<VV> front goil springs

[Bryan Blackwell]

On Oct 8, 2005, at 10:17 AM, ericmpholz at netzero.com wrote:

> My '63 vert has a front k-member from a 61 sedan in it, and I want to 
> replace the front coils.  If I place my weight on the front corners I 
> can push it down three inched and bottom it out.  If I do the same to 
> the rear it moves only an inch...maybe.  My question:
> Are the k-members all the same save the coils?

Not exactly - the front sway bar was introduced as an option in '62, so 
your crossmember doesn't have one unless it has been added on.  
However, the springs all interchange.

> I believe I should install the convertible rates coils in it.  This 
> also begs another question:
> What is the difference in the rating of each coil.  What ones are 
> rated least lbs? What ones are rates most lbs.

I don't know the exact numbers, but my understanding is that the 
convertible springs are the heaviest.  There was also an HD spring 
option available most years.  I think there are actual spring rates in 
some of the early shop manuals.

> On the subject of ride height:  the distance from the horizontal on 
> the bottom of the rocker (not including the lip) to the ground in 
> front of the rear wheel and behind the front wheel is about eight 
> inches.  According to the General in his '61 repair book, it should 
> bee 9 3/8 +or-1/2"  Is this correct?  I could not find anything for 
> the '63 in the supplement.  I believe that my tire size is close to OE 
> as I am running 185/80 R13 Firestone 410.

Bear in mind that many cars of the '60s, Corvairs included, appear to 
have come from the factory slightly nose up.  I'd generally try for the 
bottom of the range as the highest I want the nose.
--
Bryan Blackwell bryan at skiblack.com
http://autoxer.skiblack.com/
   Corvairs: '61 Lakewood, '64 Greenbrier, '65 Corsa, '66 Corsa
   '69 Road Runner, '97 Ford F-150, '99 Neon R/T
"Why do something if you're not going to obsess about it?"