Surviving NYC - Shocks and Tires

[RedHookGal]

I am looking for ideas to keep the '85 driving OK here on our rough roads in NYC - I live on a cobblestone street, so keeping the current stiff setup will definitely rattle it apart much quicker than neccessary.

Right now the car has the Bilsteins - I would like to go from those to the softest possible. I have been reading Rod's thread on shocks, and I looked back in the threads, but I haven't seen much on people wanting to take performance out of a Vette!

Regarding Tires - I am considering the Pirelli Super Sports or the Michilin Pilots because they are supposed to be great on the wet and not bad on the snow (I have been reading that whole thread, too!). I am sure that people have their faves, so fire away!

I should note that performance is definitely not my main concern. The '85 is will be my only car soon, and considering the available highways, I won't be running this up to the speeds that some of you have available to you (although it would be really nice!). I am most concerned with traction and keeping the baby in good condition.

Kathy

 

[Vettelt193]

First off, do you have stock wheels and tires currently?
2nd: Is your car equipped with Z51 or Z52?
3rd: what PSI do you keep your tires at?

 

[kfehling]

RedHookGal,

I looked into this a while ago also and decided against it for a number of reasons, but this is what I found out. For shocks, Sears, of all places, has a very nice soft shock that you may like. I can't remember any specifics about it but I am sure a Sears garage could tell you about it. As for tires, I bunch of my Ferrari friends use Goodyear Eage HPs as they have a much softer sidewall than most and are a nice all season tire. You may also want to consider softer leaf springs both front and back. Call Vette Brakes and Products. Their number is 800-237-9991 and their website is http://www.vettebrakes.com/. I am pretty sure that they have some softer springs. They may also be able to suggest some nice shocks too. Good luck and let us know what you decide on.

 

[warren s]

KYB gas adjust shocks, and HP Ultra tires. Still handles like a Vette, fillings stay in your teeth.

 

[RedHookGal]

KYB gas adjust shocks, and HP Ultra tires. Still handles like a Vette, fillings stay in your teeth.

Warren, my dentist thanks you!

Vettelt193 - I am not sure if it is a Z51, since I don't have the original stuff with the car. But I saw in one of the service bulletins here in the knowledgebase that GM told dealers to decrease tire pressure to 25 psi to improve the ride on the '84, so I took it down from 32 psi. The tires are 255/50 ZR16's, which I think is the stock size, but they are on aftermarket rims.

And kfehling - I just went to the website and ordered their catalog - looks like it has lots of good stuff. I saw the fiberglass leaf spring kit in either Ecklers or Corvette America's catalog - does anyone know if that is good to take some of the harshness out?

Kathy

 

[c4ever]

I don't envy you Kathy. I remember all too well trying to avoid craters in the road in NYC. It's tough putting a vette through that but good to see you are taking care of her. I agree with warren s on the KYB's. I run them on the 82 and they are a solid but softer ride. I would vote for Dunlop 5000 or 8000 on the tires. Great rain tire. As for snow:nono Take the El.

Good Luck

Carlo

 

[c4ever]

Somehow I knew you'd pick up on that Len. :L :L :L I wonder how many people know what the H*ll I was talking about.:confused :confused

Later
Oh. By the way, I went with implants. Better hold

 

[RedHookGal]

Oh, yes, I definitely know what an El is - I used to live in Sunnyside, Queens, just off the 7 train. Now I live where there is no train, only bus and boats! But it is nice and quiet, I always park in front of my building (where I can look out the window at the car and say, "Hey - that's my Vette!), and no-one is going to bother with her because my neighbor has a Boxster parked out there too.

The potholes around her can be crazy, especially when you have a winter as cold as we are having. About 10 years ago I hit one on my Harley that dented both custom rims so bad that if I had not put tubes in the tires I would have had a double blowout - they were both dented up to the bead! Very scary, indeed.

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

NYC potholes are directly responsible for my limited success in life.

The only real job I have ever had was with a NYC based company. I knocked the oil pan off of the company car on the approach to (politically incorrect) ally bridge car within the first week. :duh
Back then I had a 60 rag top. After getting out of the city the 60 was a true joy to drive up-state on a crisp autumn day but the torture of dodging the big holes and praying for the little ones to have mercy on both the car and me made those outings few and far between.

Not being able to play with my cars and bikes left plenty of time for work, so I worked hard, got promoted, convinced the directors that a Southern regional office was the only road to success, and relocated myself to the Southern office ASAP.

Due to the quantum nature of time this move coincided with the 70´s financial boom that marched through the South quicker than Sherman. Now with plenty of sunshine, a new Interstate hiway system and a nice pay check, play came back into the picture. Being a person who thinks everything should balance I played in Hot-lanta as hard as I had worked NY. After only 4 short years of play I got fired with a handsome severance package.:dance

Moral of the story: Be careful of the potholes you miss. Early retirement may be lurking in the next one or it could be a busted axel. :confused

By the way the KYB gas shocks and a quality set of rain tires will make your ride more agreeable.

