where in the U.S.A to buy parts four coil overs

[Humble]

I've been getting most of my parts from summitracing.com. the aluminum sleeves needed to be clearanced to fit over the strut bodies so there is a metal to metal interference fit (i had to heat up the sleeves a little bit to slide them on). I've been racing/street driving on the same set of aluminum ground control sleeves for 11 years and they still work great.

[effvee]

Originally Posted by Humble

I've been getting most of my parts from summitracing.com. the aluminum sleeves needed to be clearanced to fit over the strut bodies so there is a metal to metal interference fit (i had to heat up the sleeves a little bit to slide them on). I've been racing/street driving on the same set of aluminum ground control sleeves for 11 years and they still work great.

Thank you, good to know. So with the interference fit, it makes for a solid fit?

[piledriver]

Resurrecting an old thread, I recently stumbled upon Bilstein SG series shocks... Coil over ready.

They come in 3 stroke lengths, take 1 7/8" ID springs, have a 36mm body (Same as Monroe OD but monotube gas) and go for about $70 ea most places.
The coil over spring mount kits are ~$40ish.

The small body and springs means they will fit in stock shock mounts.

Can be had in linear or digressive valving in just about any valving spec.

They are not rebuild-able (sealed shocks) but for $70 I think I could live with that.
These are commonly used on Midgets and sprint cars.

Anyone have any suggestions as to what springs I'd need on a fat chick squareback?

Rear tire is Cooper Zeon RS3-A 245/50-16 on 944T manhole covers 8" et 52.5, 15mm spacers.
Under stock fenders only rolled lip, converted to single springplate and some minor shaving of bumpstop and TA plate to allow room.

[piledriver]

I ended up welding proper kevlar-lined Heim ends on the Bilstein SGs, as the supplied screw on units were junk.
I also shortened them an inch and repurposed some KYBs into external reservoirs, making for a really short shock with full stroke.
This worked best up front, I ended up with 2010 digressive valving up front with 100 lb/in 12" springs, using the Bilstein kits, but the Smileys racing kits work fine.
Front torsion bars installed at-rest. (type3 so splined similar setup to rear bars)

For the rears I found some $40 "surplus" FOX 2.0 "Truck"//Ridetechs for a 1500 Chevy van, had stems on one end, removed stems, rearranged the valving and welded heims onto the stems, coil over kit from A1 racing was a "heat shrink" fit on the Truck shocks, which are much thicker wall than std Fox 2.0s.

I used Ford HP fuel pressure test ports (1/4" flare like AC) for all the schrader valves, and used my AC service setup to evacuate, degas, and fill the shocks with Redline "like water" fluid.

Used 250 lb/in 14" x2.5 coils out back, with the torsion bars installed at rest.

Day Racing in Tyler Tx supplied the Bilstein shim kits, great folk, and next day US mail for me at least.

I have detailed data on valve stack etc used if anyone cares, the f/r frequency offset works great at highway speeds no porpoising.

[H2OSB]

Earlier in this thread, I referenced struts made for VW Caddys as potential coil overs for a later suspension (74-79) Super. I put my money where my mouth is a bought a set for the suspension of my son's 1303. Made by Raceland from Germany. They're TUV approved and very well made.

Couple of issue using them however. One, I had to replace the inserts immediately as they come with shortened inserts which make the whole thing far too short for a Super. Second, I had to try three different brands of inserts before I found one I felt allowed enough threads to engage on the insert cap (uses the internal thread cap).

Add to that, I have the coil overs set at max height just to be at 2.5 inch lowered, which is about as low as you can effectively run the suspension.

I'm seriously considering redoing the suspension with the same struts but adding length to the tubes to be able to use 924/944 inserts so I will have the ability to have slightly less lowering.

H2OSB