93 GT Update: custom suspension badassery in the works.

[woody90gtz]

That fake CF looks good! I was thinking about playing with some for the headlight & signal buckets on the Camaro and maybe the grilles.

I take it you never got your wheelskins boot to work properly? I need a solution for mine. The cloth boot in it now sucks.

Not a fan of the wheel gappage, but if it works it works. Is the forward traction noticeably better? I thought about replacing the rear shocks with solid tubes for the drag strip to keep from unloading the tires.

[Baims_91Base]

I take it you never got your wheelskins boot to work properly? I need a solution for mine. The cloth boot in it now sucks.

I got mine to work alright, just took some finesse...and trimming. Which...sucks to do to a nice $30 boot I didn't have to cut down until I installed it in the newer style console. Old school console = no problem.

Anxious to see the GT in person with the new wheelgap - that baby's gotta be STIFF though.

[3X00-Modified]

Yikes that's a lot of lift back there.

I would research some spring rates more, Honestly I think 800lbs is a bit too firm for what you want to do with it but that's my opinion.

[KFLO 93 GT]

I totally agree with you Jon. If it wasn't for the chance of running across these I would totally rather have something around 500lbs max.

But, the sacrifice in ride quality isn't as bad as you'd think (praise the Bilsteins more than likely) - and the car corners a lot sharper now with way less body roll. I haven't had a good chance to launch it, but when getting on it from a roll in 1st or 2nd the rear end barely squats at all. Without unloading the front tires it seems to have better forward traction. A good launch will really tell the story on that.

What really blows me away is the ride on wavy roads and hard cornering. The rotation is so much better, the ass end of the car is just glued to the road surface.

For those positives, I can accept the ride height for now. If I get pissed about it I can always order something shorter and a bit softer. I've always said for as good as it looks, this is not a show car. Form < Function

Woody - I never really bothered with the Wheelskins boot much, just can't bring myself to cut it up. I'm not minding the rubber accordion, but Crown Royal bag keeps popping back into my head. I've got plenty of them.

[aspman]

Do you have a Bilstein part number for those front strut cartridges? Mine are nearing time for replacement and I want to swap in some new ones to use while I have the old ones off for rebuilds.

Thanks,
E

[KFLO 93 GT]

There is no direct replacement from Bilstein, whatever is used will be custom ordered to your application - and your strut housings modified as necessary.

[LX9Power]

Dont worry about that gap, it will settle down a little.

[wicked-irocz]

The CF is nice. You gotta fix the back. Way to high.

[berettaboi]

think you can get a way with chopping off some? i know it's not the right way, but it's a custom spring already?

[3X00-Modified]

think you can get a way with chopping off some? i know it's not the right way, but it's a custom spring already?

When you do cut a spring progressive or not you will change it's characteristics... It's not recommended but since he already has an obnoxiously high spring rate he might be able to get away with it.

I ordered the same rear shocks as Kurt, but I'm questioning the length of them right now.

I sent both KYB and Bilstein e-mails asking KYB what the length is of a compressed and extended shock for the 87-94 application as well as the 95-96, and then I asked Bilstein what the length is of the Saab shock that fits.

I know for a fact that 95-96 has a shorter full extension length and I want to make sure that these Bilstein's are either exactly the same as the 87-94's or shorter... and not any longer. If they are a shade longer then I might have to research with them to find a shorter shock with the same end mounts that will work for 95-96.

Using a 87-94 shock on a 95+ is possible, but when you lift the car if the axle is dropped the Eibach springs are short enough to now fall out, so it's a bit of a pain to deal with and you want to make sure your bumpstop bottoms out before the shock does as well...

Well KYB was quick... Still Waiting on Bilstein's conformation.

KG4536 – Application 1987-1994 Beretta Extended 21.73”---Compressed 13.58”
KG4552 – Application 1995-1996 Beretta Extended 18.62”---Compressed 12.13”
KG4741 – Application 1994-1998 Saab 900 Extended 21.42”---Compressed 13.39”
Measured form the shoulder of the stud to the center of the lower eyelet.

Than makes the 95-96 shocks 3.11" shorter at full extension and 1.45" shorter at full compression than the older ones, and the Saab version is 2.8" longer at full extension and 1.26" longer at full compression.

[woody90gtz]

think you can get a way with chopping off some? i know it's not the right way, but it's a custom spring already?

You can't cut a 88-94 pigtail spring even if you want to. They won't locate on the spring perches. 95-96 are straight springs and you probably could if someone wants to try it. haha

[3X00-Modified]

Touche

I forgot how much the major diameter of the spring doesn't even match the top. I knew the bottom wasnt close.

[berettaboi]

aha, no worky at all then