Racegoer

I have stick suspension , so what exactly does coil over mean ? Stock shocks are inside springs so what exactly is the conversion ?

Racegoer

*stock suspension, spell check

EvilDCustoms

a coil-over conversion setup usualy allows you to adjust ride height, the camaro's have coilovers up front but are stock and non-adjustable, with the aftermarket ones you can dial in different settings for what ever type of driving you are planing on doing. I have the the coil-over kit on mine and i love it.

Roadart

I second that, a coil over conversion will give you the ability to set the ride height and if you purchase the Ground Control coilovers, I believe you can set the corner weight which is useful when road racing.

Just make sure your spring rates match your shocks.

93ZM6Tally

Like many of the others here have posted I also run QA1 Coil Overs up front, but I've also converted my rear shocks, which are not coil overs stock, to a coil over setup. I used the kit from Spohn, with QA1 shocks and springs. Requires a small amount of welding, but otherwise bolts right in. I ran into trouble because of my Moser rear, but fixed the problem using some lower shock mounts that I got from Competition Engineering. I like the flexibility, because I also have the ability to adjust my rear suspension height.

Injuneer

What year is your car? Everyone seems to be assuming you have a 4th Gen, with the "coil-over" springs and shocks in the front. If you have a 3rd Gen that's not the case.

Why not include a "signature" with basic data like the year of your car, model, engine, trans type, any major mods? That way people can give you more specific answers without guessing.

93ZM6Tally

Damn Injuneer, always paying attention to the details.

Racegoer

its a 1969 Camaro Coupe small block 350/400hp+, 4 speed, its has a full restoration, but I am in the process of taking it to pro-touring...Power Wilwood disc brake kit has been ordered,Heidts drop spindles. Right now trying to decide on (which brand, style) wheel upgrade. Car presently has 15" Cragar Street Star Wheels, I am looking at Intro GT Sport 17x8 front/ 17x10 rear and good quality tires. Next will come suspension upgrades, tubular control arms, coil over, convert to power steering.

What is different from STOCK shocks springs to coil over ? isnt stock setup really considered coil over. I guess what I am asking is what is the definition of coil over. I understand the part about the coil over being adjustable etc. Any more front suspension tips for a Gen 1 Camaro ?

93ZM6Tally

Injuneer was right in asking you what your car was. Frankly I don't know enough about a 69 Camaro to tell you what "stock is". A coil over is just about exactly what it sounds like, the shock is literally fitted "inside" of the coil spring, being adjustable is a separate issue, really has nothing to do with it being a coil over setup or not. Most of the adjustable coil over setups that I've seen allo the height of the spring to be adjusted by moving the bottom spring support, usually threaded onto the shock itself, up or down.

NovaScotiaRS

A 69 camaro stock suspension is commonly called a "big spring" suspension. And while the shock absorber is mounted inside the spring, there is one major difference between that setup and a coil over: the stock suspension allows for the shock to be swaped out with out removing the spring. where as with a coilover setup the spring is monuted to the shock (coiled over it, if you will) and the shock and spring ovilover assembly is mounted to the car as a single unit.

Having a coil over setup doesn't automaticly mean that it is adjustable, stock 93-02's have non-adjustable coilovers in the front, but typically it is assumed that coilovers are adjustable. This adjustability is in the form of spring pre-load and is accomplished by turning the spring retainer on the threaded body of the shock. As stated above you can adjust ride height and corner weights with coilovers. This is not to be confused with adjustable shock absorbers although many times that coil overs are installed adjustable shocks are used.

Regards,
Derek