DIY 1970-81 Firebird and Camaro Suspension Rebuild

Second generation F bodies are a very popular muscle car, and one of the most common subframe donors for hot rodders.

While the performance of this suspension setup is hard to beat at the price point, most examples have 40-50 years of wear on them and need a rebuild.

In the below video, Mad Scientist Garage demonstrates a complete rebuild of this ’75 Firebird suspension using simple hand tools in a single weekend.

Thanks to the popularity of the platform as muscle car, dirt track, and hot rod suspension, replacement parts are readily available and inexpensive.

Performance ball joints, springs, and polyurethane bushings can deliver serious improvement in handling and ride quality without breaking the bank for control arms with those components already installed.

Using hand tools and a couple rental items from a local auto parts store, the control arms can be completely redone in a couple of hours.

Compared to burning or hacking out old components this method is a real time-saver, and it doesn’t require the use of a hydraulic press.

Placement and use of a rented spring compressor is also covered. While it seems simple, this step is one of the more dangerous parts and can take some trial and error.

Overall, the rebuild is fairly straightforward and makes a serious improvement in handling and ride quality at a quarter the cost of buying new control arms.