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V8 Vega help

PostPosted: Sun Nov 03, 2019 6:59 pm
by tj3418
I recently bought a 74 Vega with a 327 engine from my father in law. It has brand new shocks and brakes on it, and I know next to nothing about cars, but I want to fix it up (raise it, put new tires on it, and a new carburetor). I’ve read about using Monza v8 springs on the front end, so I bought some, only to find out you have to cut them for them to fit due to the shallow pockets on the lower arms. So my question is, should I stick with the stock front end, using the monza springs, or go for the s10 conversion? I would also need to know what each option would entail as far as parts and everything.

Re: V8 Vega help

PostPosted: Sun Nov 03, 2019 7:13 pm
by cjbiagi
There is a lot of info in the libray ...........http://h-body.org/library/hbodyfaq/index.html

Re: V8 Vega help

PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:57 am
by Smiley
What is the part number on the Monza springs you have ?
Do you have 5 lugs in the front ?
What rear end Ides in it ?

Re: V8 Vega help

PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:42 pm
by tj3418
Smiley wrote:What is the part number on the Monza springs you have ?
Do you have 5 lugs in the front ?
What rear end Ides in it ?


The springs are #SP08262. I’m still on 4 lugs, so that was one thing I was wondering if switching would make more sense. I’m not trying to make a race car or anything, I just want it to be a street car that looks and sounds good. I’m pretty sure the rear end is original. The front brakes are discs, rear are drums if that matters.

Re: V8 Vega help

PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:36 pm
by hammerdown7
Is the front end too low? How about a couple of pictures. Sometimes they are hard to post here because of a size limit of 256K. I can post them here if you want, send them to dick.baumhauer@gmail.com

Dick

Re: V8 Vega help

PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2019 11:57 pm
by Smiley
If the coil wire outside diameter is .625" they are Monza V8 with AC, they are too stiff and too long for a shallow pocket Vega.
76-80 Monza 2.5 4 cyl Moog CS-6490 (.590" wire dia)also used in V6 non AC cars, may still need trimming depending on how high you want it to sit.
The 5 lug swap is for better brakes and more wheel options but it leads to more new parts like a larger master cylinder to supply the fluid to the larger pistons in the S10 calipers, new ball joints and or taper adapters, offset upper control arm bushings.

Re: V8 Vega help

PostPosted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 6:01 am
by tj3418
hammerdown7 wrote:Is the front end too low? How about a couple of pictures. Sometimes they are hard to post here because of a size limit of 256K. I can post them here if you want, send them to dick.baumhauer@gmail.com

Dick



The front end is very low, to the point that the exhaust headers are only about 3” off the ground. The guy who put the v8 in put new shocks in, thinking it’d raise it up, but it doesn’t. I was going to put bigger tires on the back to even It out since the front Monza springs would raise it up so much. I’ll take some pictures if you still need to see.

Re: V8 Vega help

PostPosted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 2:17 pm
by burnouts&rotorblades
Pictures are always good. Send em!!