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The Vega has four inch tall aluminum cups that the coil springs sit in/on to raise the rear end, it also has aluminum shock mounts that make up for that four in raise in suspension height. The shock mounts are made of aluminum and bolt to the underside of the car in the stock position and the top of the shocks bolt to them underneath.

Of course this turns out to be a pretty sketchy way to raise the car placing a lot of stress on the sheet metal and plate and, not surprisingly, one of the shocks tore away from the underside of the body. The thick threaded metal plate seems to be intact but the sheetmetal under/around it is all torn up. The shock is moving side to side and back and forth and up and down as a result of no longer being anchored in place.

Bruce likes the "off road" look that the car currently has, and with the installation of the 327, he's looking forward to the ass end up rake that the street racers had back in the early seventies when the Vega was made. He's bought some WAY too wide Cragars and a pair of plaid bell bottoms in anticipation . . .

Is it possible to find a longer shock that fits the Vega and will eliminate the silly extension mounts? Maybe some off road shock or something from a Camaro/Firebird/Impala of the same year?

Before I go searching all over, I thought that a post here would be a better beginning. Any help at all would be huge !

Thanks—

TC

TeamEvil wrote:The Vega has four inch tall aluminum cups that the coil springs sit in/on to raise the rear end, it also has aluminum shock mounts that make up for that four in raise in suspension height. The shock mounts are made of aluminum and bolt to the underside of the car in the stock position and the top of the shocks bolt to them underneath.

Of course this turns out to be a pretty sketchy way to raise the car placing a lot of stress on the sheet metal and plate and, not surprisingly, one of the shocks tore away from the underside of the body. The thick threaded metal plate seems to be intact but the sheetmetal under/around it is all torn up. The shock is moving side to side and back and forth and up and down as a result of no longer being anchored in place.

Bruce likes the "off road" look that the car currently has, and with the installation of the 327, he's looking forward to the ass end up rake that the street racers had back in the early seventies when the Vega was made. He's bought some WAY too wide Cragars and a pair of plaid bell bottoms in anticipation . . .

Is it possible to find a longer shock that fits the Vega and will eliminate the silly extension mounts? Maybe some off road shock or something from a Camaro/Firebird/Impala of the same year?

Before I go searching all over, I thought that a post here would be a better beginning. Any help at all would be huge !

Thanks—

TC

I have a 72 hatch back that has a similar problem. Not as bad as your but starting to tare the sheet metal around the shock extentions. Soon I will try to address this problem .

Try Monroe 32264, 99 Suburban rear.

I installed hijacker air shocks on the rear of the Vega's I built. The air shocks were for a full size wagon but worked out very well. No need for aluminum cups or other alterations. I can easily raise or lower height with the air shocks.