65 Starfire Suspension
#1
65 Starfire Suspension
I have a 65 Starfire that we've completely rebuilt but now I'd like to improve the suspension. I'd love to use one of the Ride Tech kits but I'm unsure if our Starfire shares its suspension with any of the GM platforms that Ride Tech has listed. I've asked Ride Tech but they have no idea. Does anyone here know if the Starfire shares common suspension parts with any othe GM cars?
#2
I have a 65 Starfire that we've completely rebuilt but now I'd like to improve the suspension. I'd love to use one of the Ride Tech kits but I'm unsure if our Starfire shares its suspension with any of the GM platforms that Ride Tech has listed. I've asked Ride Tech but they have no idea. Does anyone here know if the Starfire shares common suspension parts with any othe GM cars?
#3
How about rear control arm being interchangeable? Would like to beef them up to a tubular design, but if it's like the other 90% of the starfire, they are unique to that car and connot use control arms from another cars kit, I suppose I could always box the old ones. I guess a better question would be how much abuse can the original control arms takes at a drag strip under the high grip/hp abuse?
#4
How about rear control arm being interchangeable? Would like to beef them up to a tubular design, but if it's like the other 90% of the starfire, they are unique to that car and connot use control arms from another cars kit, I suppose I could always box the old ones. I guess a better question would be how much abuse can the original control arms takes at a drag strip under the high grip/hp abuse?
#5
Figured as much. So to strengthen the control arms of the 4 link my best bet is to do some fab work and box them? Thanks again for passing on your wealth of knowledge! 👍
#6
I'm using boxed rear upper and lower trailing arms for a cutlass in my 66 Starfire and 66 98.
Long ago in a junkyard I compared the trailing arms for a body and the b/c body and they were identical to my eye. So both my big cars have I think hotchkiss arms for an a body and they've worked great for at least 10 years with the rear sway bar. If I remember correctly hotchkiss arms were slightly different for 65-67 as compared to 68-up.
Caveat: I've never confirmed that the pinion angle was correct.
Consider this a lead and call hotchkiss with the dimensions of your factory arms.
Long ago in a junkyard I compared the trailing arms for a body and the b/c body and they were identical to my eye. So both my big cars have I think hotchkiss arms for an a body and they've worked great for at least 10 years with the rear sway bar. If I remember correctly hotchkiss arms were slightly different for 65-67 as compared to 68-up.
Caveat: I've never confirmed that the pinion angle was correct.
Consider this a lead and call hotchkiss with the dimensions of your factory arms.
#7
I'm using boxed rear upper and lower trailing arms for a cutlass in my 66 Starfire and 66 98.
Long ago in a junkyard I compared the trailing arms for a body and the b/c body and they were identical to my eye. So both my big cars have I think hotchkiss arms for an a body and they've worked great for at least 10 years with the rear sway bar. If I remember correctly hotchkiss arms were slightly different for 65-67 as compared to 68-up.
Caveat: I've never confirmed that the pinion angle was correct.
Consider this a lead and call hotchkiss with the dimensions of your factory arms.
Long ago in a junkyard I compared the trailing arms for a body and the b/c body and they were identical to my eye. So both my big cars have I think hotchkiss arms for an a body and they've worked great for at least 10 years with the rear sway bar. If I remember correctly hotchkiss arms were slightly different for 65-67 as compared to 68-up.
Caveat: I've never confirmed that the pinion angle was correct.
Consider this a lead and call hotchkiss with the dimensions of your factory arms.
#8
I've found the front suspension for my 66 big cars a challenge. The specific weak spot I've been bitten by is a lower ball joint breaking an A-arm in a low speed turn. Twice on 2 different cars. Very scary. Especially with a child in the car. Or a girlfriend.
There are 2 fixes I've used.
First, when you pull the upper and lower arms for new bushings and/or ball joints, have them magnaflux (under u/v?) checked for cracks. Also out of round for the bushings which will need tack welding of the bushing to the arm. If yours are bad and you can get good ones, replace.
