C2 Front Suspension Rebuild Kit

[Lawrence S.]

I have a 63 fuelie and want to rebuild the front suspension...Ball Joints, Tie Rods, Bushings, etc. What is on there now is the original stuff and one of the boots on the ball joints split many years ago. I would like to ask for comments on going with Rubber bushings or Poly...also good vendors for best kits. Thank you...Larry

[Edward J.]

Re: C2 Front Suspension Rebuild Kit

Larry, use rubber not poly, as far as NOS parts you will have to do some searching for NOS. there are reproduction parts that look like the original parts. But my advice is check each component, if they are good clean up and re-use. What ever you buy these days will never be as good as what the factory installed. The bushings and rubber components should not be a problem to locate.NOS ball joints will be hard to come by and if you find them be ready to hand out some $$$. The upper ball joint do not wear like the lowers do. My 63 still has the original uppers. Most of us drive our corvettes less than 1K a year. So re-using some of the original parts that are not worn is ok. reproduction suspension parts are still to new to tell just how good they really are.

[Joe L.]

Re: C2 Front Suspension Rebuild Kit

I have a 63 fuelie and want to rebuild the front suspension...Ball Joints, Tie Rods, Bushings, etc. What is on there now is the original stuff and one of the boots on the ball joints split many years ago. I would like to ask for comments on going with Rubber bushings or Poly...also good vendors for best kits. Thank you...Larry

Larry-----


I would not install any polyurethane suspension parts on my car even if someone gave them to me and paid me $1,000 to install them. A CLUE: No modern car that I know of uses polyurethane suspension components. If these are so great then why hasn't the OEM industry adopted them?

[Frank D.]

Re: C2 Front Suspension Rebuild Kit

Here are poly trailing arm bushings that crumbled to powder, installed by previous owner - never again, ANYwhere on my 63 suspension.
They don't gradually wear out, when they reach the point of failure they just come completely apart.

[Richard G.]

Re: C2 Front Suspension Rebuild Kit

Larry;
Ed gave some good advice. You didn't mention if you were planing to show the car.
If the tie rod ends are often times reusable. Idler arm is usually shot along with the lower ball joints.
If I had it to do over again I would have sent my lowers out to have the rivets installed on new Moog joints.
Leave the upper as is, if inspection indicates the are serviceable.
They have reproduction Idler arms (without the zert fitting). However they do not have the cast in part number either.
I would likely use one of them. This will keep some of the easier points if you ever show the car.
Typically true, the first points go around is $100 a point. The next attempt is $1000 a point.
The judging seems to be designed so one can build a top flight car without breaking the bank.
The term is relative of course, C2's are not inexpensive to build but you get the point.
Rick