What 3" Looks Like

"jlmounce" (jlmounce)
03/09/2014 at 19:47 • Filed to: Firebird, Restoration, Classic, Muscle Car

Some of you know my wife and I are in the process of having a house built. As part of that we've sold our condo. That means my Firebird has to actually be able to move.

Over the past several months I've been replacing all the suspension and some drivetrain parts. That included 3" drop leafs from Hotchkis Suspension. I have drop springs for the front as well, but right now I just needed the car on the ground so I could trailer it to it's new home. Here's what the difference looks like.

The rear wheels fit a bit better with the new narrower rear-end, but at the end of the day the offset is still completely wrong. I'll remedy that later this year with a new set of wheels.

I also installed this bad boy.

The stock driveshaft was tired and needed pretty much everything including shortening. At the end of the day it wasn't that much more to just have a new shaft built. Obviously I opted for a larger, lighter aluminum piece. I went with solid u-joints to add to the drive line's new found strength.

and another angle of the drop. I was pretty floored by how low it is now! I expect it to come down about another 1/4 of an inch as the springs settle in.

DISCUSSION (14)

offroadkarter > jlmounce
03/09/2014 at 19:50

So how long until it drives under its own power?

jlmounce > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 19:58

Hard to say. It won't be as easy to work on until our new home is built. Hopefully this summer sometime though.

offroadkarter > jlmounce
03/09/2014 at 20:05

You should swap a new coyote 5.0 in, I heard from some site that they are untouchable.

Aaron James > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 20:27

whaaaaaaaaaaaat? in a Pontiac. no no no. besides the ick factor (think ls motor in a Mustang, you have to custom make and fit all the motor/tranny mounts, exhaust, and everything else.

jlmounce > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 20:28

Having owned 2, I can say that the Coyote is a good engine. Trade it for the 455 poncho? Nahhh. Dat torque!

offroadkarter > jlmounce
03/09/2014 at 20:29

You had two? I didn't even know you had 1. I knew you had a 3v a while ago.

offroadkarter > Aaron James
03/09/2014 at 20:30

LSx swaps into fox bodies are so popular now that people sell retrofit kits

Aaron James > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 20:37

Yuck, I know people do it but it saddens me, you can build a 351 Windsor with the same or more power with ease. You won't find a kit to put a coyote in a 69 firebird though. Coyote would go great in those Fox bodies though.

offroadkarter > Aaron James
03/09/2014 at 20:41

You can't get high HP out of most factory windsor blocks because they'll crack apart. Dart blocks are expensive.

A JY LSx engine can hold 6-800hp without taking the valve cover off. Theres a reason people do this.

jlmounce > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 20:52

Yes. I had an early 2011 that was unfortunately replaced under the lemon law.i replaced it with a 2012 GT.

offroadkarter > jlmounce
03/09/2014 at 21:07

Trans issues?

jlmounce > offroadkarter
03/09/2014 at 22:24

The engine had a knock from day one, then the counter shaft bearings took a cap at around 3000 miles. When the transmission was replaced they made the engine worse. It spent October through December in the shop. I've never had as many issues with a single car.

offroadkarter > jlmounce
03/10/2014 at 00:47

For some reason I feel like I remember reading about that, but wow that sucks. I love the new coyotes but I wish ford had figured out these odd issues a lot of people had

jlmounce > offroadkarter
03/10/2014 at 09:05

Agreed. The cars seem to be sorted at this point. I think they rushed it to market to compete better with the Camaro.