hello fellas.
Im still a newbie to the elcamino culture..I need suggestions on what i need to bring the hieght of the car back up to a stock stance..or maybe and inch higher ....i have stock iroc 16 inch wheels at the moment and would like a nice strong looking stance for the car..looks like the car is sagging right now..anyone have any suggestions? would i need to pull springs from a similar car like a malibu or anything like that..any input would be appreciated
thanks

Springs from a Malibu wagon will give you the tallest stock spring available, but the easiest way is the Airlift 1000 airbags. Got mine from Summit for $70 bucks. On the front I got A body, big block springs with one coil cut off. Stock height, but nice and firm! See my pics in members gallery. 5th gen, page 9

Just add air bags to the springs you have now. If you still want it higher then get wagon springs.

[quote="crash landing"]hello fellas.
Im still a newbie to the elcamino culture..I need suggestions on what i need to bring the hieght of the car back up to a stock stance..or maybe and inch higher ....i have stock iroc 16 inch wheels at the moment and would like a nice strong looking stance for the car..looks like the car is sagging right now..anyone have any suggestions? would i need to pull springs from a similar car like a malibu or anything like that..any input would be appreciated
thanks[/quote

I have 2 sets of malibu wagon rear coils you can have them for $15 plus shipping..

Over time springs compress. The driver side generally sags more because the driver is always in the car so that side gets more weight.

I'd jusr replace the factory springs with new factory type springs. The springs are bad or they wouldn't be sagging so they need to be replaced. I have some AirBags in the rear springs in my 80. I did that rather than putting Air Shocks back on it.

If you're looking to upgrade to a better racing spring then dig around. Lots of companies make very good springs. Ebach I think is the way its spelled makes a good sporing.

well...The airbags sound good but how much would a wholse system cost or wouldi need a whole system. There is a wrecking yard i live by that has a wagon..only problem is..how do i know if the wagons springs are bad .
i don want to get saggy springs from a wagon..whats the height on them..also would i use the front springs from the wagon as well? Thanks for all the help guys..Im a vette man orginally. The suspension for those is of a whole different nature..thanks for all the input..

Here is what I got for the rear end.

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=843&prmenbr=361

Here is a complete "Air Ride System, doesn't use springs so to speak the Air Bags are the springs.

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=119277&prmenbr=361

Here are just springs

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=892&prmenbr=361

the regular springs would be moderatly inexpensive to buy even a good set.

I think you would be satisfied with the air bags. They're inexpensive and they work well. You can adjust the ride height easily and if you want to get fancy add an on board air compresor. One suggestion--make sure each rear air bag has its own fill; if the bags are filled from one source in a turn air from one airbag could transfer to the other side and upset the handling. Also if you have a high horsepower engine it is useful to preload the air bags for hard drag strip launches.

thanks elky pete..I think i might just go with the springs..I saw an el camino this morning on the way to work. it looked like it was atleast a foot and a half maybe even two off the ground. I looked like a pit pull on steroids, i loved it. Makes the whole car look bigger. It wasnt raised like a 4 x4 but it had a strong stance to it. hansbo kinda has the look im trying to accomplish. hopefully i can do that with some different springs..Airbags sound good but im sure there is more to it than in that picture. Dont you need like compressors and stuff like that..

New stock springs in front, new wagon springs in back, later added air bags to improve traction:

http://elcaminocentral.com/users/acauth1/elt12.jpg

CL, actually they are not real difficult changing just the springs and shocks. The rear can be done pretty quick. Take the shocks loose raise the truck up onto jack stands and once you get it high enough the rear springs will essentially fall out. Use a floor jack under the differential to put it back and re-attach or put on New shocks.

The front is a little more difficult. I ended up re-doing all my front tie rods, tie rod ends, ball joints etc.. while it was apart. You have to take loose the ball joints to get at the springs.

Put it on Jack stands moderately high put a floor jack under the lower control arm snugly, separate the ball joints and shock and lower the jack until the springs can be removed. Put the new springs in, and ball joints if your doing that too, and reattach it all.

Its kind of basic, the explanation, but essentially that is about it. I think someone said you could do it without the need for a floor jack. So there is more than one way to skin a cat. And then you can always use a spring compressor if you need to, that is what they are made for. :D

Thats getting close acauth1. Maybe a little bit higher in the back and maybe i a lil higher in the front...I think maybe the size of the rim makes a difference too.i wish i could find an example....If the airbags are affordable i might take a look at them..Thanks guys for all the help.,..I just have to say..THis club of el camino owners is top 10 especially compared to a certain vette club i belong to. Everyone on here is so willing to help and give real down to earth information, and not be arrogant about it...i guess cars do in a way reflect their owners...thanks again guys

I got this stance by using lowering springs and air bags in the rear springs. The rear can be adjusted up and down more than 5".

http://elcaminocentral.com/albums/Mrapii-1979-El-Camino/IMGS0026.jpg

yeah thats the look im shooting for..just a little bit higher in the front . How do i get that look without all the airbag stuff...or..are air bags really that expensive to get installed. Once again thanks for coming to the rescue guys..

Get the airbags here: Jegs (http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=843&prmenbr=361)
If you want it higher in front just keep the springs you have. The springs on my El Camino lowered the front end about 2". Air bags are easy to install but require removing the rear springs. A muffler/shock shop should charge you 1-2 hours. If you keep all the springs that you have and pay somebody to install the airbags everything would cost less than $200.00 (depending on where you live).

that price doesnt sound too bad..I think it might need new springs in the back period...theres nothing back there, the tail gate is off and its still saggin some. Would i be good to go with springs from a wagon and air bags..who was the guy that had some for sale a few messages back..drop me a line ..email is spinningback@yahoo.com...one more question..are front springs on a wagon higher as well...once again thanks guys for all the feed back..cant wait to show yhou the finished product.

how can i slightly raise the front end of my elco..the wagon springs worked...What kind of springs would i use for the front?

WHatever you do don't use Moog coils on the front!
I suffered with them for 4 years and they were so stiff the car
had permanent positive camber and felt like a bar welded between my A-ARms.

They were the right part number but I hated them. THat and the front of my car was 2 inches higher than the rear. It never settled down lower.

Just FYI..