Is there any way at all to make it handle?

[ISpoolOldSchool]

Hey everyone, im new here, but not extrememly new to the v6. ive got a 94 buick century that i just inherited and im looking to hop it up a bit. its now earned its status as my daily driver so i can finally park my grand national in the garage for a little while. i was basically wanting to make this just a fun car to play with, ive got the engine and body all covered, but ive never really saw any suspension stuff for this car. is there anything out there to make the old century handle decent. id just like to make it a little firmer, i dont expect it to handle like my f bodys do, just hold the road pretty well.
thanks for any help.
Mark

[cutlass supreme FE3]

usually bigger swaybars front and rear will do it

[IsaacHayes]

Not sure if Eibach makes springs for that or not. Good struts /shocks helps too. Lower profile tires if you have tall sidewalls and narrow tires.

[Alxsmt]

im guessing kyb has shocks/struts for them, there cheap but decent. next upgrade from that would be koni inserts im guessing

[ISpoolOldSchool]

alright thanks guys, could i get a link to some springs please? im having trouble finding them, i wasnt sure if the a body like i have was compatible with any w body parts, are there any parts that cross over?

[ISpoolOldSchool]

are there any parts that can crossover from the later model w bodys into my older buick? theres a little more aftermarket for them. what about other models such as the L bodys and other cars?
thanks for any help
mark

[IsaacHayes]

Check tirerack.com for eibach springs. Only same body will be able to swap parts, if the newer ones can be swapped. You can't put L body parts on a W body, too different.

Check out summit racing to see if addco makes sway bar for your car. You can find it cheaper but that will let you search for it so you can get the part #.

[ISpoolOldSchool]

alright thanks a lot guys

[LeftVentricle]

These guys have sway bars for A-bodies.

[torq455]

i didn't think a Century was an W body then, or did W body get bigger later on?

[IsaacHayes]

Hmm, no idea what a century is now that I think about it.. what body is it?

[torq455]

http://www.sharpsvilleauto.com/images2/1994%20BUICK%20CENTURY%20WHITE%204-1.jpg

basically a cousin to the Olds Cierra.

[WrathOfSocrus]

Wow, second page and no one mentioned it yet . . . .

POLYURETHANE!

Replacing worn out rubber with some fresh poly bushings will take a lot of slack out of the sway bar. I did just the end links on an '82 Century (full size RWD) and it made a night and day difference to the amount of body roll in the turns.

According to Wikipedia the A platform also shares many parts with the U platform minivans. After a quick look on Rock Auto, there appears to be 3 different size sway bar bushings: 22mm, 24mm, and 26mm. Perhaps you can figure out what size you have and check out the junk yards for a larger one if you don't already have the largest one. A larger bar coupled with polyurethane bushings would probably be the cheapest and easiest way to increase your handling performance.

A strut tower brace could be another option, but I don't know if there would be any available for the A body. It most likely would be aftermarket or custom.

[torq455]

yeah! should have said that when i thought of it. do some research about front sway bars and what other cars you may be able to swap in. i had a 91 Sunbird LE with level 1 suspension. i polyed both sway bars after swapping a 30mm front sway bar from a 94 Z24. i had to redirect the exhaust down pipe in order for that to work, but it was WELL worth it. i have the same set up today in my 94 Z24, and i swear the Sunbird handled better. maybe since it was lighter.

[LeftVentricle]

i didn't think a Century was an W body then, or did W body get bigger later on?

Century switched to W platform in 1997. From 82-96 it was a FWD A-body.