Lets start with some background:

1968 Malibu
Small block, no A/C
Hotchkis 1" drop springs front and rear (installed 5 years ago)
KYB shocks front and rear
1 1/8" front sway bar, no rear sway bar
Front tire size 215/70-15
Rear tire size 275/60-15

Measurements from the ground to the fender lip (through the wheel center):
LF 27 1/4"....RF 28 1/4"
LR 24".........RR 25 3/4"

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z143/warrenscott1968/DSC02779.jpg

I know that my car has the "Chevelle lean" as so many others.
My questions are really two fold. I don't really like how it sits, a little high in the front. I actually have a hard time seeing out the back window through the rear view because of how it sits. By the tire sizes I should have a rake to the car, makes me think I have spring issues.

I am considering cutting the front coils to lower the front a little OR adding adjustable spring shims to the rear to fix both the lean and raise the rear. I do not want air bags in the rear, so that's not an option.

Shims I'm considering (0 - 2 1/8"): Adjustable Shims (http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Adjustable-Spring-Shims,3389.html)

1. What do think of my ride height? Need lift in the rear or drop in the front?
2. Will the shims fix the lean? Or am I asking for more trouble by trying to compensate?
3. Please post your fender measurements if you have a similar year/combo car.
4. See anything wrong with the suspension combo? It rides like a railroad car I think. Used to have a 7/8" rear sway bar but removed it to improve ride quality. I have read a few posts about matching shocks/springs matching and I am sure that I haven't done that.


Man I'm long-winded.

I think the back looks great but I also think the front is pretty high
I would run a smaller diameter front tire and lower the front another inch or so
The back tire looks great
215/70/15=27 inches
235/60/15=26.1 is a good lookin tire on a 15 in rim
on the HEAP I run a 245/55/16 which is shorter still

I cut 1 full coil off the front springs to drop the front 1-1/2" to balance the car out.http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp10/bbmusclecars427/NOSAY0041jpg.jpg?t=1255299463

woodsmen,
I'm starting to think lowering the front is the way to go. Can't change the front tires, they don't make the SS20s anymore, white lettering is different on the replacement. Oh, the things you have to worry about when you put the lettering outward.....

Howard,
Do you have the 1" drop springs? What shocks do you have? I love the stance. Are those the 17" Aluminum Crager SSs?

ttt, anyone else?

Obviously everyone has different likes and dislikes, but I definitely think you won't be sorry if you cut front coils. I have the hotchkis lowering springs on our 64 wagon and had to cut many coils to get the front to match the rear and still have a very comfortable "performance" ride. Just be aware that you will cut and reassemble a handful of times before you get the height you want. Also be very careful to make sure the spring is seated in the spring pocket every time.
Good luck! Don't raise the rear!
Tom

I don't understand why your car sits so high in the front if it already has lowering springs. I put new stock replacement BB springs in my 69 a few weeks ago (Moog 5390) and it's no higher than yours. Is it possible something else is going on in the front? Wrong spindles maybe? That's just so odd.

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/medium/Oct11-2009_NewSprings.JPG

1. If it were mine I would bring the front down and have it tuck the same amount of tire that you are in the back.
2. I guess you might be able to fix the lean with shims, but I would rather fix the front if I were you.
3. I have a 72 el camino that is about 3 inches from the center of the crossmember to the ground. (I don't know the fender measurements and I am away at college)
4. If it runs like a railroad car it could be the shocks. I have higher rated front springs and rear springs in my el camino with a inch and a quarter front sway bar and 1 inch rear sway bar with poly bushings everywhere and it rides firm, but not like no suspension.(I think thats what you are implying with Railroad car).

Like others said, make sure the spring is seated correctly in the lower A-arm, But I am thinking maybe your back springs are tired and dropped more then your 1 inch drop in the front.

I would think a long the lines of this would look good

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r189/RacrM3/Random/Untitled-1.jpg


Matt

cut a coil out of the front or get 2 inch drop springs for the front and leave the back as is.

WOW 72ELCAMINO FIXED IT-GREAT JOB
That actually does look good:thumbsup:
I got some body work for ya there Mr Wizard:D

Well I bought the speedway motors adjustable spring shims for the rear springs. They will NOT work with stock style springs. Not even close. The ID of the spring pigtail is maybe 2.5" whereas the OD of the shim was around 3 1/8". Do not ask me how I read 500 threads saying these things are the way to go and not one thread saying they will only work with an aftermarket short style spring.....

So now I am buying a Global West aluminum shim, I know the difference and I read the shim will effect the height at a 1:1 ratio.

for the rear?

I know the tall adjustable spring shims from speedway are very popular for the front with an aftermarket spring (shorter)

Just an opinion and I am partial to low cars but I would leave the back and lower the front another inch. You could easily remove a coil on a 1" lowering spring with very minimal drawbacks. It's a lot of work but I would probably start with a half coil and see how you like it before going a full coil...

I think you are at least 1" short on the front....

here is my '68 with coilovers on the front.....I am putting in Air Ride so it will be even lower after that is all done....

cut a coil out of the front or get 2 inch drop springs for the front and leave the back as is.

Then to determine why it leans, try jacking the car up dead centre of the diff with a block of wood till the back wheels just leave the ground.
If it still leans to the left, the problem is in the front.
Do the same thing in the midle of the front crossmember, if it still leans to the left, it's in the rear.
You mat be able to correct it by just swapping rear springs around, or it may be a combination of worn suspension bushes and frame mounts.
Good luck.

Thanks for all of the replies guys.

I am going to cut the springs on the front. But first I am going to try and correct the lean in the rear. I have measured the upper rear spring perch to ground, and that seems to be where the issue is. I have attempted to loosen and relax the suspension, then switched the rear springs side to side, checked the front spring clocking, nothing has fixed the lean problem. So a shim in the rear it is.

Greetings from Arizona
Just come park beside my SBC 68 and you'll be happy...I just redid complete front end rebuild and already had Moog cargo coils on rear. It does sit level....28 inches front/ 26 inches rear. only driven about 50 miles, so I'll let it be for now, but will cut at least 1 coil or more from front springs. and those springs were a PITA to do. I could do My Camaro twice in the tiome it took me to do 68.....Jay

Ok guys,

I finally decided to do something about this ride height, so i elected to buy some MOOG 5390 springs fro the front, as I really didn't like how the hotchkis springs rode anyway. So on Friday, I pulled out the Hotchkis front springs and put the 5390's in after cutting them down 3/4" on the height. The front has settled down to 27" measured at the front fender lip, and I am much happier.
Here's what I cut off:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z143/warrenscott1968/DSC03935.jpg


I know the pic doesn't look much different from the first, but I like the stance now. I am assuming I may even get a little more lowering in the front from the springs settling.
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z143/warrenscott1968/DSC03929.jpg

As a sidebar, I think my problem with the springs was the passenger Hotchkis spring was not properly seated in the upper spring pocket. This is what is left of the upper A-arm bumper between it and the frame:
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z143/warrenscott1968/DSC03936.jpg