Suspension kits

[Lowbudget]

I bought myself a 1973 Monaco 4 door, 440, 8 3/4 sure grip car. I haven't even got it home yet to check it over but was wondering which one of the all in one suspension kits you would recommend. Feel Firm, Just Suspension or Springs and Things or ?????? It probably will get driven a little harder than my M Body, which I got the parts from springs and things and drive kind of hard. I'm at work for another week and just doing research. Thanks in advance.

 

[ayilar]

Like several others, including @polara71 and @71Polara383, I have been very happy with ESPO Springs 'n Things. I now have their springs on two of my 1970 Polara 'verts, Regina and Snow White. Here is some info of my decision process:

Meet Regina FQ3, a 1970 Polara convertible who turns 51 today

I acquired DL27L0D148841 from @Tobias74 earlier this month. This Polara convertible's scheduled build date was 51 years ago to the day: October 31, 1969. The color is my favorite, and I had yet to own a fusie C-body with a console, so I took the plunge and thus deviated (some more...) from my...

www.forcbodiesonly.com

@1970FuryConv used Eaton for his springs. He is happy with his choice, and that is the other company that I seriously considered. Read about his experience here:

1970 Fury III Convertible 126115 miles: Intro & Planned 440/727 Swap

FRONT TIRES AND ALIGNMENT · Cassidy Auto installed my Cooper Cobra tires 23570R15 on my front rims. Said the bead seats were fine, no rust. Tire mount with new valve stems $55. · Roger Cassidy (previous owner) came in to assist Patrick Cassidy (current owner & son) in aligning...

www.forcbodiesonly.com

 

[1971 300 Alvah]

I did the full Firm Feel kit. I've been very satisfied with it. When the weather gets a little warmer and the days a little longer I'm going to finish it up with the front and rear sway bars that I have on hand.

 

[mobileparts]

Everything you mention for Front end components is of Chineseum origin...

ESPO Springs and Things for Coil and Leaf Springs are the finest price (far far less than Eaton) and U.S.A. made.... that is your smartest choice, on them.....

For U.S.A. made Front End Components, if you want U.S.A. made parts, your smartest move is me ---- I have supplied many people on FCBO with complete kits / NO "back orders" --- Entire Front Ends : Suspension, Steering, and the Rest.....

P.M. me, as per forum rules, if interested..... yours, Craig.....

 

[Gerald Morris]

I shopped carefully several months ago and got all NOS U.S. made parts for my next front end job, excepting one lower ball joint and the LCA bushings. THOSE I bought from Rare Parts. I used Springs n Things last Spring to replace the tired metal on Mathilda's rear, and will transfer those wonderful 7 leaf springs they put together for us on Gertrude, God-willing this coming weekend. The front end can wait until May.

If you know eBay and other Net avenues, you can get NOS U.S. parts yourself, directly, at the best prices. Otherwise, you will be forced to deal with parts flippers. This I won't do. One thing is sure, the asiatic slave factories have puked out plenty high-sulfur, poor steel made by de-moralized workers and that stuff is markedly INFERIOR.

Make a list of every part you need, then get your search engines trained to find the stuff. It's NOT difficult. Most pleasantly surprising of all, you can find the GOOD STUFF as cheap as the NEW CRAP! But you DO have to put a little EFFORT into doing so.

 

[Gerald Morris]

After looking, and seeing how you're in Utah, I thought THIS guy MIGHT do you OK for the $:

1965-1973 Dodge 880 Monaco Polara New Front End Suspension Master Rebuild Kit

1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 DODGE POLARA MONACO 880 NEW FRONT END SUSPENSION MASTER REBUILD KIT IDLER ARM

stores.a-resto-parts.com

Now a Word (or paragraph) of Caution:

Andersen sells chinesium, to be sure. BUT, if you want a fairly comprehensive package of parts to do over a front end, he does a fair deal. I used his wares for my first front end rebuild on our 1966 Chrysler Newport 2 door and got a solid result which held up very nicely over the first summer I drove the **** out of it, taking a crew of 4-5 adults around with me into the outskirts of Tucson on desert trails to tailer parks and huts for some political work I led the team on. This front end more or less held up right until the September the car got badly damaged in last year, excepting the lower control arm bushings. I'll never know for sure whether my own incompetence, inferior rubber or both caused those to fail after 2 years but DO keep in mind that chinese rubber is inferior, as is their steel. Indonesian rubber, by contrast, is EXCELLENT, because the Dutch imperialist assholes taught them well how to make it. Korean rubber AND steel are quite good too. Not all asiatic slave states are equal. India and Pakistan excrete the WORST stuff.....

So, IFF this job is your First Rodeo with C body front ends and/or you're really pinched for lucre, then Andersen MIGHT be a valid option. At least you'll be supporting a local capitalist if you do business with him. I won't again, but his wares are worth what you pay for them, usually.

Also, OLD rubber sucks! Old steel is GREAT if it was great when new, but organics don't age so well.

Blessings on your work