If there is one element of the pro touring market that has surprised us over the years it is the way that trucks came onto the scene and actually had staying power. It was a little freaky at first to see classic Fords and Chevrolets hammering the corners at autocross events but the fact that the truck side of the handling world has really established itself as a primary focus for people is really neat. Hotchkis wanted to help more people make their trucks turn and that is why they have rolled out this new Stage 1 TVS handling system for 1962-1972 Chevy half ton trucks. As is normally the case with Hotchkis products, the components all bolt on and their effect on your rig will be both positive and dramatic.
The men and women at Hotchkis didn’t just come up with some parts and jam them in a box. Instead they have done the testing both on and off the track to determine the right balance between a package that makes your rig a lot of fun and also capable of driving around town without bashing your fillings out. Your truck will have an awesome stance and it’ll have enough grip to blow the doors off of other trucks that have not been touched. In the right hands it may leave some jaws laying on the floor at the autocross, too!
Here’s the full story from Hotchkis:
Hotchkis Sport Suspension releases the Stage 1 version of its popular Total Vehicle System to offer enthusiasts a budget-friendly handling solution for 1963-1972 Chevy C10 Pickups.
Santa Fe Springs, Calif. (July, 2015) – The Chevrolet and GMC C10 pickup has become one of the most popular platforms among performance enthusiasts thanks to its wide availability, relatively low cost of entry, and ease of modification. Its unique truck arm suspension also gives the C10 enormous handling potential when paired with the right performance suspension parts. While the Hotchkis TVS kit is the most thorough bolt-on handling package available, it’s cost of entry can strain some enthusiasts’ budget. Understanding this, Hotchkis has developed the perfect first step in the quest for the ultimate handling C10 – the Stage 1 TVS kit.
The Stage 1 TVS is the result of hours spent on the track by Hotchkis engineers developing the most effective way to begin your pickup’s suspension transformation. Hotchkis’ goal was to deliver a ride that is comfortable enough for the street but well tuned for spirited driving – be it track days, autocross events, or your favorite twisty roads. To do this, they examined the C10’s stock suspension and identified its weakest points, determining exactly what must be addressed to deliver the greatest increase in handling for the smallest investment.
Laying the foundation for the C10’s handling package is a set of Hotchkis Sport Coil Springs that lower the truck four inches in the front and six inches in the rear that lower the trucks center of gravity, improves the front-to-rear weight distribution and delivers a sportier ride with their higher performance spring rates of 1,100 lbs/in up front and 380 lbs/in out back. For C10 owners that have already lowered their trucks with drop spindles, Hotchkis also offers a Stage 1 TVS kit designed with drop spindle-friendly front sport springs that lower the truck only an additional two inches, maintaining proper suspension travel and geometry.
Keeping body roll in check is the job of the new front and rear Sport Sway Bars. The kit includes a lightweight, tubular 1 7/16-inch front bar, an adjustable, ¾-inch blade-style rear bar, and heavy duty end links. Finally, a set of Hotchkis-Tuned 1.5 SPS monotube shocks by Fox are included to keep the truck planted and controlled over bumps and during quick transitions. These shocks feature the latest in damping technology with digressive disc valving, a lightweight smooth bore aluminum body, CNC machined billet aluminum end caps, and polyurethane bushings. The kit also includes brackets to relocate the upper mounts of the shocks to maintain the full length of travel, even at the new lower ride height.
Like all Hotchkis Performance suspension products, the ’63-’72 C10 Stage 1 Total Vehicle System components are manufactured in the USA, come with all necessary hardware, feature greaseable polyurethane bushings, are finished in durable powder coat, and are backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. These upgrades can transform your C10 in a single afternoon are the ultimate way to begin to unlock your truck’s true potential. For more information on Hotchkis’ full line of products for the C10 visit its website www.hotchkis.net.
