The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Lowering a '62 C20

I've got a '62 C20 Long fleetside. I'm thinking about lowering it a few inches. It has torsion bar front suspension and 8 lug axles. Is there anyone out there that has done this and is it worth it? Thanks

Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but I think lowering any truck totally ruins it.

I'm a big fan of the original look. The lowered street rod look totally escapes me, especially on 3/4 ton and 1 ton trucks.

Hey bobareeno; (Sounds like an old song they used to play)

I guess I'm just a child of the '50's mild custom crowd. I liked the lowered look then, and I still do (but, I can certainly appreciate the stock look too, unlike some purists who can't stand to look at a modified truck).

If I recall correctly, lowering the front of a torsion bar truck is as easy as putting a wrench on and cranking a few turns. The rear isn't quite that easy. I've seen lots of C20's lowered and they look great. It's your truck, make it look the way you want it to look.

If you want to lower the front,it's just a matter of turning the adjuster bolts at the back end of the torsion bars (Soak the threads down with penetrating oil a couple of times before you try to turn 'em.) and getting the alignment re-set.(Watch the front end guy,or he'll re-set it to stock height.Tell him you want it set at the ride height it's at.) To lower the rear,you might be able to use half ton springs,but you'll lose a lot of load capacity,or go to a spring shop and have a pair made for the height you want. As was stated before,lowering the truck will likely reduce its usefulness as far as what it can haul and where you'll be able to take it. If it's to be a daily driver with no heavy hauling,no problem though. If you like the results,it's worth it. The last one I drove seemed a little more stable on the highway,and rode slightly smoother. I don't know if it was from the lowering or just the character of that particular truck,since I didn't get to drive it at stock height. It was also easier to get in and out of. I did notice it would hit the bump stops more often when I went over speed bumps etc.,but it didn't take long to get used to slowing down more to cross speed bumps and dips. (It helps to cross 'em slightly diagonal,takes a lot of the jolt out of 'em.)
Speed

I've always loved the way those trucks can be lowered so easily.

Adjust the torsion bar and you've got the front down some that easily, plus you have not changed your spring rate the way heating or cutting coils will.

You do loose some suspension movement, so if you carry heavy loads or run on rough roads you may be hitting the bump stops.

Different strokes for different folks.
The bottom line is.... Do what YOU want it's your truck after all.
The thing is, there will always be someone who frowns on what you want to do. :mad:
The way I look at it is. It's STILL an old truck on the road and not rusting away in the junkyard,regardless of what height it's sitting! That's just MY opinion.

Hey,its your truck,if you want to lower it go for it. I have two trucks and the 55 is right down there in the tall grass,not lowered too much,but just enough to make it look mean.My 65 is lowered just a little,and I like them just the way they are. And if Joe Blow doesnt like lowered trucks,let him go out and buy his own.Oh yeah I also like the standard height trucks,they look OK.I remember an old guy who used to come around the cruisins when I had my 37 Chevy streetrod. He would always make some comment about how it was a sin to streetrod an old car,By God he had a 37 when he was youing and would never think of modifying one.Course I told him it was my car and liked it just the way it is and sent him on his way mumbling something.