Vick Shock & Spring Set

[familyman]

Hey guys. I'm finally getting my 81 back on the road. I've rebuilt the engine and need to replace all of the suspension next. I would like to lower the car but I don't want a harsh ride. If I could get my 81 lowered to the ride height for which the car was originally designed, without a change in the originally damping, I would be a happy camper. So far, the Vick combination of lowering springs and oil-filled shocks looks to me like it might be my best choice. Does anyone have any experience with this set up? I am open to other options but my budget is pretty tight so keep that in mind. You should also know that my car has the heavy tubular bumpers.

[JohnMc]

I went with AR's progressive springs and Vicks shocks. Works very nice. I did not go with Vicks springs as they were talking on cutting of some of the coil, etc. The car did lower a bit - but did not measure beforehand. No scraping or anything even when I take a speed bump too fast a get airborne.
I would have gone with Koni's but can only spend so much on the car. I took off some very old KYB's when I switched set up last year and one had frozen.
What I also found really helped was changing out the front and rear suspension - really tight now.

[AriK]

I went with a combination of Allison's coil springs and their urethane bushings on the control arms. I can confirm that both these items combined provide a comfortable ride.
I too am discomforted by the disclaimer on Vick's site that indicates you may need to cut coils in order to lower the car. Why would i want to install the coil springs, check if the ride height is satisfactory and then remove them and cut them to size? Bad enough i perform this job once let alone twice.
Furthermore Vick's identifies the product as non-progressive. From my understanding these springs have one defined spring rate of deflection throughout the whole coil spring as opposed to providing an initial soft rate of deflection and then stiffening up as the coil spring compresses.
Pretty colors though.

[familyman]

The Vick's site seems to indicate that the cutting of springs might only be required if you don't have the heavy bumpers. They say, "Out of the box, these springs provide a 1" drop below stock ride height. However, to achieve your desired ride height, you can easily trim the springs with a rotary cut-off tool or hacksaw... These springs are however made for the "tube bumper" cars being from 1974-85. If you have an earlier car (1968-74) you will need to remove some of the spring to accommodate for the weight difference."

Is there anyone that can confirm this?

[fiat218]

They say a lot of things , but who am I to say

[Frog2Spider]

I used the Red Springs with Koni Shocks and 15" wheels.
Dunlop Tires 195 x 50 Front and 205 x 50 Rear

Love the 'look', the handling and the ride!

Dave

[vandor]

The tube bumper cars were high in the rear, so if they lower a car 1" all around then the rear will still be too high compared to the front

[PhillySpider]

I've been thinking suspension as well. Looking for Koni Red as I've heard they're comfy with great handling when toned down. I hear the yellows are a pretty stiff ride, set as soft as they go. I contacted Koni, they confirmed the reds are out of production, but still building yellow.

Above said, I'm thinking a set of KYB's and springs from a TBD source...I'm keeping the tube bumpers, looking to achieve that "stock euro ride hight" as no emmissions/inspections in PA.

[Frog2Spider]

Above said, I'm thinking a set of KYB's and springs from a TBD source...I'm keeping the tube bumpers, looking to achieve that "stock euro ride hight" as no emmissions/inspections in PA.

The Koni Yellows, set to their lightest setting are perfect. My resource stated that the KYB shocks are stiff and provide a very rough ride.

Dave

[chrisg]

I hate the KYB gas shock feeling on these cars. As far as I can tell, the 124 chassis was very much designed with oil dampening shocks in mind. Personally, I like yellows on soft and I can't imagine them being considered a rough ride (I mean relative to the most nicely tuned 124 suspension...these aren't modern BMWs or something), but to each their own. I had KYB Gas-adjust shocks on my old '74...maybe they were better...maybe they don't exist anymore. I remember "cheap" new yellow Konis I found 15 or more years ago being about $75 each....and as far as I can tell, there is no gold you can scrape off & use for something else, so they're just damned expensive shock absorbers, but thankfully the value of the cars has moved up a bit to make them less expensive in a relative sense. Or, on the other hand, since they are so right for the car & may last for your lifetime of ownership, it doesn't matter what they cost.

[chrisg]

around 2001, I put a set of the current IAP springs on my '71 Coupe and it landed like this. Looks like it needed side pipes with that rake...

[So Cal Mark]

if you used the KYB Gas-A-Just shocks I'm not surprised the car sat like that. Those shocks are way too stiff for street use, They will raise the car since they had such high pressure. They were probably great if you were carrying bags of cement in the trunk or pulling a trailer with lots of tongue weight

[chrisg]

Oh, sorry, confusing references on my part...the Coupe is IAP red springs, stock "hats" on the springs, freshly rebuilt front suspension and brand new Koni yellows...on 14" Biturbo wheels with stupid 215/60s or something like that.

Gas-Adjusts were on the front of a 124 Spider, with common circa 1998 KYBs on the rear...ultimately OK handling, but I usually just take nice new KYBs off cars when they have them these days.

But don't you think it needs at least one side pipe?

[familyman]

Thanks for the input. I know Konis would be ideal, but I can't afford them now. I got two votes for Allison's springs and one for Vicks springs. There is only a $50 difference between the two. I am thinking that if I go with either one of these, I will have the height I'm looking for, but I like the fact that Allisons are progressive. I called my local autozone and found they had Gabriel oil shocks for the front only for $25 each. I also found rear oil shocks from Midwest but they are a different brand. So maybe the best solution that fits my budget is Allison Springs, Midwest rear shocks, and Gabriel fronts. Wouldn't that give me a more european ride heighth and shocks as least as good as original? Any input?

[PhillySpider]

Any input?

It's a labor of love, not an investment (for most perhaps). I'd go with what fits your budget. Years down the road you may decide to do it again and go koni. I'm curious of Vicks statement of "carefully selected non-progressive rate springs". I'm inferring that they're trying to say their's are "more original" or "true" to the car, even perhaps venturing to say they're of better performance than progressive rate springs.

At the bottom of their coil description they state:
***Also, if you are using modern positive charged gas shocks (KYB, Monroe, etc) this will change your ride height to higher than original. You may want to remove a portion of a coil from the rear springs. If you are using KONI shocks your ride height should be perfect as these shocks do not utilize positively charged gas.***

I wasn't really considering droping koni money, but above implies you'll achieve a lower or better stance vs kyb...

That's my input anywho...watching.