Hey all... I don't post out here as much as I did before having a kid, but I'm trying to change that! I just wanted to post a quick set of "before and after" pics of my '60 Coupe deVille that I just lowered with the help of my buddy (and fellow Caddy man) Jobe. After getting the wires on the car last year, I've been dying to lower this car and had been thinking really hard about bagging it. In the end, cheapness and simplicity won out and I ordered a set of 3 inch drop springs from Jamco along with the shocks and bumpstops. Strangely enough, the front springs were super-easy to remove (the lower ball joint is on a separate piece that just unbolts from the lower A-arm) while the rear ones required disconnecting the brake lines and using the spring compressors. In the end, we got it done in about 6 hours and I'm very happy with the result! Before: After: After the alignment, I'm still scraping the lip of the wheel wells when I turn hard. I'm thinking about making some adjustable steering stops out of a couple bolts and nylon lock-nuts and tacking them onto the lower A-arms. Anyone done this? Is there a better way? Thanks!
Absolutely LOVE that car! I dig it as it was or lowered...but would love to see it level without the rake..just me though. I'd take it if it had no suspension though. A 60 Cadillac coupe is on my list of MUST have's before i die! Very nice! Tony
Thanks Tony! I'm not sure about the rake... it doesn't look like it has a rake when I'm just looking at it in person. But now I really see it in the pictures. Maybe it has something to do with the road I was parked on... I'm not sure. Maybe I should take some measurements and get in touch with Jamco...
You're welcome!! It may just be the pics.. Seriously, that is a great looking car and damn close to exactly what i want to build someday..about the only thing different would have been the top color. I always wanted an all black one. But....your's is pretty much perfect just as it is.
I could probably throw some bags of cement in the back and level it out just fine, I guess I can't claim credit/blame for the paint on this car - I bought it after someone dumped money into the restoration... first I was turned off by the white top, but now I really like it... I may end up putting a pearl on the top at some point... not really sure yet. I agree... all black looks pretty nice, though.
Lookin good. I just dropped my Edsel too. They look so much better low. Hows the ride and any problems with tires rubbing?
The ride is way firmer because the Jamco springs are 30% stiffer, but on a big boat like this, it's a welcome change. I only get rubbing when I'm doing tight turns - I'm going to weld in some bolts as adjustable steering stops on the lower A-arms to prevent me from accidentally ripping the wheel well trim off the car! On the road, I don't have any rubbing issues. Now, I'm dragging my sweet stainless exhaust on bumps here and there, but that's to be expected...
ive got a few sets of stock springs if you want to mess around with cutting some to get the ass lower? or just make some new lower link bars and bag the ass. pm me and ill bring them to the round up.
ryno - thanks for the offer! Let me think about it, but I think if I do any mods to get it lower, I'll want to do it to the stiffer Jamco springs so I'm not bouncing around back there like the stock ones tended to do. I'm going to do some frame-to-ground measurements and see how far off I really am. Heck, the more I think about it, there's a good 10 gallons worth of gas difference in those pictures... hell, that could be it.
Headhunter----what's a set of Jamcos cost? I'm almost scared to change the springs in my 60---it's somewhere between your before and after....I might be better off snippin' a coil...
The kit is normally $499 with springs, shocks, and bumpstops. HAMB Alliance gets you 10% off but I caught a winter special which was 15% (can't do HAMB *and* the special, though). My only thought is that, if you are riding on stock springs that have been snipped, I wouldn't snip anymore... After dropping 3 inches, there really isn't much travel left and I think that stock springs would have you bottoming out all the time. The Jamcos are much stiffer springs and I think it's a much better solution than just cutting coils.
Looks a lot like my old 60. I cut coils on the front and back on this one, but if I where you I'd just add some weight in the trunk to level it out. Regardless, your car looks great.
Thanks again, everyone! Caddy-O - you're right, ours look very similar - I've seen your pics before and they were part of my inspiration to bite the bullet and do it. I'm with you, though, I'm going to try gassing her up and maybe throwing some bags of sand in the back to even it out and see how far that gets me...
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