# 66 GTO rear springs question



## pete.crew (Jan 24, 2010)

Hi all,

I'm located in Australia and am just about to order a bunch of parts from Summit for my 66 GTO. One of the items is a set of hotchkis 1" lowered springs, part #HSS-1900.

The sales rep said there are two types of rear springs for 66 GTOs, 
- one where there is a pig tail on one end of the spring and;
- one where the top ends are the same width as the whole spring

Is this correct? Which of the two would I most likely have??

I would check the car myself however I have recently moved and the car is over a thousand miles away in storage!


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## freethinker (Nov 14, 2009)

pete.crew said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I'm located in Australia and am just about to order a bunch of parts from Summit for my 66 GTO. One of the items is a set of hotchkis 1" lowered springs, part #HSS-1900.
> 
> ...


you should have a pigtail.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

I agree. Never seen them without the pigtail. Let us know how your lowered springs work out after they are installed. The stock springs are too low as it is, IMO.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

+1 GeeTee, with the right combo of wheel and tire you can lower it w/o harsher springs and still maintain your smooth ride.


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## pete.crew (Jan 24, 2010)

Thanks for your input and advice, it might be a while but I'll let you know how it all turns out.

The only thing I'm worried about is road clearance with the lowered springs.

I'll be using Doug's D567 headers with a 2.5" or 3" dual system and an x-pipe, hopefully it all won't hang down too low...


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## pontiac (Mar 6, 2011)

late build date 66 or export models could have either spring depending on assembly plant.


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

My 66 was built in the Pontiac, MI plant and has the smaller pigtail, here are images of what to expect with the hotchkis 1" drop springs, I have them on the front and rear.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

are those 14's or 15's 05GTO? do you know what the ride height is ground to rocker panel front and back, just measured mine today and back of front wheel I am at 12" and front of back well i am at 11.5 with 15" 245 60's. I used the heavy duty stock springs as i was going up to 455. Can anyone tell me how much the fronts will settle in once it gets on the road, i would love it an inch lower in front, and the backs will be getting drag bags.


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Instg8ter said:


> are those 14's or 15's 05GTO? do you know what the ride height is ground to rocker panel front and back, just measured mine today and back of front wheel I am at 12" and front of back well i am at 11.5 with 15" 245 60's. I used the heavy duty stock springs as i was going up to 455. Can anyone tell me how much the fronts will settle in once it gets on the road, i would love it an inch lower in front, and the backs will be getting drag bags.


They are 15" x 7" front and rear, the front appears to be slightly lower today than in those pictures from a few years ago. I'll measure the car's height sometime tomorrow or tuesday and post he results.


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## Joe C2 C5 (Apr 13, 2011)

Wow 05GTO, hard to believe that is a 1" drop. It really looks good. I have a Barrier Blue car (po painted it that color)that was originally exactly what your's is. Makes me think mine would look better back to original.


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## pete.crew (Jan 24, 2010)

05GTO said:


> My 66 was built in the Pontiac, MI plant and has the smaller pigtail, here are images of what to expect with the hotchkis 1" drop springs, I have them on the front and rear.




05GTO, your car has a great stance, how does it handle on the road compared to stock springs?


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Joe C2 C5 said:


> Wow 05GTO, hard to believe that is a 1" drop. It really looks good. I have a Barrier Blue car (po painted it that color)that was originally exactly what your's is. Makes me think mine would look better back to original.


This is what the car looked like when I purchased it 18 months prior to the above picture, I wanted to restore it back to the original showroom condition,


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

pete.crew said:


> 05GTO, your car has a great stance, how does it handle on the road compared to stock springs?


Pete,
I only drove the above (red) car about 10 miles to my shop before I started the frame off, the car with the hotchkis springs has a very smooth ride and handles great. Didn't have time today the get those measurments, maybe tomorrow,


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

Instg8ter said:


> are those 14's or 15's 05GTO? do you know what the ride height is ground to rocker panel front and back, just measured mine today and back of front wheel I am at 12" and front of back well i am at 11.5 with 15" 245 60's. I used the heavy duty stock springs as i was going up to 455. Can anyone tell me how much the fronts will settle in once it gets on the road, i would love it an inch lower in front, and the backs will be getting drag bags.


I measured 9 3/4" from the bottom of the frame to the floor on both the front and rear.


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## Joe C2 C5 (Apr 13, 2011)

05GTO said:


> I measured 9 3/4" from the bottom of the frame to the floor on both the front and rear.


I would like to thank you for these numbers as well. I am in the process of getting ready to order new springs to replace my very "tired" original springs which measure only 8.5" front and rear with 14" Rally Is. No wonder why I like the stance of your car.


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## pete.crew (Jan 24, 2010)

I've dug out the my PHS documentation and looks like my goat was built in the Baltimore plant late in November in 1966.

Unless someone else has Baltimore built car, I might just order the pigtailed springs, or I can wait until July and check the car myself!

Thanks all for your help


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