Taking a Leap Forward
 

I want to buy parts for my 1999 GT. I am looking to spend money for quality parts, but I don't want to go broke. This car is my daily driver, so I don't want to have a drag like suspension and be rattled to the bone every time I go over a small bump, but I do want it stiffer. I need recomdations on springs and uper and lower control arms. Keep in mind I do want the car to be lowered for looks. I know I will be getting caster/camber plates. If you can help me out I want to order soon. I wiil post more specifically tonight.
Shawn

H&R SS, Maximum Motorsports RLCA's, boxed stock RUCA's (avail from Maximum Motorsports), Maximum Motorsports caster camber plates, Tokico Illumina (cheaper but pretty good stuff) or Bilstein (best there is) shocks and struts. DO NOT USE stock shocks/struts with high rate springs, you'll make the car handle poorly and tear up the stock dampers.

No matter what you do, unless you go to a coil over setup you'll never get a good high wheel rate without a commensurately tall spring rate. This means that unless you convert to coil over, any spring that'll net a good handling gain while lowering the car as much as you'll want will definitely be pretty lively riding by comparison.

If you go Coil Over, call up Maximum Motorsports and let them spec the springs for you. You'll get a wild high wheel rate at a fairly low spring rate which makes for bitchin handling and no harsh ass ride (actually you can dial in a stock like ride if you like... and springs are cheap and fairly easy to change so you can swap to a harder set for track days if needed.

Coil over isn't that expensive and can be done with stock K-member and A-arms. Later if you want you can upgrade to tubular A arms or go all the way to a Max Grip box.

I second r3d's recommendation, but I'm more partial to using FRPP's Handling Pack instead of H&R Springs. It's cheap, includes everything (besides control arms and CC plates), and is a perfect balance of handling, ride height, and usability. But each person has there own definition of what's too harsh and what's too low.

Not much else for me to add unless a more specific question is asked. I have followed R3d's route pretty much to a 'T'. Lot's of people have been happy with FRPP handling package also, just wasn't as low ride height or high rate a spring as I wanted.

Thank you guys for your responses. I think I should be set for now, following r3d's comment, untill time comes to order the parts.