i have the c-springs on my car without any complaints. these cars have bumpsteer stock and only get worse when lowered. c/c plates arent nesseccary for a 1.5 drop, but are needed for any lower. for the drag racing aspect, lowering the car will actually hurt you a little. lowering will pay off for looks and handling. i run a mickey thompson 26x10.5-15 and about to go to a 28 inch slick soon. i dont know anything about the strange shocks or struts so i wouldnt be able to tell you anything about their handling. if you were to go to a coil over or a suspenson system that has a lot more adjustment, then you can get a little more for both purposes.