New Rear Suspension!

I haven’t updated the build details in a couple of months because I hadn’t done anything until the last two weekends. Lots of non-car things to do all winter limited what time I had.

Today I installed the rear end after cleaning up and painting it. I also cleaned up and painted the lower control arms.

Here are all the new parts.



The springs are 4-cylinder springs from Eibach via UPR. The shocks and struts are KYB via 50Resto. The brackets are lower spring replacement pieces from UPR that allow me to use 87+ shocks on the 7.5” rear end.



Centering the rear end was pretty easy. My 12 y/o daughter helped me a few times move the jack stands around, but otherwise it was a one person job. (Thanks to the guys at Mo’s Speed Shop for advice on how to do the rear end.)

The springs went in easily with new rubber isolators.

Here are shots from the side.





Here are shots from the rear.





Here is a shot of the bracket on the driver’s side. I had to grind out the slot on the rear end a fraction of an inch to get the bolts to fit. Unfortunately UPR didn’t include any directions, so I didn’t know how much to torque them down. I’ve sent them an email to see what the directions should be. They also sent the wrong nylon nuts for the upper bolt, sending coarse instead of fine. For now I have a nut on there, but have asked for replacements so I get the right grade bolts.



If you’re really sharp you’ll notice two things: First the pumpkin is ugly as hell and needs to be painted. Second that most of the control arm bolts aren’t torque down. The pumpkin cover will be replaced with a chrome one and I will paint the remaining axle tubes then. I’ll torque the bolts when I find my torque wrench again. It must be in a box in the back of the car, since it isn’t where I usually leave it.