 

[TerryD]

Definately KYB or that "Black Shock" I've seen in Corvette Central and Mid-America Designs. I've heard nothing but good things about them for their good ride quality. I think you might be able to find a good tire if you research comments by other in the Tire Rack Surveys online. They might give you some insight to different tire specifications. Also you might find lower priced tires with the characteristics you're looking for. I recently went with a relatively cheap but branded tire for my other car, 91 nissan 240, and saved money, even with someone installing/balancing them. I recently moved to Northern NJ from Va and after driving the Vette here & 'round Manhatten, I can totally sympathize with ya. Good Luck & let us know how it goes

 

[CKA_Racing]

redhookgal

could you keep an eye out on the belt parkway for my rear teeth. My last drive up I thought I was going to break apart like a cheap suit driving over the verrazano bridge and then onto the belt. I remember why I left NY though...:L:L

Len

I haul butt thru the belt parkway. I never bottom out or hit pot holes. You just need to learn which lanes to be in at different sections of the parkway.

 

[RedHookGal]

Thanks a ton, everyone.

From all the comments, it looks like the KYB's are the answer, though I am going to check out the Sears options - I have a friend who swears by them for NYC driving.

Looking over at the comments on tirerack.com, the Dunlops seem to be the best solution. Although people complain about the sidewalls be too squishy for performance driving, they also say that it does grip good in all weather. And squishy sidewalls, from what I understand, actually make the tire ride a little more forgiving, a good thing in the 'hood.

And I am not so sure of potholes helping me with early retirement; I have already managed to defeat early retirement. Among my friends I am known for the saying, when offered in 1990 to go in halfsies on a piercing studio, "I think body piercing is a fad - it won't last long enough to make any real money." The person I said this to is now worth more than seven zeros. Ahh, the joys of being confident in your judgment. Doh! :eyerole

Kathy

 

[SPANISHVETTS]

Stick with your gut feelings.

I think body piercing is a fad

People are going to get tired of those holes in their skin. Now is the time to invest in a body plugging business. When it is taboo to have those tell-tell puncture holes allover your body people will pay you mega bucks for a quality ¨plug job¨.

You could name it PlugYou and the add slogan, ¨Have you been Plugged? ¨.

You should be happy with the Dunlop / KYB setup. My son is running this on his 82 with good results.

 

[BlackNBlue95]

I just bought the KYB gas-adjust for my 95' LT1 I'll let you know how they work.. They were only 30$ a piece (I have some hookups since I'm in the biz...) atleast I think it's cheaper then most places becausemy parts gruru said they list for around 50$ and he knocked 5 bucks more off the price since it's for my personaly.. anyway.. I'll probably send the bilstiens out to have them rebuilt from what I hear that is possible to do..

Oh I'm close to Chi-Town so I know what a good pothole feels like and what an El is LoL...
-Rick

 

[TerryD]

hey, how's that blizzard?? I'm buried here in NJ. Do you drive in this stuff?

 

[RedHookGal]

hey, how's that blizzard?? I'm buried here in NJ. Do you drive in this stuff?

Not if I can avoid it! Actually, I put the Vette inside my company's warehouse yesterday and walked home the few blocks. Better to put it out of harms way with the plows and people who do drive in this stuff.

Here in Red Hook, though, it has not been so bad. I live very close to the water, if you walk either south or west from my apartment you hit the harbor. So a lot of the snow that fell here kept moving until it hit Park Slope, which is the first hill to the east of us. I have seen pix of them - they have about 18 to 20 inches on the ground, and we have probably 10 inches, most of it in drifts! Lucky us.

Here is a pix of my pickup under the snow in front of our place. This is looking south towards the harbor.

Kathy

 

[RedHookGal]

You have forgotten what a shovel looks like - that is one of those little electric snowblowers. Real shovels come without the orange electric cords.

Kathy

 

[resto75]

redhookgal

I DIDN'T KNOW PEOPLE STILL LIVED IN NYC !!!! I thought they all moved by now. I spent the first 25 years of my life there. Been gone since 1975. I do remember all the pot holes however as I rode a ridged frame Harley back in those days. Still remember coming around the curved approach to the Verzanno bridge at about 70 and finding all the cars in the curve stopped ( was a wall there then). It was pucker up and slam on the rear brake( no front brakes on choppers) ,,slid between the cars in a skid for about 5 car lengths. too many beers in Bay Ridge I guess.
Anyway I survived that and a few years at NYPD.

Oh yeah I know what the EL is also

 

[CKA_Racing]

I used to play Stick ball in those streets years ago.

 

[84goldvette]

Tires

You might want to reconsider using the Dunlops with the soft sidewalls.

I am a manager of a tire wholesaler that sells both Goodyear and Dunlops. Although the dunlop's are great tires and offer great traction and the soft sidewalls will give you a softer ride. The main draw back is that the weakest part of the tire when you are considering driving on roads with alot of pot holes are the sidewalls and most likely to experience a sidewall blowout.

When I bought my 84 it came with BFG's and the traction was terrible. While considering the replacements I went through all of the same questions you have asked. I decided on the Eagle HP Ultra Plus's. A nice all season tread with with enough performance characteristics to maintain the vette's integrity.

Good Luck,

AB

P.S. I have the same question about shocks, so let me know what you decide.