Shock Absorber Selection on stock 1971 Barracuda with 318

[David1971]

Has anyone installed these Gabriel Classic shocks on a base E-body? They are made in Mexico with part numbers 82131 and 82090. My Autumn Bronze Metallic Barracuda has been in the family since 1971, purchased with 13,000 miles on the odometer. It has been kept in its stock form, and my plan is to keep it that way. The exception being that I am replacing the original 14 inch steel wheels/hub caps with Coker's 14 x 6 Chrysler Road Wheels mounted and BF Goodrich Radial T/A's P225/70 R14's. The build sheet designates 774 and 775 torsion bars which are .86 inch. I do not object to paying the premium to get RCD Bilsteins or Koni Classics, but am curious if I would see a noticeable improvement in ride quality.

By the way, I am a new member and this is my first post.

Thanks,
David

 

[Adam]

Welcome aboard. Just my opinion, but I do not think there would be much improvement with a change of shocks. I base my guess on the car being stock, with 46 year old rubber bushings, joints, etc. The rubber bushings were probably toast 30 years ago, and the ball joints & tie rod ends are likely very sloppy.

Since you are upgrading the tires, the deficiencies will be more noticeable due to improved tire technology.

If you want a noticeable improvement in ride quality you probably need a front end rebuild and better torsion bars. Keep the old ones in the garage, no one will know, and you can always put em back in (highly unlikely).

The good news is a front end rebuild is fairly easy to do yourself and all the parts are readily available; See the PST ad on this page?

There are rubber and polyurethane bushings available...these are replaceable wear/maintenance items and do not detract from the car anymore than brake pads or tires do. I like the longevity of polyurethane and do not find the ride to be harsh. Some do however so please research the debate re: polyurethane vs rubber.

If you need any help just ask there is a wealth of knowledge on this site.

 

[aussiemark]

If the shocks that are in the car now are worn out you will notice a big difference in stability during braking and cornering. The really good shocks have adjustable rebound dampening and the best have adjustable rebound and compression dampening. The bushes and joints are more about maintaining alignment this is very important for handling as well but replacing worn out shocks with new ones will be the most noticeable improvement.

 

[David1971]

Welcome aboard. Just my opinion, but I do not think there would be much improvement with a change of shocks. I base my guess on the car being stock, with 46 year old rubber bushings, joints, etc. The rubber bushings were probably toast 30 years ago, and the ball joints & tie rod ends are likely very sloppy.

Since you are upgrading the tires, the deficiencies will be more noticeable due to improved tire technology.

If you want a noticeable improvement in ride quality you probably need a front end rebuild and better torsion bars. Keep the old ones in the garage, no one will know, and you can always put em back in (highly unlikely).

The good news is a front end rebuild is fairly easy to do yourself and all the parts are readily available; See the PST ad on this page?

There are rubber and polyurethane bushings available...these are replaceable wear/maintenance items and do not detract from the car anymore than brake pads or tires do. I like the longevity of polyurethane and do not find the ride to be harsh. Some do however so please research the debate re: polyurethane vs rubber.

If you need any help just ask there is a wealth of knowledge on this site.

 

[David1971]

Adam, thanks for the reply. I apologize for leaving out the following details: The front suspension was completely rebuilt in 1995..everything. The shocks were replaced a few years prior to the rebuild. I put 30,000 miles on car from 1995 through 1999 and then parked it in the basement garage. It has not been driven since. I have been prepping it for returning it to the road as a weekend cruiser.

 

[IRON MAN]

Today, I installed Gabriel Shock Absorbers (82131 , 82090) on my 1973 Challenger. Got them at Summit Racing. Gabriels are a good all-around daily driver shock absorber. It is best to have a second set of hands helping you with the rear shocks. I was able to do it alone on my back, which as it turns out isn't that bad. My Challenger has 87,830 miles and has all it's original parts and numbers matching. The early 73 Challengers have a passenger side exhaust bracket right in front of the top of the shock absorber bolt. I was able to get between the shock and the bracket with a open end 19mm wrench which has a 19mm swivel socket which worked great keeping the nut from turning while you unbolt it from inside the trunk. 19mm fits the 3/4" nuts snugly and is well suited for the job. I actually prefer using a 19mm instead of a 3/4" socket because it is a tighter fit. It helps to have an assortment of extensions, ratchets and small vise grips. The exhaust I believe is the original exhaust and I did not have to drop it or loosen it up. Last night I sprayed the shock's nuts and threaded bolts with Nut Buster. This morning I sprayed again but with WD40 and then removed the old shocks. May the force be with you.

 

[David1971]

Iron Man, once you complete the installation, please let me know your opinion of these shocks.

 

[IRON MAN]

I like the smooth ride Gabriel shocks provide. Gabriel gas shocks are intended for every day driving. The ride is firm, not stiff and handles well in tight corners. I put KYBs on a go-fast balls-out Camaro I built. The Challenger is mostly stock so I didn't splurge on expensive shocks.