Standing heights

[Cees de Bunje]

Hi guys. i need some advice from you. I recently joined the body and chassis together after several years of sparation. I had allso removed the front and rear springs. After i installed the rear springs the standing height wa almost 2" to high. I just the same springs. so my question is..............can springs become longer after many years of being not being loaded. How do i adjust the standing height. I must say that not everything is put back on the body. (no gastank. no Decklid, no rear bumper, no seats and so on) Love to hear any solution. Cees.

[Cees de Bunje]

It looks like that the front is 2" to high and the back is 3" to high. after installing all the parts it will come allright is my   guess. front and rear is almost the same diference from specs.

[Jason Edge]

Both are a couple inches or more above the upper limit in shop manual. It will be curious to see what your measurements settle down to.

My front suspension with HD springs is exactly 8" which is just below the 8 1/4" upper end:

[Cees de Bunje]

@ Jason. i owe you an answer to the standing heights at this moment (only body, engine and trans mounted) Front 26 centimeters ( that is 10,24 " i believe) and the back 24.7 centimeters ( that is 9.72" ) all measured on the spot that was pointed out in the work shop manual for the 1963 eldorado Biarritz.

[Jason Edge]

What's installed and what is not? Engine and accessories is 500 lb, fenders and hood will be a couple hundred lbs. Front bumper end is also very heavy being at least 100 lb or more.

Also, What is your suspension height measurement per spec manual? I never got an answer on the rear, but I would get a specific, exact measurement without whatever else is not installed and then one after, then compare to factory range.

Many cars over the years are sagging and sitting low because of tired springs, and smaller tires and are sometimes surprised when once the car is brought up to factory specs it is no longer a "low rider"..which these cars were never intended to be from the factory. 

Wanting to go with the original look on my 64 CDV, I am definitely bucking the "fad to go low" in that I'm proud my Caddy sits comfortably up toward the upper end of the factory specs range with new HD springs and original height tires.  Also, to make sure I am not mis-understood, this is what I wanted for this particular car. I have had partial custom cars, with shorter tires, cut springs, fat white walls, etc and that was exactly what I wanted with this car.

So again if you are wanting an original height car, I would start with measurements after everything is installed and compare to factory specs.  If you want to keep the car low there are many ways to skin that cat and keep the car riding nicely.

[Cees de Bunje]

After instelling the front springs the Same problem occured. Way to high. Anyone of you had the Same problem ?

[Jason Edge]

You are correct. Those are the front specs. I'll update the post. Rear should be 5 13/16" to 6 9/16". What was your measurement? It will be interesting to see the exact before and after.

[Cees de Bunje]

I think you are wrong with those figures. That is for front. It should be 5-13/16" to6-9/16" i had almost 2" more

[Jason Edge]

What was your measurement? It should be 5 13/16" to 6 9/16" for regular body styles per shop manual (procedure on page 4-15, specs on Page 4-32  in 1963 shop manual).

[Cees de Bunje]

Thanks Jason . I measured the height beween rear axle and frame so the tires are not a problem in the measurement. I agree That adding the missing parts Will loser the car a bit. Will see when it is all ready.

[Jason Edge]

I would expect that when you install the rear bumper end (very heavy), trunk lid, seats and gas tank it will go down an inch or so. I sort of remember a similar post on the 63/64 site a while back and once these items were reinstalled it went down some. I do think springs rebound a bit from being compressed by the car if left off the car for a period.

I bet once you reinstall everything you will be in the shop manual rear suspension height specs sweet spot.

Be sure to post the suspension height per shop manual once all is installed.

If running radials you will need to adjust for expected ride height due to difference in height of stock bias ply vs radials  by subtracting 30" (approx bias ply diameter) from diameter of your radial and dividing by two.