1951 buick suspension help/advice needed

hey all im still a little green. i go to wyotech and am in the chassis fab class right now and i have a 1951 buick that i want to lower. everyone tells me to do air ride but i think that’s a little too much plus i want to keep mostly period correct. i want to do a drop spindle in the front and probably some lowering springs in the rear. any thoughts???? the help i need is i dont know were to go to find a drop spindle. also i need to replace the bushings in all the suspension components any one know were i can find these parts??? 1951 buick special 2 dr

thank you for any help or advice. i want a good ride so i dont really like the idea of just cutting the springs. let me know

thanks

jeff

 

There are a number of businesses that carry early Buick Suspension parts----Bob's Buick, CARS, Kanter-----check them out on the internet.

Search the "tech" section of HAMB under suspension and lowering and also the message board. There are a number of good threads on this----not all Buick, but other GM threads will also be applicable.

I put a M-II under the front of my 49 sedanette. Still have the original suspension if you need parts. Good luck

 

You can find Dropped uprights for your Buick at Fatmans fab. http://www.fatmanfab.com/catalogpage.php?page=19

 

thank you very much ill let you know what i find

 

Your local spring-shop will probably have some shorter rear springs to fit the Buick. I lowered my '51 Roadmaster quite a bit. The limiting factor was the frame to axle clearance at the snubbers. If your shocks work well, you can get 'er pretty low, and still mostly avoid the "bump-bump" of the rubber snubbers hitting the frame. The torque-tube won't hit the tunnel. Good luck. Have fun.

 

Just picked up a really cool orig '51 special two door myself and would like to know the best way to lower it about 3" Most chevy, olds and pontiacs Ive had in the past .....just cut 1 1/2" coil off the front and install 3" lowering blocks on the rear springs. This thing has rear coils like a 58, 59, 60 chevy with those knee action shocks. seems like my shocks are worn out and need rebuild. Just dont want to screw up the torque tube clearance and bottom out on every pothole. Its a great old low mileage orig car but cant be cool unless its slammed a little. I would really like to take out the orig springs and buy lowering springs if available. Dont want to spend the bucks to Bag would like to be able tp put back orig if some old fart buys off me later ???????????

 

...give eaton spring a call. They did 2" drop springs all the way around on the 56 buick for me. They will keep dropping (or stretching too, I believe) the springs for you if you want to go lower...just have to send the parts back to Eaton. They have done it all before! If you want to keep the originals alone, try Eaton they will work with you.

 

Chevelle springs will lower it a fair amount, that's what I had before air ride, sorry I can't remember how much exactly. With the way the rear upper spring pockets are designed, you can cut the stock rear springs and put the cut end in the upper spring pocket.

 

was told on another forum, that el camino springs from the early eighties will fit right on and lower it all the way around about 2 inches, get em at napa about 50 bucks a peice, the fatman arms are very nice, but kinda expensive for my taste, so, i just cut my springs on my 52, its sittin pretty low and didn`t hurt the ride much......

 

thanks for the replies. I'll check out the chevelle/camino springs.

 

how do the camino springs work what years should i get

 

I bought a 1942 special I hope some of the tricks apply to mine too! Please let me know!