Lower the 66 Electra

I am planning on lowering my 66 electra only 1 to 2 inches. How would I go about this in the safest manner. I don't want to heat or cut the springs and I don't want to use the cheap little clamps. Can I buy lowering springs or is there a better alternative?

 

Cut 'em. Use a chop saw. Seriously, if you're thinking about buying something, why not try cutting them first to see if you like it and save cash. Coils on all four corners right? Its easy and about a days work. Why don't you want to cut 'em?

 

I have heard cutting isn't the safest approach. This will be hauling around my kids from time to time.

 

Rear coils should be pigtailed so cutting not advised. Buy some new lower springs and swap them in.

Have this link I've kept cuz these seem really reasonable. http://www.springsnthings.com/

 

Pigtailed... bummer. Yup, buy springs and swap 'em out then.

 

I believe you've been misinformed or heard only the extreme horror stories. especially for only 1-2" of drop. If you're going to go cut the coils in half and risk them falling out if you hit a bump at faster than 5 mph, sure, that's probably not the safest. but a couple inches is nothing. there are a lot of coil cuts that go much farther and are still safe. well, relatively safe, it can easily be argued that lowering any car could technically be 'unsafe' no matter what method is used.

I've personally cut coils and used lowering blocks on my own and several friends' vehicles and all have been absolutely fine.

 

ok. i will check into lowering springs. Will they need to be year and model specific or will most gm springs fit?

 

ah booh! the pigtails hate you.

 

On my 59 I took the originals out and went to the wrecking yard to use as a model and bought some that matched but shorter. Cost me $25/30 . Worked great.

 

Are you sure the coils are double-pig'd? Because they weren't in my '64 Olds 98, and I would think they'd be similar.

I used bags in my Olds, but the bag brackets we used were from a 92ish Caprice/Roadmaster. Check some measurements, perhaps the lowering springs they sell for the Caprice will be a swap in. If your springs aren't pigged on both ends you can cut one turn off and re-install them for a 2" drop without any fear of later failure.

 

Will check into that thanks squadblow. If that won't work I found some lowering springs from Jamco Suspension!

 

Im cutting the coils on a 64 Skylark Today and when I had my 59 I cut the coils. I drove the 59 all over the western united states and never had any problems other than a dented oilpan.

The 64 also has pig tailed springs, but I think the tops are not pig tailed, so I'm going to cut just one coil from the top.

I wouldn't heat them, Im always afraid the the heat wil kill the temper of the steel.

 

Thank you everybody for all the replies. Tonight I'm gonna get under the car and check if they're double pigtailed or not and go from there. Update when I start.

 

why not just look in a junkyard for shorter springs from another car ? find safe unmodified ones already the size you need

then you always have the option of putting the car back to stock if you don't like it lower or resell it

 

Dude if you wanna roll low and can swing it bagged is the only way to fly! not only is it safe but you can raise it back up to get over the speed bumps and other crap in thr road actually got to put mine in super high mode this week when the work lot filled up with like a foot of water! all the way up and drove right through

 

I just recently cut the front coils on my '69 Riviera (one coil each side) and it lowered the front a good 1 1/2 to 2 inches. The rear was low enough stock, the front just needed the nose down a little. I think it came out just about perfect. I've attempted to attach a picture of it.
Don't be hatin' on me 'cause of the year, it still related to this topic.
Dave

 

66 duece and a quarter has double pigtails on the rear. I chopped my fronts and heated my rears.

 

duece and a quarter is low enough...the years and gravity already did it for you...

 

I've been driving my 64 Electra for over 20 years now. It is lowered about 4 to 5 inches via heated coils and it rides and handles great. Heavy car and a lot of spring to begin with may cover any issues of doing such a thing to a smaller sized car, but I would hesitate to do it again as long as the springs are heated by a half way knowledgeable individual. I eventually replaced rear shocks with shorter units because one side kept busting the upper mounting bolt.