Second, have a good welder weld in new steel in the lower a-arm on the underside to strengthen or reinforce the lower arm.
I think what cracked and cause my lower a-arms to fail was either a slight too-large new ballpoint or high mileage fatigue. Or maybe someone didn't use a ball joint press and just beat the joints in...
My hard won experience.
There are 2 fixes I've used.
First, when you pull the upper and lower arms for new bushings and/or ball joints, have them magnaflux (under u/v?) checked for cracks. Also out of round for the bushings which will need tack welding of the bushing to the arm. If yours are bad and you can get good ones, replace.
Second, have a good welder weld in new steel in the lower a-arm on the underside to strengthen or reinforce the lower arm.
I think what cracked and cause my lower a-arms to fail was either a slight too-large new ballpoint or high mileage fatigue. Or maybe someone didn't use a ball joint press and just beat the joints in...
My hard won experience.
#9
As to bushings and shocks, just to finish things, KYB gas-a-just is my go to for decades. Just great balance of ride and control.
After experimenting for a year or 2 with polyurethane bushings on my 66 Starfire on the hunt for better control, I went back to rubber. The poly was just too stiff. It felt like I was fighting the comfort design goal of the big cars.
The only exception might be front sway bushings, poly might be good there, but marine grease them on installation to minimize squeaks.
If you're aiming at a street car, I'd strongly recommend staying with rubber bushings like the factory intended on the a-arms and trailing arms.
After experimenting for a year or 2 with polyurethane bushings on my 66 Starfire on the hunt for better control, I went back to rubber. The poly was just too stiff. It felt like I was fighting the comfort design goal of the big cars.
The only exception might be front sway bushings, poly might be good there, but marine grease them on installation to minimize squeaks.
If you're aiming at a street car, I'd strongly recommend staying with rubber bushings like the factory intended on the a-arms and trailing arms.
#10
I'm using boxed rear upper and lower trailing arms for a cutlass in my 66 Starfire and 66 98.
Long ago in a junkyard I compared the trailing arms for a body and the b/c body and they were identical to my eye. So both my big cars have I think hotchkiss arms for an a body and they've worked great for at least 10 years with the rear sway bar. If I remember correctly hotchkiss arms were slightly different for 65-67 as compared to 68-up.
Caveat: I've never confirmed that the pinion angle was correct.
Consider this a lead and call hotchkiss with the dimensions of your factory arms.
Long ago in a junkyard I compared the trailing arms for a body and the b/c body and they were identical to my eye. So both my big cars have I think hotchkiss arms for an a body and they've worked great for at least 10 years with the rear sway bar. If I remember correctly hotchkiss arms were slightly different for 65-67 as compared to 68-up.
Caveat: I've never confirmed that the pinion angle was correct.
Consider this a lead and call hotchkiss with the dimensions of your factory arms.
#12
#13
oh i know they havent. I just thought it was funny how the same part number supposedly fits mopar a,b,e bodies. BOP full sized along with the gm b bodies.
#14
Worse than that. The 61-64 cars use different arms than the 65-70 cars, which use different arms than the 71-76 cars, yet these fit all three generations.
#16
The stock Olds suspension was designed to be at least twice as strong as it would ever need to be. In my estimation , strong enough for a half ton truck .
Why would anyone want to waste their money on these control arms ?
The only thing that is going to be lighter is your wallet .
If you want real "handling" buy a Ferrari .
Why would anyone want to waste their money on these control arms ?
The only thing that is going to be lighter is your wallet .
If you want real "handling" buy a Ferrari .
#17
The stock Olds suspension was designed to be at least twice as strong as it would ever need to be. In my estimation , strong enough for a half ton truck .
Why would anyone want to waste their money on these control arms ?
The only thing that is going to be lighter is your wallet .
If you want real "handling" buy a Ferrari .
Why would anyone want to waste their money on these control arms ?
The only thing that is going to be lighter is your wallet .
If you want real "handling" buy a Ferrari .
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