New 1968 Newport owner - have a few questions about upgrades and mods

Biggredd2069

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Just bought my first classic car, 68 Chrysler Newport convertible. Its in great shape but needs some work. Going full custom with it and have a couple of questions. I plan on putting airbag suspension on it. I know that doesn't jive well with leaf springs. Thinking about going 4 link in the rear. I assume that's a pretty straightforward conversion from the kits I've seen and convert it to shocks and the ability to add the airbags?

For the front disk brake conversion I see a lot of talk about the 73 spindles. Is that just because its cheaper to reuse that part or is it worth it to just get a kit with the spindles part of it?

In the meantime I'm going to swap the front shocks soon. Read a post that made it seem like it is more difficult than normal on this body style. Anything worth noting before I just assume its a bolt high and bolt low and a quick easy swap like others I've done before?

Doing a lot of reading and getting a lot of good info. Thanks guyz
 
Just bought my first classic car... Going full custom with it

My opinion, and I'm sure many others here will agree, that is a bad idea. Too many decent cars end up sold for parts and scrap when newbies get over their head in a hurry.

I suggest learning to fix what is there first (the factory stuff) before you go trying to modify something that you might not understand, like the suspension.
 
it'll all be baby steps. Just laying out my master plan up front so I can plan properly. I do know how to fix things, just trying to get some opinions for now.
 
It's your ride. Don't let anyone deter you from what you want to do.

Been a while since I've been in Parker. I have a friend since high school that lives on S Donley st.

Post up some pics.
 
Here are a couple pics. I'm putting 22" rims on it this week despite public opinion.

20180930_170005.jpg


20180930_141504.jpg
 
just trying to get some opinions for now.

Opinion:



Suggestion:

List the car in the parts section simultaneously with your "mod" thread to maximize your exposure once the project stalls and the landlord wants "that pos otta the parking lot".
 
Previous owner didn't tighten the transmission pan all the way after doing some work. I've got that taken car of but putting a new gasket on next week regardless.
 
Previous owner didn't tighten the transmission pan all the way after doing some work. I've got that taken car of but putting a new gasket on next week regardless.
I think mr gasket makes a steel core gasket for the 727 i have one on my wagon.
 
I have the gasket. Gonna buy a new filter and fluid this week and took a day off next week after the cold is gone for a couple days and will get it 100%, but that picture of mostly driveway repair related and not actual hemorrhaging leak
 
Skip the 22s and put some whitewalls on it, no I’m serious. Nice car the way she sits though.
 
Bought these used and don't have proper back space so waiting on a spacer but here is a pic with the fronts mounted

20181018_071956.jpg
 
Personal taste aside....

This really isn't the car to airbag. You have a leaf spring rear and as you say, you need to do something like a 4 bar. The rear frame is really just some u-shaped sheet metal and you will have to build a rear frame to really make it work right. Then moving to the front, the torsion bar suspension will need to be completely reworked, adding a lower control arm pivot and mounts for the airbag. Again, the frame is basically sheet metal.

The cars that are airbagged are full framed vehicles, like an early sixties GM for example. To my knowledge, there are no kits that will do this with a Mopar.

Then there's my personal opinion... and that I have stated before.... The slammed to the ground look is over. It's a dated "look" and one that will be hard to reverse when you grow tired of it. Clean and lowered is always cool and won't go out of date. I would suggest lowering blocks for the leaf springs, and twisting the adjustment down for the torsion bars. Lots less work and lots less $$$$$$. You are pretty much on your own with fabrication and figuring out airbags correctly too... IMHO, spend the time and money on paint, interior etc. and go have some fun rather than a project car that is going to be a lot of work.

Oh... and wheel spacers are bad....
 
Fyi mind isn't fully made up on air bags but they do sell kits for it. Just want it for fun. . A good stance is good too. Wasn't planning on wheel spacers but am using hub centric in the meantime. Might consider different rims later that don't need it. Definitely doing a front disk brake conversion sooner than later.
 
