit,,,
3. and if you removed the lower ball joint nut and swing the a-arm up out of the way.
4. Then you need access to a 220volt welder of your choice,

:buhbye:

 

[raidmagic]

So how much did everything set you back and do you think the new mounts would clear a supercharger?

 

[Dan85Vette]

Looks like it was meant to be there.

 

[LD85]

So how much did everything set you back and do you think the new mounts would clear a supercharger?

The front QA1 shock setup with the Heim links cost $510

The rears will cost $500 and you only need to weld a flat palte onto the bottom of the frame rail, simple and low cost.

The CRS cost $35.,,, dont know about a supercharger but they reside in the same spot as the factory towers except they are wider by @ 1.0"

 

[muddpile]

Looks great man! How do you like the ride and handling with the new setup?

 

[LD85]

Looks great man! How do you like the ride and handling with the new setup?

I love it, I can make it soft or hard, high or low, adjustment is pretty easy! :thumbsup:

 

[mjames]

Traction

I drove a highly modified ZR1 with coilovers. It was nice and low to the ground, but the biggest benefit was the awesome traction. My 85 would be up in smoke long before that ZR1 did. My guess is that the coilovers will put about 100 more RWHP down to the street. Great article!!!!! Have you been to the dragstrip with it yet? I bet your 60 foot times will drop substantially.

 

[LD85]

I drove a highly modified ZR1 with coilovers. It was nice and low to the ground, but the biggest benefit was the awesome traction. My 85 would be up in smoke long before that ZR1 did. My guess is that the coilovers will put about 100 more RWHP down to the street. Great article!!!!! Have you been to the dragstrip with it yet? I bet your 60 foot times will drop substantially.

Not yet, I have to do 2 more projecst, C5 brake upgrade and pass-side window lift u-grade, then off to the track befor the end of September.

My last 60' time was 2.2 with a 12.5 et @ 115.9 mph