I wrote this article for Vette magazine back in 2000. After thirteen years it was time to revisit the '58's suspension. Actually this whole deal all started with my tires. Twenty year old tires are not a good thing. They actually blow out while the car is sitting in the garage. Really.
I almost sold this '58 Corvette fifteen years ago - it was that bad. It was just a hassle to drive. It moved all over the road and it would never stay in a straight line. This old straight-axle just wasn't any fun to drive. I'm not into garage decorations, so it was time to move the car down the road. Then I decided to use some current technology and give it once last shot.
Most shock companies didn't have high-tech shocks for a '53 Chevy chassis. Then again we really don't need fancy shocks. Remember, if you're driving a straight-axle Corvette, your chassis is really from a '53 Chevy sedan We're talking about a really old design here. On the other hand, the real purpose of the cylindrical shock absorber hasn't changed since 1953-only the way the shock absorber works has changed.
The shock absorber keeps the car from oscillating every time the spring moves. The English use the correct term: "damper." The shock absorber dampens the movement of the spring. If it weren't for the shock absorbers, your Corvette would look like a pogo stick going down the road. Every bump you hit would send the spring into an oscillation that wouldn't stop until the next one started.
When I was in the automotive service business, KYB was one of my favorite products. They were an exceptional value and the manufacturer was always good about replacements should a problem arise. Thirteen years ago when Vette Brakes said they had a set for my '58 I was pleasantly surprised.I went for four new KYB shock absorbers back in 2000. I was hoping that these new shocks would take the bounce out of the old springs and let the car go smoothly down the road in a straight line. Since I was going to keep this '58, and maybe even drive it to work a couple of days a week, it was time for these new shocks. Considering that the car is over 50 years old, gas shocks are pretty high-tech.
The surprise was how much the ride quality of this old straight axle actually changed. I would describe it as a sport ride. It's not BMW-quality, but it's a lot closer to that sort of ride than any other straight-axle I've ever driven. The KYB gas shocks are firm but without the harshness usually associated with high-performance shocks.
I decided to check and see if anyone still sold these shocks. They do. In fact they're easier to buy now than they were in 2000. The interesting thing was the prices were all over the place. Take a look at the wide range of prices.
KYB Shocks
Front – Gas-a-Just – KG4503
Rear – Gas-a-Just – KG5562
KG4503 - Front
Advance Auto $51.99
eBay - $47.03
Amazon - $34.40
Corvette Central $47.95
Here are two alternatives to the KYB shocks.
Bilstein Set of 4 - $389.95 – Corvette Central
There's a reason I'm buying a lot more Corvette parts on Amazon.com. Not only are they cheaper but you don't have to pay sales tax and if you do it right you don't pay for shipping.
Here are two alternatives to the KYB shocks.
Bilstein Set of 4 - $389.95 – Corvette Central
Delco - Set of 4 $154.95 – Corvette Central
The Bilsteins are probably more than I need and Delco can't match the quality of the KYB shocks. I'm still tempted by the Bilsteins though. I love them on my '85. Maybe once i get some new tires on car I'll try them.
The Tire Problem
A new set of BFG radial tires and a good alignment cured most of the problems back in 2000. Now in 2013 the BFG tires became a problem. They actually blew out while the car was sitting in the garage. I convinced my self it was no big deal. When a second one blew out a few weeks later I decided I had a real problem.
I've been a huge fan of Tire Rack over the years. This time I decided to check with my local Cotsco. The original tires in 1958 were 6.70x15. That means a 205/75-15 radial tire is just about the same size.
Cotsco carries that size in a Michelin. Tire Rack doesn't. I'm a Michelin kind of guy so I went off to Cotsco. The total bill was $508.52 for four tires mounted and balanced. That even includes the 6% Florida sales tax. The Nitrogen was free. They also told me that if I have to add normal air to my tires simply stop and see them at the next available opportunity and they're purge and refill my tires for free.
The shipping at Tire Rack is getting to be a serious factor. I can get my race tires mounted at the track and don't have to pay shipping. Now I've also found a good place for my street tires. Thank you Cotsco.
Just a note here as to why I didn't purchase the Coker reproduction tires. I don't like them. They're great if you're showing you car. They look really nice. They just don't work if you drive your car.
