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coilover shocks

3K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  Old Hippie 
#1 · (Edited)
Oops! In the interest of moderating a flame about to happen, I accidentally deleted the original question, as well as RallyBob's post. So here it is again. But I want to warn both bax and Opelgtmaster3 NOT to engage, or even come CLOSE to engaging, in ANY communication that I perceive to to be demeaning to ANY member on this board. And I am serious. Here's RallyBob's calm, thoughtful, non demeaning reply. The rest of you have been warned.

In all probability, those VW shocks will be about 3 times too stiff for your GT. I've seen the damping rates on off-road VW Beetles, and they are VERY stiff. Keep in mind the VW must support the weight of the engine out back....

http://www.eshocks.com/bil_ORvh.asp...11&Manf=All

For example, item #B46-0930 has a damping rating of 135 in compression and 345 in rebound (Bilstein's metric rating system BTW). A GT rear shock probably needs closer to 50 or 60 in compression, and 80-100 in rebound for a stiff road car. Other wise you'll be overdampened and it will ride and handle like s**t!

HTH

Last edited by RallyBob on 04-05-2004 at 05:09 PM

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'Opels are kinda like dollar bills, they're not really worth much but you can still never really have enough of them.'
QUOTE]
 
#3 ·
jegs has weld on coil over kits for 3" axles. my thought wold be to weld them on the axle near the original spring location up under the frame. then weld a braket to the frame. probly get better ride and shock travel. now if you want coil pvers in the front all i can think of doing is to make some tubular "A" arms togat them to fit in there. ther isn't even enought from for the stock ones as it is.

chris
 
#4 ·
Opelmaster3;
I have to refer to RallyBob's answer in that the VW shocks have to also carry the load of the motor and on a GT, would be too much, although it would look cool, as you can see the shocks on the back of a GT. In a round-about way, I have done what you want to do, but, using Opel parts. Instead of using coil-over shocks, I swapped the stock GT rear coils for Sportwagon springs. This did two things, one is to increase rear stiffness (handling) which is probably what you're after, but, it cured the real problem of leveling the backend of my GT. Bucky recently did this. You can do this with Manta springs too. I did mine with the Wagon springs, as that's what was available to me at the time.
 
#5 ·
opelmaster3
i must give you a full apology about the other day
i was in a s**T mood and took it out on you (hate talking to cancer docs when its about me)
for this im sorry
if you want to go to coil over shocks then the thing to do is talk to a good supplyer and get the right kit for your car
you should be able to do the rear without a great hassel but might have to look @ a bit of work on the mounting points as they will tack a lot more stress than before(have a look @ jag COshocks as they are quite short and could work well)
the front would be very hard to do as the whole system would need to be reworked to make C.O.S. to work (very very expensive)
if you want to go ahead with this then just remember that all you need is the will power to start and a s**t load of money as evey thing you change will cost the world and a bit more
 
#6 ·
baz said:
i was in a s**T mood and took it out on you (hate talking to cancer docs when its about me)
Sorry to hear of this Baz, hope it's not too serious. My mom's been fighting since last year, and I surely understand the full range of emotion one goes through during times like this. Get well.

Bob
 
#7 ·
thanks bob they are still pulling me to bits right now to work out what it is but its been the worsed week ive ever had so far just got to keep fighting(but not our members)till i find out what it is and then beat the s**t out of it
ps if anyone ever tells you that a bone marrow sample is pain free then hit them for all that went before
 
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