Inner Fender clearance-4/6 Drop

[71_Cheyenne]

Hey, well, I've officially started a frame up build on my 69 chevy short step. I want a fairly low stance, not really low, but low enough to look good and still be able to drive it without worrying about hitting curbs or speed bumps. I'll measure my dads 48, which is the stance I want, and you can drive it and not hit stuff.
I'm thinking a 4/6 drop with 2.5" spindles and drop springs up front and 4" drop springs with 2" blocks in the rear. Or maybe just 6" springs in the rear. Whats the pros and cons for those two options?
Heres my main question. How far can I go in the front before the inner fenders become an issue with clearance? I know the wheels I choose make a big difference, but is there anything to worry about with that drop? Thanks
Oh, and heres some eye candy for you guys. Its my dads '48 he did. L99 (4.3 v8, little brother to the LT-1, not sure about the tranny, i think its a 4L60E, buick roadmaster rear 4 link suspension, his front clip utilizing late model front sus. componants. Yes, his front clip. Some of you might know his work. And he made two, the other guy drove it from here, Northern California, to North Carolina about a week after it was finished, and no problems.

[72BlckButy]

You should not run into any issues running a 4/6 drop on your '69. I would look into purchasing the kit from Early Classic Enterprises (ECE) as they have a complete kit that even includes shock relocators and a super trac bar.

A buddy of mine is currently running a 4.5/6 drop on his Blazer and hasn't ran into any issues, and is contemplating running 3" springs on the front for a 5.5" drop. I'm planning on running a 4.5/6 ECE kit, and I'm not planning on any modification to the front/rear fenders.

As far as a difference between the 4" springs/2" blocks vs the 6" springs, I'm unaware of any. Maybe just personal preference. Give ECE a call and talk with Stan; they can help answer any question about their parts and the '67-'72 trucks.

Be sure to post some pics of the '69's progress, and good luck with the build!

[hensonjd]

I was lookin at doin a 3/5 drop. Do they make a 3 inch front drop coil.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

....As far as a difference between the 4" springs/2" blocks vs the 6" springs, I'm unaware of any. Maybe just personal preference. Give ECE a call and talk with Stan . . ....

The difference would be lowering blocks add drop w/o affecting the shock travel. By limiting the effects on shock travel, you could run off the shelf shocks vs. aftermarket drop shocks.

I use air bags in place of coils w/2" blocks. I modified the OE shock brackets (same thing as the $80 shock relocator kits) & used off the shelf shocks w/no problems..... and the drop is more than 6". If I removed the blocks & just used less air, the shocks would lose 2" of travel & would bottom out (most shocks have a travel window of about 5"; 2.5" extension, 2.5" compression).

71 Cheyenne..... your pops builds a nice ride. Props to him & post of pics as you progress.

[72BlckButy]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

The difference would be lowering blocks add drop w/o affecting the shock travel. By limiting the effects on shock travel, you could run off the shelf shocks vs. aftermarket drop shocks.

I use air bags in place of coils w/2" blocks. I modified the OE shock brackets (same thing as the $80 shock relocator kits) & used off the shelf shocks w/no problems..... and the drop is more than 6". If I removed the blocks & just used less air, the shocks would lose 2" of travel & would bottom out (most shocks have a travel window of about 5"; 2.5" extension, 2.5" compression).

71 Cheyenne..... your pops builds a nice ride. Props to him & post of pics as you progress.

Thanks for the info SCOTI! Maybe I'll go that route than what I had planned.