Hey folks, I just picked up a '79 z28 that's about half-finished. It's running a built '71 LT-1 350 at about 340hp, withgear drive and BW ST-10. It's also running a stock 4:10 non-posi rear end, which may almost be too much for me. I'm looking for primarily a fast streetrod out of this one, would it be a good idea to install a 3.73 rear end? I'm not really familiar with the ST-10, so I don't know what's a good rear end for that tranny. Also, it looks like basically a standard clutch, would it be a good idea to upgrade to something else?

Also, the suspension is mostly stock and it good shape, but I think I'd like to upgrade it a little...just because. I was thinking the poor man's solution would be to install four full coil overload shocks, rather than worry about redoing the coils and the leafs--is that a good idea? Or should I spend the money on new springs, like I said, I don't really need them, as it doesn't bottom out badly and seems to handle fine, but I'd like a little more high performance ride.

I'm basically new to this game...I've got a '79 Berlinetta but I wanted that car for an easy driver and have basically kept everything OEM. The z28 needs some attitude....thanks in advance for your ideas.

 

some of my recommendations for the rear end for the z28 would have to be a 3.73 posi, i like those setups cuz they never break on me and they are fairly decent on gas mileage, something with 4.10's is more like a race car, 4.10's are good gears for the drags, but if you put 3.73's in, its a little both, you can't really find someone selling one of those setups cheap, however the 3.42 geared rear end is just as good as the 3.73 but a little better on the gas, anyone of those should be to you liking, as far as the suspension goes, i would go with some edelbrock coil springs, you can pick up a nice pair of them for like $160 off jegs, and with that i would put edelbrock performer ias shock all the way around, they have kinda a soft and firm circuit to them for superior handling and ride comfort, personally i like thema lot, i have them in my 81 berlinetta and i've never driven a car with better handling and ride comfort. good luck.

 

To the best of my knowledge GM only ran 3.73's stock in the Z28's never 4.10's, iIhad 3.73's in mine. I have the exact set up you have and the ST10 with 3.73's is a bad combination. I only used 2nd and 4th. I put a junkyard 3.08 rear in and got back the rest of my gears and fuel mileage.

 

So, I got the chance yesterday to give this car a good workout--you can test drive all you want but every car I've bought I've learned things once it's been mine. It's going to take me a while to get used to something with this much power, makes my stock '79 Berlinetta feel like cat...but it has about twice the horsepower. Until I get the speedo calibrated I'm only guessing at highway rpms, but 70 is probably going to be in the 4000 range, I think.

On big corners and bumps there's a little wheel rub, but I think this is probably because it's got big wide tires on it, and it's not enough to bother me. You can hear it, but not feel it. I'll get around to suspension stuff sometime in the next month or two.

The biggest thing I need to get used to is the handling qualities. It almost feels like the the back of the car wants to slide around when it's moving fast, but it doesn't break loose so I'm thinking that's just a fact of driving a car with that much torque...this is definitely the hottest Camaro, and car, period, I've driven, so I'm getting used to the feel. Perhaps multi-leafs and the above suggested Edelbrock shocks will help this out too.