Converting rear leafs to coilovers

[6spd68]

Hi Guys,
   I'm new to the forum, but promise not to be a one trick pony.  I'm beggining my 68 project and have most of my setup in order, but I'm still on the fence about what to do with suspension.  I've seen the kits made to convert the rear leaf springs to coilovers and I was wondering, is it all worth it?  Who else has done it?  Is there a noticeable improvement over the leafs?  Which kit should I be looking at?  I'm not too pumped to pay 4k for the adjustable air kit 

[JB400]

First off, welcome to the group

What exactly are you using the car for?  Coil overs are great for tuning to changing track conditions, but can be frustrating to set up until you know what you're doing.  What type of setup are you going for?  3 link, 4 link, or other?

[kab69440]

More importantly, how are you planning to support the car on the coilovers? The shock crossmember was not engineered to hold the car's weight. Ask anyone with airshocks...

[Ghoste]

You pretty much need to "back half" the car to do it right.

[6spd68]

Primarily the car will be a cruiser for street use.  May see the track every now and then, but mostly street driving (with spirit of course )

Was looking at these kits and got curious:
http://www.summitracing.com/search/brand/RideTech/Part-Type/Suspension-Kits-Air-Springs/Make/DODGE/Year/1968/Model/CHARGER/

[JB400]

For a street cruiser, stick with the leafs.  It'll save you a lot of headaches and hassles.  They'll handle almost anything you throw at it.

[6spd68]

Gotcha, I wasn't hoping to go the air route anyway.  Was more hoping there was a kit similar with the 4-link to a coil-over.  I've never had a car with leafs before, so I guess I'm just jumping the gun on that one eh?

If anyone has converted, I'd still like to hear opinions though.

[Mike DC]

  
Reilly Motorsports makes a modernized front subframe kit that has a very good reputation in the hobby.  They are making a links/coilover rear suspension kit nowadays.  


Mopar's rear leaf spring setup was designed a whole lot better than most of the stuff in that era.  Show me somebody griping about rear leaf springs, and I will probably show you somebody griping about the leafs underneath a GM or Ford product.  Of course leafs have some inherent limitations, but you have to be pushing an old Mopar pretty hard before the leafs cannot be made to work tolerably.   (In fact the same is true for the front suspension on an old Mopar.) 
 



The biggest difference between a classic car's rear leaf suspension and a modern sports car will not be the leafs.  It's the solid axle itself.  An independent rear suspension makes a much bigger impact on the car than the method of suspending a solid axle.

[Ghoste]

Agree 100% Mike.

[6spd68]

Perfect, thanks for the re-assureance guys .  Leafs it is.  More money to dump in my all around wilwood disc conversion 

[six-tee-nine]

maybe if you stick to leaf springs you can put the extra cash into another disk brake system that Willwood..... You know no dustboots. Some like em but most people only recommend them for drag racers.
Maybe contact Dr.Diff he has nice disk kits or Baer if you really want to have top shelf stuff.