What car benefits most from simple off the shelf nonadjustable shocks, springs and sway bars?

I had a 97 Saab 900 SE turbo, I put viggen springs, and a solid GS(genuine saab(aftermarket)) RSB in doubled with the stock RSB and wow that made a massive difference

Oh and the other one that made a huge difference was the C30. A MS3 RSD and some springs and that felt more like a MS3 and a lot less like the cushy weekend volvo cruiser.

I guess a non-P71 Crown Vic or Grandmas Keys (Town Car as well) could be vastly improved and be made fun especially if you skipped over the P71 stuff and went with stuff uprated above even that.

And this might not be in line with the op's thinking but I'd bet some generic, bland-handling Subaru Legacy/Foresters could surprise you if you upgraded the suspension and tires.

From my experience: Mk2/3 VW. With one exception from the "banned" list. Front crash bolts. A stock, floppy, near-dangerous base Golf becomes very fun and tossable with any decent name brand moderate lowering spring, Koni Yellows, and the biggest rear bar you can find. Stock front bar is required as well. They didn't all have even that...

ebonyandivory wrote: I guess a non-P71 Crown Vic or Grandmas Keys (Town Car as well) could be vastly improved and be made fun especially if you skipped over the P71 stuff and went with stuff uprated above even that.

Care to elaborate? Dads got a 2000 town car that could use the treatment. I thought the p71 stuff was fair in my short trip in the back of one, not under arrest mind you just out of gas..ironicly in a grand marquis so the p71 felt quite spry in comparison.

I'm hoping our challenge AMC Spirit is one of the positively transformed examples.... it's hands down the dumbest thing i've ever tried to autocross so far.

In reply to WilberM3:

You are pushing the limits of sanity... Lol. Should be a hoot.

It might sound excessive, but 900lb. springs on a Panther chassis will make some wow.

In reply to Adrian_Thompson:I would have to disagree. My 97 Civic handled like an ordinary economy car when it was stock. It probably handled better than the competition that didn't have double wishbones, though.

Fiat X19 good struts, ford Ranchero springs cut. You can keep the sway bars.

My vote.... E7 Corolla... some versions are pretty darn floaty... most of the AE86 hot bits fit. Also tons of stock wheels in the Toyota family that fit that are plus 1, or plus 2

3rd gen F-body. I made the top 10 at the challenge with fresh shocks, WS6 bars and springs, and BFG Sport Comps. (340 tread wear). You will want to add subframe connectors. They are cheap and easy bolt on's.

FSP_ZX2 wrote: Ford Focus (Gen I). OTS Koni Yellows, H&R "race springs", bigger RSB--instant STF car with wheels/tires added. (See 2014 Nationals--STF/Chris Perry). Bilstein Sports would work in lieu of the Konis.

To keep it under the $600 limit use an SVT suspension kit from Ford and an Eibach 25mm rear swaybar. Maybe not quite as good, but it works for me.

My 5th generation Civic was transformed by a set of springs and rear sway bar from a wrecked Integra Type R.

Trackmouse wrote: Don't want to derail the thread, but are there any cars that are the opposite? Is there a turd out there that's just "beyond being competitive"??? How about those GM turds from the late eighties- early nineties?

I would be astounded if those GM turds wouldn't completely transform with some upgraded parts. The problem is nothing is made for them so anything that goes on them is going to have to be custom fitted.

My 190e 2.6 with KYBs and a set of new performance tires was completely transformed. Made a fun HPDE toy.

1G DSM's, especially the AWD's. They aren't known for their handling, mostly because they are driven wrong. Very good chassis that's a bit soft in the shocks and springs department stock. KYB's with Eibachs and the car is ready for everything from HPDE's to rally cross. $20 worth of camber bolts for the front and a decent alignment transform the car. Add a fat rear away if you like, but it's not required.

Nick_Comstock wrote: I would be astounded if those GM turds wouldn't completely transform with some upgraded parts. The problem is nothing is made for them so anything that goes on them is going to have to be custom fitted.

Some factory examples come to mind - Citation X11, Calais 442, and the Acheiva SCX. They're still nose heavy, but woken up a good deal from the normal versions.

Can't think of any vehicle that wouldn't benefit from better springs, shocks and swaybars.

As a category, I'd say pickup trucks gain the most improvement in handling from these upgrades.

chiodos wrote:

ebonyandivory wrote: I guess a non-P71 Crown Vic or Grandmas Keys (Town Car as well) could be vastly improved and be made fun especially if you skipped over the P71 stuff and went with stuff uprated above even that.

Care to elaborate? Dads got a 2000 town car that could use the treatment. I thought the p71 stuff was fair in my short trip in the back of one, not under arrest mind you just out of gas..ironicly in a grand marquis so the p71 felt quite spry in comparison.

A civilian Panther can be upgraded with P71 parts. Then in turn, P71 parts can be upgraded further with aforementioned heavier springs, top of the line shocks, thicker sway bars (Addco, Mercury Marauder) and poly bushings all around.

" What car can you think of that would benefit most from dead simple bolt ons, would exhibit a mind altering improvement in handling without killing the ride."

As the measure of success is the car with the most improvement, it follows that you would be looking at the car with the crappiest stock suspension as it would benefit the most. Not sure which one that would be.....

wspohn wrote: " What car can you think of that would benefit most from dead simple bolt ons, would exhibit a mind altering improvement in handling without killing the ride." As the measure of success is the car with the most improvement, it follows that you would be looking at the car with the crappiest stock suspension as it would benefit the most. Not sure which one that would be.....

Kinda sorta, but not 100%. Let's go back tot he Fox body Mustang. It's geometry is so jacked up that while the stock set up was perfectly acceptable for what it was intended for, just adding springs, shocks and bars highlights it's shortcomings and you get massive nose dive (actually pro lift in the rear) and a seriously wild rear end as the roll center moves around and terrible camber in the front. Something else may feel worse stock, but may get far far better results with the bolt ons as the geometry is better suited to being lowered and stiffened up.

As I say, it was just a mental exercise with no right or wrong answer unless I say so as I was the OP

In reply to Gearheadotaku: I wanted to say a 3rd gen F-body, but I only put ExtremeContact DWs on a mostly stock suspension car. Those did transform it, though.

So if I'm reading this correctly, your goal here is shock and awe?

In reply to Woody:

Well maybe shockingly awful.