I was watching Overhaulin the other day and Foose did something that I had always heard was a NO NO -

They lowered the ride height by just cutting of a few coils of the spring...
I was always taught this would be bad for the ride and you had to get custom springs.
Anyone ever done this with stock springs or know anyone who has.
Curious as to what the result was.

Was wanting to bring the ride height on my car down and inch or so but didn't want to just pull out the spring and lop off the top.

no one has done this around here yet

You're going to want new springs. If you cut off a coil or two, you've made a much smaller range of compression, while the spring rate is lighter a little. You'll soften it up, and lower it.

Best bet would be to get a set of lowering springs from TY. Smellbird here has them. Good struts are important as well. It handles better, that'* for sure, if you dropped and put some performance sway bar endlink kits on there, you'll feel like you're driving a car that'* better then new.

One guy was running spring compressors over two coils over a year ago, but i'd consider that dangerous, and along the same lines as cutting it, if not worse.

Are the Bonneville springs progressive ? If so, cutting the springs will make it stiffer.
I looked at mine and couldn't tell. A progressive spring is made to be soft on initial compression and harder as it compresses. So if they are , your cutting off the soft part.
I did this on a few cars in the past with various results. I did it on a 5.0 Mustang ( younger days ) and it stiffened up the front so much I had rebound issues .
I did it on a Corolla ( younger still ) and saw no I'll affects.

My Bonneville rides so good though I'm not sure I would want to try it. It is after all, a one way mod that can't be reversed.

JLathem

I'm pretty sure the springs are a constant rate.
What if you took FE2 or FE41and cut a few coils off there would that be that bad?

The springs are progressive rate.

in general cutting springs is never good... HOWEVER... before the days of mass produced lowering springs... heating and squishing... cutting and stretching coil springs was a common occurance... the biggest problems are 1) getting the spring too hot when cutting
2) over estimating and take too much off... thereby completely screwing yourself
3) not cooling properly to keep proper temper and memory

the list goes on... but it can be done ...it'* just really not a good idea...especially with the stupid low prices of lowering springs now adays... now if you had absolutely NO option... it might be something you wanna look at ( I ran into this some years ago when I was making a 1980 volvo for rallying... I ended up with 2 stacked modded springs on each corner to get exactly what I wanted... now adays you can order a set from Ground control with sleeve over height adjust for $250 or under in any spring rate you want)

personally I'll be ordering a set from DP for the delta88 ...contact them and find out exactly what they need... I mean a set is what $169? cost you more if you miss cut your stock springs... and you still have your stock springs if you have a problem with the lowering springs.