Fyi mind isn't fully made up on air bags but they do sell kits for it. Just want it for fun. . A good stance is good too. Wasn't planning on wheel spacers but am using hub centric in the meantime. Might consider different rims later that don't need it. Definitely doing a front disk brake conversion sooner than later.
Wilwood makes a brake kit
 
Fyi mind isn't fully made up on air bags but they do sell kits for it. Just want it for fun. . A good stance is good too. Wasn't planning on wheel spacers but am using hub centric in the meantime. Might consider different rims later that don't need it. Definitely doing a front disk brake conversion sooner than later.
Well... The fun with a C-body vert (I have a 70 300 convertible) is driving it... My own car has some personal, but mild, cosmetic and mechanical touches that I like, so I'm not a "purist" as some might be.... Again, personal taste aside.... Go simple and go out and have some fun with it. You will enjoy the car much more.

Disc brakes is a good idea! Lots of threads on the subject here.
 
Why is it that, respectfully, people buy a nice car, even a LOW PRODUCTION body style, and immediately start wanting to change it? Kind of like some females I've known of who dated a guy all through high school and college, then they get married and SHE wants to change him, remake him in HER desires?

Air bag suspension. Can be done on Chrysler vehicles of this vintage, but it's quite a bit more than a similar GM car. One of the GREAT things about these cars is their ride and handling, especially when compared to Ford and GM cars of that era!! Many new purchasers of these cars typically haven't keyed on this yet, by observation, as it take time with the car out on the road, by observation. ONE reason to get to know the car and what made it the great cars they were BEFORE spending large amounts of money to make it "trendy" in some circles of friends.

The OTHER thing is that it's NO FUN having to take extra pains to drive such that you don't drag the rear bumper when entering driveways or similar. OR drag the middle when going over humps that other cars can just drive over. Might look kewl, but not to those behind you.

Several years ago, I was behind some younger guys in a Honda that they'd torched the coils on to lower it. It bobbed down the road on each small bump. THEN, when they came to a railroad track, they danged near had to stop to inch over it! THAT is a traffic hazard!!! Plain and simple.

If you want the big wheels, then you'll have to deal with the restricted turning issue of hitting bumps in the middle of the turn, very possibly. Tire/sheet metal noises are not kewl, either! Might even rip the wheel opening moldings on the front fenders, not to mention gouges in the tire. Take the time to get a taller lower control arm bumper, then trim it down so that it bottoms-out the front suspension so the tire/sheetmetal situation doesn't happen.

NOT to forget that it might also rub on the inner fender section, too. End result, the turning diameters on these Chryslers are wide enough as it (wider than similar Ford and GM cars), so making it wider because of your wheel/tire choice can make maneuvering in tight spaces a pain AND glad it has good power steering.

If you want to do these things to a vintage classic car, I'm presuming you purchased the car for that reason rather than because it was a Chrysler only? It's much easier to make those things happen on a GM car than on a Chrysler. MUCH easier to do the air bag deal, for sure!

Now, in the Drydock forum, there's a thread where a guy did the air bag deal/4-link on a '66 Newport. It all went in much easier than I'd ever have suspected. BUT dealing with the front suspension is much more difficult, due to the way things are designed. And, in the process, you get rid of the torsion bars, which are ONE of the reasons the cars ride/drive so nicely . . . AND turn corners flatter than other similar GM cars did. Plus the superior Chrysler front end geometry!

IF you are going to use wheel spacers to correct for incorrect wheel backspacing, you'll need some LONGER wheel studs! AND you'll also need to change ALL of the studs to the later RH thread, as the current ones have LH thread on the LH side of the car. MUCH better to get wheels with the correct backspacing, period!

It's your car and you can do whatever floats your boat with it, BUT at least learn about it BEFORE you dive head-long into doing a bunch of stuff that your friends (or people who might perceive you want to be your friends) might like. If and when they might move on, you've still spent a lot of money "for nothing", even if it did make you feel good to do it.

The other thing is that the things you're considering doing/have done do NOTHING to increase the value of the car on the open market. Quite the opposite. Don't do anything that you can't revert to easily. That's a time-honored observation. Banks/finance companies don't like modified vehicles, either, so you'll need to find somebody that likes exactly what you've done to the car AND can pay cash.

