This is for our 1969 Chevy Impala. She has been sitting apart while I slowly but surely do some work on it. Fixing some body rust and doing some hot-rod-ish modding along with some much needed maintenance.

One item of which is going to be springs and shocks all around.

Any advice for an old car like this for shocks?

With regards to springs, they are all coils. It seems I can only find one type for the front, I just have to pick a brand.

For the rear springs, however, there are two styles to choose from. One is heavy duty, which I believe keeps the same tension no matter how much weight is on it. The other is variable rate, which from what I understand gets stiffer the more it is loaded down.

Correct me if I am wrong in these ideas. I would like to know what type of springs would be best for it. It kind of sags out back, and I'd like it to sit at least level if not a slight rake.

Thanks much!

 

Hi gasteffens,

Welcome to the Chevy Forums.

Depends on the firmness of the ride you prefer.

Heavy Duty hydraulic shocks will give you a softer ride, while gas shocks will stiffen the ride somewhat. Any new shocks are going to be an improvement.

There's an adjustable inflatable air cushion you can put inside coils.
You can also put "coil-over" springs on the outside of your rear shocks.