Thread: Stock Chevelle Suspension upgrade

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Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum and recently purchased a 1970 chevelle malibu with 350 and auto trany. Currently the ride has the stock coil over suspension and drum brakes all around. I am interested in converting to front disks and upgrading the suspension to eliminate the slop. Any suggestion would be great. This car is a daily driver/cruiser.

I have seen kits that include all poly bushings and ball joints etc. but am unsure if this is all I need. should I go with more of a kit that includes replacement parts. I think everything on this car is relatively stock.

Please help a newby chevelle owner.
Thanks,
Chris

Nice Chevelle Good luck with it. After you have checked out the suspension for warn parts, and know what needs replaceing, In my opionion I would probabley stay away from polyurathane bushings on a daily driver, they can be very harsh to your ride. I would replace the warn parts with good quality replacement parts , spend a little more and get moog or similar parts. If you don't have a rear anti sway bar I would invest in one. There are many disc brake companys out there make sure the rotors will fit with the wheels you are useing . Carlg

On a "relatively stock" Chevelle, I'd have to agree with carlg. Stay with OEM-type rubber bushings for a nice ride. Several companies make disc brake conversions for the Chevelle such as Master Power Brakes, Stainless Steel Brakes, maybe Baer and others. Do a search for "Malibu disc brakes" and you'll probably find a ton of info. What I would caution you on is not to cobble up your braking system from different sources. Use only one source and lean on them heavily about valving, master cylinder sizing, power booster sizing, etc.

Thanks for the posts. It seams like most of the kits that I have seen are for the poly bushings. I did not think that they would be that much different than rubber except that they would last longer. I was looking at a stage II kit from http://www.performancesuspension.com because is contained everything I was looking to buy/replace. It looks like I'll have to go to the autoparts store and buy OEM replacements. They should even be a little cheaper.

Do you think that single piston brakes would be sufficient? I had read somewhere that the disc brakes original to that year of car were single piston and did well. I found a kit to convert the front for about 400. If I go to a dual disc they jump in price drastically.

Anyway,
Thanks,
Chris

Chris, ANY front disc calipers that you use will be an improvement over front drums.

There's an old saying, "You get what you pay for" and I'd be a little shy about paying only $400 for a complete disc brake conversion. Master Power Brakes offers the single piston conversion for your car for $849.95. Now you have to ask yourself, what could be different in the parts for a difference of $450? MP has been in business for a number of years and is recognized as a quality supplier of brake systems. What do you know about this other outfit? REMEMBER, these are BRAKES you're talking about, not some relatively unimportant item.

http://www.mpbrakes.com/db1741p.htm

http://www.mpbrakes.com/dr1700k.htm

Chris, I was thinkin a 70 chevelle would have front disc brakes, but in checking I see that it could have either, But a cheaper alternative would be to replace the front spindles and drum brake setuo with the spindles,rotors from any 1970 to mid 80's midsize G.M. such as chevelle,mont carlo,malibu,skylark,cutlass etc. these should be available from a salvadge yard,at a reasonable cost, you'll need a new or rebuilt disc brake master cyl. & proportioning valve ( I would get the valve from the salvadge yard also) be sure and purchase new brake hoses & new or rebuilt brake calipers, if your looking for rear disc brakes your just about stuck with a kit or peicing things together wich can get complicated,
As far as the suspension, the Chevelle had a very nice setup and I see no need to change it, other than a thicker sway bar in front and adding a rear sway bar if it doesn't have one already, I would replace all the ball joints,bushings"front & rear",,steering linkage etc. with nothing but MOOG items, Put 4 new Monroe Sensatrac shocks, and have it Aligned by a pro and ya should have a very nice handeling and stopping Chevelle, One thing I didn't cover where the springs if ya feel the need to replace em stay with the application as I've seen lotsa guys put the big block springs under a chevelle and it gives it to hard of a ride plus it looks goofy cuzz it makes the car sit up too high.....

I agree with HWORRELL, find an SS car with discs for parts. Had a '72 Camino SS, drove it 540K miles and did the front brakes four times, back drums too many times and they usually didn't work! The newer '80 or so brakes are better, less drag, but I don't think they'll bolt on.

Originally posted by jeepinchris
I found a kit to convert the front for about 400.

Usually the lesser kits do not include the power booster and possibly some other parts.

Bert