WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

[MSR]

i'm currently using a front spring that's twice the rate of the '89 Z51 spring. i'd like to try either the Z51 spring, or something in between. if anyone knows of any C4 front springs for sale, please let me know.

thanks.

-michael

[Fair!]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

This may be a stupid suggestion... but Lou Gigliotti ran a Corvette Challenge car back in the day. He might have some old parts from his various race cars lying around? He ran World Challenge for years, and McCall said he had a bunch of stuff for those old F-bodies stored in his shop...

Just a thought. www.lgmotorsports.com has his number.

[MSR]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

i'll give him a try, thanks!

-m

[Fair!]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

any luck with finding springs?

what are you modifying your 1996 Corvette for? SM2 solo2 use? Track use? Street use?

just curious...

[John in Houston]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

He's trying to go faster than a certain M3

Tuning the car. It's mainly solo2. It's got some interesting handling traits right now. Maybe MSR will chime in and discuss?

[MSR]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

ya, i can't decide if the front spring is too high a rate or not. for ggp it probably is, and since my last 12 events have been only at ggp, i think i'm finally starting to realize this.

so the question is whether or not to make it a site-specific setup. part of what makes this more enticing is that a softer setup would result in a nicer streetcar. otoh, i just bought a commuter car, and haven't driven the vette but 3 times since august because of that.

no luck in finding a spring, though, so i think i'll stick with what i have and work on getting the shocks right. regardless of spring, the shocks are definitely wrong right now.

-michael

[Tommy R]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

Can you soften the damping much, Michael?

Tommy

[MSR]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

i think the bilstein sports were even too soft, probably mostly on rebound. but there has to be some level of digression that will help while still controlling the car. (after all, why would one pay $1k per corner in shocks unless getting the damping right were an advantage.)

of course, i'd just be happy with something that works. those xtremes on the car now make me very angry by the end of a 20 minute drive. and that's total bs when it turns out the mega stiff shocks actually slowed me down.

-michael

[mikemc]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

Are the Koni Sports (yellows) not still avaliable for the C4? They are single adjustable (rebound) and had a wide range of adjustment. I used them on my Collector's Edition LT4 back in '98 and they were a huge improvement over the stock shocks.

If I remember correctly, they aren't all that expensive either.

Mike McClure

[Fair!]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

Are the Koni Sports (yellows) not still avaliable for the C4? ... If I remember correctly, they aren't all that expensive either.

Mike McClure

Yea, they were $80/each back in the day, when Konis for strut cars were $125-150 each...

I heard they were discontinued? But my memory needs to be purged and upgraded.

[mikemc]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

I just checked www.stranoparts.com and they have the Knoi Sports listed for $133.00 each.

If I was to go back to a C4 Vette this is definately the shock I would choose to use compared to the crazy money shocks like Penske's, JRZ's, etc.

Mike McClure

[MSR]

WTB: C4 "Challenge" Front Spring

those are definitely in contention. i'm concerned they don't have enough valving to handle my springs, but maybe they do. (my front spring is double the Z51/challenge rate.) also, the rears aren't adjustable while the shock is installed, since the adjuster is on top.

i finally did find a challenge spring, so i'll be able to try it. i'm going to start by trying it with the xtreme front shocks. for the rear, i decided to give the QA1 a try. if it's not good enough, i'll go koni. it's a new QA1 made just for vettes that uses bilstein cartridge-style valves. the adjuster is 2-way, and reachable without even jacking up the car. it supposedly can be adjusted to softer than stock, for street driving, and yet go to far too stiff for use with stock springs in competition. it's also Al-bodied, but as cheap as koni, which is why i'm not holding my breath that it will be worth a damn.

it's supposed to be 50/50 damping. i have no idea what Z51 shocks or the koni sports are, compression relative to rebound, but i suspect 50/50 is now old school. we'll see.

thanks for the comments/suggestions, always appreciated.

-michael