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1968-1972 GTO GM A-Body
Pontiac V8 1968-1972 GTO GM A-Body
Air, Coil-Over or Springs — 1968-1972 GTO GM A-Body for Pontiac V8s
The 1968-1972 GTO uses the later GM A-Body platform, shared with the LeMans, Tempest and the 1969-1972 Grand Prix. These are heavy, torque-first cars, and what a matched suspension system gives back on one of them is usually far more noticeable than a fresh set of shocks on their own.
Butler carries the RideTech 1968-1972 A-Body catalog: a complete coil-over system, an air ride system on HQ Series ShockWaves, the bolt-in StreetGRIP package, and the simpler CoolRide air spring kit that spans 1964-1972.
More About 1968-1972 GTO GM A-Body
1. Match the system to how the car gets driven
All four RideTech options for this platform are sold complete, so the decision is about the end result rather than about part counts.
| StreetGRIP | for a restoration or a mild restomod that keeps the stock suspension layout. Vehicle-specific dual-rate front and rear coil springs, HQ rebound-adjustable shocks, Delrin front control arm bushings, tall ball joints and heavier sway bars. |
| HQ Series coil-over system | for a pro-touring build. Front upper and lower StrongArms, rear upper and lower StrongArms, tall spindles, front and rear MuscleBars and four HQ Series coil-overs, with spring rates RideTech set on this platform rather than guessed at. |
| Air ride system | for a car that has to sit low at a show and drive normally afterward. Same arm and spindle package, with four HQ Series ShockWaves. |
| CoolRide air spring kit | for the owner who wants the stance without the full geometry change. Front and rear air springs, application-specific brackets and HQ shocks, cataloged across 1964-1972 A-Body. |
2. Know what is under the back of the car
The rear half of a coil-over or air system has to attach to whatever rear end the car is running, and this is where orders get held up.
| Brackets included | the rear coil-overs and ShockWaves come with brackets for mounting to the frame and to a 10 or 12 bolt rear end, or to a Currie 9". |
| Moser rear ends | brackets for those are available separately, so say what is back there when you order rather than after the box shows up. |
| Rear StrongArms and MuscleBar | both the coil-over and air systems include rear upper and lower StrongArms plus a rear MuscleBar, which is how these kits get the axle located instead of just sprung. |
3. Tell us what is in the engine bay
Front spring rate is set by what the front of the car weighs, and on a Pontiac that varies more than most people expect.
| Cast iron head baseline | RideTech sets StreetGRIP spring rates for a cast iron head Pontiac V8, which is the right rate for the great majority of these cars. |
| Aluminum heads or an aftermarket block | that combination takes real weight off the nose, and the standard spring will sit the car high and ride harsh. Put the engine combination in your order notes and we will swap you to a lighter spring before it ships. |
If you are running air, remember the chassis kit is only half of it. The compressor, tank and control system are bought separately from the air ride control systems category.
Not sure what your Pontiac needs?
Email our tech team at tech@butlerperformance.com. Tell us your engine, heads, car, and power goal, and we will put the parts together as one combination that works.