Made a Tennessee Run Sunday

[kentucky yeti]

I took backroads all the way there, and a different route (still on backroads) all the way back home.  I met up with Dave, and we talked a while.  I got to see a lot of his inventory, and left with front and rear springs, and solid body mounts.  Maybe something else or two    The scenic routes we took were less than 30 minutes longer than if we had went via I-24.  2 1/2 hours each way.  The '77 is going to get a much-needed suspension makeover.  Lots of goodies at Pro-Touring F-Body.  Check them out.

[rkellerjr]

Sounds like a moon shine run to me.

[kentucky yeti]

Sounds like a moon shine run to me.

 

[5th T/A]

Sounds like this was a win/win. Any day you take your car out has to be a good one. I have read good things about the PTFB suspension upgrades. Hopefully you can post a critique of before and after. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts. My biggest concern would be a harder ride and maybe increased NVH. Will ride height change? Are you using stock size wheel and tire? My apologies for hitting you with so many questions. Just curious.

[kentucky yeti]

Well, I doubt the noise and vibration can be as bad as the original 1977 suspension.  I have the original wheels, but I run 8” flakes with 255/60-15 tires.  I hope to change the ride height.  Right now, every time I hit a dip in the road, the body hits the tires.  Probably the ride will be firmer with the solid mounts, but overall I expect a smoother ride with the new shocks and suspension.

[FormTA]

I have mostly PTFB suspension.  I have the GT rear springs and even on their highest setting they are a bit low for me. I made new shackles to raise it a bit. I think the solid body mounts made the car much better but I also installed his subframe connectors. Either way I don't feel the ride is too harsh because of those things. I believe my little harshness I feel is from my cheap shocks. Mt fron seems fine, it's the rear for me that seems a bit stiff. One day I will replace my rear shocks and hopefully that will help. I do understand that the GT springs and 17" rims help give that stiffer feeling and are doing what they are supposed to do. My car corners like it's on rails.  I have given rides to some buddies who are into BMW twin turbo cars and they were really impressed with how my car takes a corner and sticks to the road ( unless I light em up and kick it sideways 😀 ). So two thumbs up from me on PTFB stuff.

[rkellerjr]

I have the same but slightly different setup as FormTA. I bough the GT suspension kit from Pro-Touring as well as solid body bushings. I did NOT like the rear being that low as it would hit the bump stops every time I went over a bump. I tried different shackles but they didn't help so I replaced the GT rear springs with stock springs. The car has a slight rake now which looks good and it handles crazy good. I did add sub frame connectors as well. After burning out a set of stock shocks on Tail of the Dragon I went with Koni classic shocks. Car rides great just cruisin but handles like a Formula 1 car ... well, not really, but, it handles well. I think you'll like the suspension change.

[kentucky yeti]

The usual mission creep set in.  I made another run to PTFB and picked up tubular uppers and the PTFB (longer) ball joints, as well as built lower arms.  Add those to the solid body bushings, the new front coils, the rear springs, and the Koni shocks- and I am pleased with the results.  Of course, it has a trip this week to be aligned, so it hasn't had a road run yet.  Oh yeah- the gas tank had top drop to get the bolts out of the rear springs.  That led to buying new tank straps (just because- no real reason).  The tank looked great inside and out.  When we fired it up, I had a gas leak.  One of the sender unit lines had cracked upon reinstallation.  I could have spliced it with a rubber fuel line (they did that from the factory to join lines) but...  What the heck.  So, while ordering a new sender, I also ordered a new tank.  If anyone needs a nice original tank, or lower arms, or upper arms, or a new set of upper ball joints that I ordered from RockAuto before going with PTFB longer ones...  I have a lot of stuff to get rid of LOL

[stros]

Very cool.  I also have the PTFB GT suspension but the one item I didn’t get were
the control arms.  I’m curious how much difference they make over the stock ones.

[Wallington]

 I wonder if PTFB Dave can provide some updates since he's a 'sponsor' and keeps getting free plugs.

[N PRGRES]

I have the GT set up front and back also, as well as solid body bushings, and sub frame connectors.  The ride isn't horrible.  Its firm but this is a sports car not a caddy.  While I am running a 15x8 flake with a 255/60-15 tire, she still corners like crazy.  I would put it up against alot of cars on the road, at least in cornering ability.

[roadking77]

Car looks great Dave!

Mike, I will be in touch.

[FormTA]

I agree.  I have the GT rear, Hotchkiss front lowering (only because I didn't know of PTF when I bought them) solid body mounts and PTFB subframe connectors.  I have the 17x9 snowflakes. My car sticks like glue. I took it out on some winding roads the other day and just whipped through them. My son son was impressed and asked if our other 79 could do that. I said no way, at least not nearly as flat but it is a Formula and stock.

Like above, the ride is stiffer but not horrible.  I would like to autocross it but she's my baby.  I've have have owned her since the mid 90s. I want to keep her together and looking nice now.

[N PRGRES]

Car looks great Dave!

Mike, I will be in touch.

Thank you

[stros]

The Viking double adjustable shocks (361 possible combinations) can help reduce the stiffness of the GT suspension a bit depending on how you set them. 

The adjustments aren’t very accessible though so I found one combo I liked and haven’t adjusted them in a few years.