65 GS coil spring specs

[WkillGS]

Does anyone have specs for the 65 GS coil springs?
I have the specs for the 66 GS from the assembly manual:
Front:
0.650" wire dia
16.2" to 16.6" free length
380 lbs/inch rate

Moog #6033 are a near perfect match!

Rear:
0.540" wire dia
14.62" free length
115 lbs/inch rate

Moog 5237 is on the low end, 5231 is higher, 6197 is a HD version, and 5235 are for the Special wagon... which I put on my 66 Special, but had to trim to lower the ride height.

I'm curious what the 65 GS specs were.

[Mark Ascher]

Walt,

I'll see if I can find something on that. I bought my springs from the GSCA. They are going to make the car sit way too high, so they are all going to have to come out.
With the engine/trans in the car, I still have 3 1/2" of daylight between the top of the tire and the wheel opening.

Mark

[Mark Ascher]

Walt,

I couldn't scrounge up any specs. I did find part numbers for 65 GS, and only one number is listed for all three body styles.

Front:
391100 - right front
391101 - left front

9777431 - rear/both

Mark

[WkillGS]

Thanks Mark!
These ARE listed in the spring chart of my 66 Assembly Manual. It doesn't list applications tho.

For the Fronts:
pn 391100-1
Wire Dia: 0.6691" (theoritical. actual dia may vary)
Free Length: 15.57"(R), 15.81"(L)
Load Height= 11.4"
Load Weight= 1725- 1875 lbs
Rate: 420 lbs/inch

Moog lists a 0.672" wire diameter spring:
#6188 has a free length of 15.4"
#6194 has a free length of 16.43"
And a 0.690" wire diameter spring:
#6322 has a free length of 16.194"

Listed spring rate varies with installed height and load weight.

For the Rear, the 9777431 was also used in the 66 GS convertible:
Wire Dia: 0.540"
Free length: 15"
Load height:8.52"
Load Weight: 695- 745 lbs
Rate: 115 lbs/inch

Moog lists 3 springs with a 0.531" wire dia:
#5237 free length= 14.861"
#6201 free length= 15.441"
#5231 free length= 15.769"
And one with a 0.565" wire dia:
#6197 free length= 14.83"

I think it's interesting that Buick used such a stiff front spring in the 65 GS. For the 66 GS, they decreased the wire dia and rate slightly. Replacement springs for other musclecars are much softer than what Buick used!

For my '66 GS, I'm using #6033 in the front, and #6197 in the rear. I hope to have a ride report in the coming months!

[Mark Ascher]

Walt,

Many thanks for the specs! I'm thinking about the 6188 for the front and 6201 for the rear.
They look closest to "stock", but the rates could be different. Moog tends to be more of a heavy duty replacement.

Mark

[PGBuick]

Call ESPO Springs in PA.  They have all the info you need.  Also, I have a set of new 65 GS stock springs from them that I need to sell.  $50
just email me if interested
pmg455@msn.com
Thanks
Pat

[WkillGS]

Pat, I have purchased springs from ESPO, and found them to be very helpful. Prices were competitive as well.
However, they didn't have specs for my 66 GS, and tried to sell me standard Skylark springs.
Is there a part number on the springs you got from ESPO?

Since we now have GM specs for the original springs, ESPO should be able to match the originals to the present offerings.

P.S., The 65 GS Service manual (page 80) also shows the spring rates as being 420 lbs/in rear, and 115 lbs/in front.....that confirms the pn and Assembly manual info!

[PGBuick]

Walt
The 66 spring I used is a C-CS-5244.  The original 65 spring I used was a CS-5246.

The 5246 is 298 lb/in
The 65 spring with A/C is a 315 lb/in spring and would lift a given car 3/4" higher than the 5246.
The 65 HD spring is also 315 lb/in, but since it is longer, it would lift a given car 1" higher than the 5246

The 66 GS spring w/o A/C is the CS-5244, and I believe is also the same part number as a 65 with A/C plus HD.  This is also a 315 lb/in spring but is even longer, thus lifts car 1.5" higher than the 5246.

[425 Dual Quad]

Good morning all!  I originally posted a similar thread on the V8Buick board but Walt showed me over here, so here's my reply:
How do the MOOG 5235s for the Special Wagon compare to the MOOG 6197 HD springs for the GS / convertible. Are they thicker than 0.0565" wire? Do they ride better or are they too hard?
I don't want the Skylark to ride too soft, and I want it to ride low - about 3 inches lower than stock, especially as I'm planning on putting in a big rear bar that attaches to the frame and not the lower control arms (see my other post yesterday).
Interesting that I can get the springs from RockAuto since I was planning on getting the rear drums from there as well - $30 each!!
regards, Nick   :)