Make my car handle better, CHEAP!!!!!! Options

[ninefourteener]

Ok..... forgive me for buying / owning a teener that pretty much underwent a ground up restoration less than 10K before I bought it......... so I really haven't done anything "mechanical" to it at all..... only appearance upgrades.

But I'd like it to handle better.. you know, hold the curves tighter, less body roll, etc.

Anyone have any ideas on what to do that isn't going to break the bank? Maybe some tips? Tricks? Cheap parts? Where can I get them? Where do I start? Whats the easiest upgrade, and will produce the highest desired effect??

Look at it from the perspective of a car that the suspension is 100% original.... as mine is. I know there are a lot of auto Xers on here, so any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

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[ninefourteener]

I think we should ask him a few questions:

1. What do you feel the car doing right now ?

a. does the car push in corners (goes straight even though you have the wheel turned) (this will tell us how he drives)
b. does the ass end like to swing out when you are on the gas.

To answer your 300-400$ question I need to know what you want to correct.

Tires are a good start (depending on what it has now)


B

1. The car rides great.... no oversteer, but a bit of understeer in hard corners. Plus, I feel the car "lean" more than I'd like it to around curves as well.

a. a little bit
b. no, the ass is planted well, the only time I feel it swing out is if I have to BRAKE in the middle of a curve.. under acceleration, its the front I'd like to improve, not the rear

2. My car DOES NOT have a swaybar.. I looked last night.

Tires are ok I think. I'm running a 205/60 on all 4 corners. The tires grip just fine.... so squealing or sliding around hard corners.... it's the way the car itself responds to turns, that I'd like to improve.

To give a specific example..... there's an on ramp to the highway that I drive almost daily.... it's nearly a 360 degree perfect circle. I go into it a maybe 45 mph, constantly accelerate, and come out at about 70 mph. The car handles it fine (no tire sqealing), but it feels like it WAY leans around the curve.

Plus.... if I have to let off the gas, or if I have to brake... THEN the car gets all squirrely. I guess I just want better stability. Does that make sense?? Forgive me, I'm trying to explain it the best I can.

Matt