IF you're wanting something to customize and such, look for a Buick as they have some much better lines for custom paint and such.

Respectfully,
CBODY67
 
Fyi mind isn't fully made up on air bags but they do sell kits for it. Just want it for fun. . A good stance is good too. Wasn't planning on wheel spacers but am using hub centric in the meantime. Might consider different rims later that don't need it. Definitely doing a front disk brake conversion sooner than later.
You could ditch the t bars and put crown vic swap 03 to 11 i think then you could bag it or a c4 corvett suspension
 
Why is it that, respectfully, people buy a nice car, even a LOW PRODUCTION body style, and immediately start wanting to change it? Kind of like some females I've known of who dated a guy all through high school and college, then they get married and SHE wants to change him, remake him in HER desires?

Air bag suspension. Can be done on Chrysler vehicles of this vintage, gut it's quite a bit more than a similar GM car. One of the GREAT things about these cars is their ride and handling, especially when compared to Ford and GM cars of that era!! But you weren't around back then, so you might not know that. ONE reason to get to know the car and what made it the great cars they were BEFORE spending large amounts of money to make it "trendy" in some circles of friends.

The OTHER thing is that it's NO FUN having to take extra pains to drive such that you don't drag the rear bumper when entering driveways or similar. OR drag the middle when going over humps that other cars can just drive over. Might look kewl, but not to those behind you.

Several years ago, I was behind some younger guys in a Honda that they'd torched the coils on to lower it. It bobbed down the road on each small bump. THEN, when they came to a railroad track, they danged near had to stop to inch over it! THAT is a traffic hazard!!! Plain and simple.

If you want the big wheels, then you'll have to deal with the restricted turning issue of hitting bumps in the middle of the turn, very possibly. Tire/sheet metal noises are not kewl, either! Might even rip the wheel opening moldings on the front fenders, not to mention gouges in the tire. Take the time to get a taller lower control arm bumper, then trim it down so that it bottoms-out the front suspension so the tire/sheetmetal situation doesn't happen.

NOT to forget that it might also rub on the inner fender section, too. End result, the turning diameters on these Chryslers are wide enough as it (wider than similar Ford and GM cars), so making it wider because of your wheel/tire choice can make maneuvering in tight spaces a pain AND glad it has good power steering.

If you want to do these things to a vintage classic car, I'm presuming you purchased the car for that reason rather than because it was a Chrysler only? It's much easier to make those things happen on a GM car than on a Chrysler. MUCH easier to do the air bag deal, for sure!

Now, in the Drydock forum, there's a thread where a guy did the air bag deal/4-link on a '66 Newport. It all went in much easier than I'd ever have suspected. BUT dealing with the front suspension is much more difficult, due to the way things are designed. And, in the process, you get rid of the torsion bars, which are ONE of the reasons the cars ride/drive so nicely . . . AND turn corners flatter than other similar GM cars did. Plus the superior Chrysler front end geometry!

IF you are going to use wheel spacers to correct for incorrect wheel backspacing, you'll need some LONGER wheel studs! AND you'll also need to change ALL of the studs to the later RH thread, as the current ones have LH thread on the LH side of the car. MUCH better to get wheels with the correct backspacing, period!

It's your car and you can do whatever floats your boat with it, BUT at least learn about it BEFORE you dive head-long into doing a bunch of stuff that your friends (or people who might perceive you want to be your friends) might like. If and when they might move on, you've still spent a lot of money "for nothing", even if it did make you feel good to do it.

The other thing is that the things you're considering doing/have done do NOTHING to increase the value of the car on the open market. Quite the opposite. Don't do anything that you can't revert to easily. That's a time-honored observation. Banks/finance companies don't like modified vehicles, either, so you'll need to find somebody that likes exactly what you've done to the car AND can pay cash.

IF you're wanting something to customize and such, look for a Buick as they have some much better lines for custom paint and such.

Respectfully,
CBODY67
I miss dry dock i cant get signed in
 
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