A Body rear shocks

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justme

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Over the winter I'm going to put an 8 3/4 in my 66 /6 4spd Valiant. Going to also put in ss springs. What shocks should I use. Back in the old days the hot setup was to use Imperial shocks. Any suggestions what I should use now? No racing , maybe just once Thank you!!
 
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Skip the super stock springs. Get a good set of aftermarket springs. And then a Caltrac or something. And a good set of double adjustable Viking shocks.

Those springs are about useless. In fact, you'd be better off buying the springs and bars from Caltrac.
 
Unclamp the pass side ss springs in the back. Get extensions or long shocks and make sure front end can MOVE.. no sway bar and get shocks that let it lift up. Get it on scales and see where the weight is. The battery, move it to the trunk over the lightest side. Cheap comp enginqueering might work, but there is better out there. I run the 3 way comps in the back on the lightest setting , so I have experience with them.
Need real tires too., offset shackles and some 9" or 10" slicks.
 
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If you are set on the SS springs, then order the long Mopar shocks from Jegs or so. Don’t use extensions. JMO.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Unclamp the pass side ss springs in the back. Get extensions or long shocks and make sure feont wnd can MOVE.. no sway bar and get shocks that let it lift up. Get it on scales and see where the weight is. The battery, move it to the trunk over the lightest side. Cheap comp enginqueering might work, but there is better out there. I run the 3 way comps in the back on the lightest setting , so I have experience with them.
Need real tires too., offset shackles and some 9" or 10" slicks.
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Agree w/ the above post , but put the battery over the pass side in the rear, the right rear wheel tries to lift on hard acceleration, also helps offset the drivers weight .
-------Direct quote from Tom HOOVER , Chrysler drag seminar in okc many yrs ago.
 
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justme said:
No racing , maybe just once
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This! Contact ESPO and tell them what you have. They have exactly what your slant 6 Valiant needs.
 
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yellow rose said:
Skip the super stock springs. Get a good set of aftermarket springs. And then a Caltrac or something. And a good set of double adjustable Viking shocks.

Those springs are about useless. In fact, you'd be better off buying the springs and bars from Caltrac.
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??? SS springs seem to work well to me..

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toolmanmike said:
Contact ESPO and get what you need. They have exactly what your slant 6 Valiant needs.
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Best advice right there. There is nothing wrong with the S/S springs for light to moderate competition. There OK for street use, but, not great. The absolute best bet IMO is to go to espo.com (springs and things) or call them up and speak with them. I have used there equipment several times and will again.
 
Because it's a str
meathead66 said:
What Joe said. Why not SS springs?
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Because it's a street car. No racing. SS springs aren't the thing to have for that application and due to modern technology and production issues with the MPP springs, they really aren't the thing to have for racing anymore.
 
roccodart440 said:
Because it's a street car. No racing. SS springs aren't the thing to have for that application and due to modern technology and production issues with the MPP springs, they really aren't the thing to have for racing anymore.
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I agree. That’s why I said “Go to ESPO.com.”

If the OP already has the S/S springs, I’d just use them.
Then a trip to Summit Racing to look at shocks that are 1-2 inches longer with the same on extension length.
As mentioned, the Comp Engineering shocks will do fine in the street.
 
abodyjoe said:
i was relying to yellow rose who said not to use ss springs and to use Caltrac's instead.
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Because it's a street car. Because the SS spring isn't the best way to do anything. And I still see guys using them. So what? If you actually changed the springs and went to a real traction system ou might find the car is considerably quicker.

I've never ever changed out a SS spring and and went slower. Ever. Or a pinion snubber.

So, after all that, I'll add this. If you stop and learn chassis, and chassis tuning, the first thing you learn is the SS spring and pinion snubber actually work against what you are trying to do. Why shove the *** up in the air to plant the tire? Then you also have the stink bug look of those things.

It's time to say they had a time and place and that has long since passed. I spent exactly two trips to the track with my SS springs in 1984 and they came off and went in the scrap. I wouldn't sell them to an enemy. I was quicker with slapped bars. Then I bought a chassis car that same year, installed a 4 link (which in 1984 was unheard of for a bracket car) and never looked back.

I lump ladder bars and SS springs in the same category. Of a Caltrac style bar won't get it done, go to a 4 link.
 
Built my Dart on a low budget. Already had SS springs. I Mini-tubbed the rear. Lowered rear 1". I stuck the stock shocks back in temporary lol it's been 4 years now. The car hooks up pretty good on the street and strip (once a year). It would sit way to high if I didn't lower it. The ride could be softer but no complaints. I agree there are better ways but I try to use what I have when I can. I'm just a blue collar stiff. I have 500/440 source stroker kit,727, 323 gear. Drove to NE Dragway last year on Nostogia day didn't open the hood and did a 11.7 Quarter run . I was happy as it's a street driver. They said if I went 11.5 or better I would have to put a cage in.
 
Kendog 170 said:
Built my Dart on a low budget. Already had SS springs. I Mini-tubbed the rear. Lowered rear 1". I stuck the stock shocks back in temporary lol it's been 4 years now. The car hooks up pretty good on the street and strip (once a year). It would sit way to high if I didn't lower it. The ride could be softer but no complaints. I agree there are better ways but I try to use what I have when I can. I'm just a blue collar stiff. I have 500/440 source stroker kit,727, 323 gear. Drove to NE Dragway last year on Nostogia day didn't open the hood and did a 11.7 Quarter run . I was happy as it's a street driver. They said if I went 11.5 or better I would have to put a cage in.
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It's different if you already have the spring and you don't mind using a lowering block (I use them, but some guys don't like them) to get the ride height where you want it. I'm all for not spending extra money. But to tell someone to buy that spring to start with just doesn't make sense to me. The cost of a good replacement spring is no more and maybe less than the SS spring.
 
yellow rose said:
It's different if you already have the spring and you don't mind using a lowering block (I use them, but some guys don't like them) to get the ride height where you want it. I'm all for not spending extra money. But to tell someone to buy that spring to start with just doesn't make sense to me. The cost of a good replacement spring is no more and maybe less than the SS spring.
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I agree. I say lowered 1" but not 100% sure on that . I didn't use blocks I drill front spring mounting holes up an inch from stock on inboard kit brackets and still have holes for original location but never tried both setting to see the difference as I was happy with the way it was. Ohh, I didn't tell him to buy them as said it would be a mistake.Sorry if I led him to believe it wasn't.
 
The guy asked what type of shocks to use, not how to build a race car. He probably needs new springs and shocks
 
toolmanmike said:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This!

Contact ESPO and tell them what you have. They have exactly what your slant 6 Valiant needs.
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TF360 said:
The guy asked what type of shocks to use, not how to build a race car. He probably needs new springs and shocks
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Yep, we got side tracked here.
 
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