Pay Me Now or Pay me Later - Front Suspension ???

[Pbum5]

What should I do?

So my 67 Fastback front suspension is out of whack. The upper Arms need to be replaced so I can’t have it aligned; it pulls very hard to the left. I plan on someday doing a full restoration of my car, which has been sitting stored in a dry California Garage for the last 12 years. I now live in Minnesota now and just had it shipped out to me. I plan on driving it around (when the weather permits) But for now and the next few years or so I would like to make it drivable. When I do decide to do the ground up resto, I plan on going with an upgraded front suspension either from TCP, Maier, or Global West. Here is my question. Should I buy the “upgraded” suspension now, and remove it and put it back when I do the resto, or should I just get a $300 kit to hold me over for a few years and make it safely drivable.

Thanks for the input.

 

[HistoricMustang]

Do the kit after going here for no-nonsense budget stuff you won't find in the magazines.

Others?

www.historicmustang.com

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

 

[Hack]

I would do a Shelby drop and swap in Granada spindles (front discs) and rebuild the front end with good quality components from a local parts store. I just did that to my '70 this last spring and it handles great. The discs also make a huge difference in stopping.

The Mustang short-long arm front suspension is a good design for handling. It doesn't have to be replaced to get the car to handle. You'll get a lot of improvement with just those changes I listed.

If you save on the suspension you'll have more for the drivetrain.

 

[Pbum5]

Thanks for the replies.

Historic, your site is very helpful. I plan on doing a Shelby drop, but isn’t there a problem with the ball joint angle? This is why I am leaning toward the Maier racing A-arms. It is the least expensive of the “Upgrade Kits”. And they say they use the correct Ball joint angle for the drop.

Hack, yes it's always nice to have more $$ for the drivetrain.

I also want to upgrade to disk brakes but doesn’t it make more sense to go with a New SSBC or Baer kit when you are starting from scratch? It looks like it would be only a little bit more and you get the piece of mind of having a new system.

 

[67GTA-FB429]

Just go with the (pick-a-vendor) 'stock' replacement kit. You can box the lower control arms if you want. Unless you are racing do you really need the TCP/Maier/GW kit?

As long as you don't drop your upper arm more than an inch the ball joint probably won't bind.

Here is a kit I put in last year, it was pretty easy too.

http://www.mustangsplus.com/Merchan...oduct_Code=suprstrtr&Category_Code=suspension

You can get a very similar kit at any number vendors.

 

[65fastback2+2]

Just go with the (pick-a-vendor) 'stock' replacement kit. You can box the lower control arms if you want. Unless you are racing do you really need the TCP/Maier/GW kit?

As long as you don't drop your upper arm more than an inch the ball joint probably won't bind.

Here is a kit I put in last year, it was pretty easy too.

http://www.mustangsplus.com/Merchan...oduct_Code=suprstrtr&Category_Code=suspension

You can get a very similar kit at any number vendors.

i agree here, and if the 1" shelby drop isnt low enough, you can go with the 620 ld 1" drop springs also. Just put longer bolts in the upper control arms while you are putting it back together. 67/68's arent meant to be shimmed to align, they use an eccentric on the lower control arm. However, if you do the shelby drop and drop coils, it is a must, to get it aligned, that you shim the top control arms. Which is why you will need the longer bolts.

 

[Hack]

Thanks for the replies.

Historic, your site is very helpful. I plan on doing a Shelby drop, but isn’t there a problem with the ball joint angle? This is why I am leaning toward the Maier racing A-arms. It is the least expensive of the “Upgrade Kits”. And they say they use the correct Ball joint angle for the drop.

Hack, yes it's always nice to have more $$ for the drivetrain.

I also want to upgrade to disk brakes but doesn’t it make more sense to go with a New SSBC or Baer kit when you are starting from scratch? It looks like it would be only a little bit more and you get the piece of mind of having a new system.

1" drop is fine without changing arms. I don't have any problem with you buying new A-arms if you want to drop it farther, though. It seems like you've thought this through well.

Also, the Granada disc brakes are a huge improvement from drums, but I'm going to upgrade mine again. I think going with a kit is fine there too. There's also a thread on here for fabricating brackets to put '99-'04 PBR calipers onto your Granada spindles. That's the upgrade I'm planning, but I need larger wheels first. I think I'm biased toward junkyard and "do it yourself" solutions, rather than buying kits. There's nothing wrong with kits; I just enjoy the research and the legwork to figure the stuff out. Hopefully I save some money too.

 

[67GTA-FB429]

i agree here, and if the 1" shelby drop isnt low enough, you can go with the 620 ld 1" drop springs also. Just put longer bolts in the upper control arms while you are putting it back together. 67/68's arent meant to be shimmed to align, they use an eccentric on the lower control arm. However, if you do the shelby drop and drop coils, it is a must, to get it aligned, that you shim the top control arms. Which is why you will need the longer bolts.

I have never heard or read that (here or in books) you need to shim a 67 after a Shelby drop. Where did you learn this??

 

[Pbum5]

i agree here, and if the 1" shelby drop isnt low enough, you can go with the 620 ld 1" drop springs also. Just put longer bolts in the upper control arms while you are putting it back together. 67/68's arent meant to be shimmed to align, they use an eccentric on the lower control arm. However, if you do the shelby drop and drop coils, it is a must, to get it aligned, that you shim the top control arms. Which is why you will need the longer bolts.

I already have 620 -1" coils. so the Shelby drop also lowers the front another 1"? I thought it just changed the angle, I didnt realize that it also lowered it. Thats cool.

 

[Pbum5]

i agree here, and if the 1" shelby drop isnt low enough, you can go with the 620 ld 1" drop springs also. Just put longer bolts in the upper control arms while you are putting it back together. 67/68's arent meant to be shimmed to align, they use an eccentric on the lower control arm. However, if you do the shelby drop and drop coils, it is a must, to get it aligned, that you shim the top control arms. Which is why you will need the longer bolts.

How much shimming? Is it a case by case amount?

 

[Hack]

I already have 620 -1" coils. so the Shelby drop also lowers the front another 1"? I thought it just changed the angle, I didnt realize that it also lowered it. Thats cool.

It doesn't lower it exactly an 1", it's somewhat less than 1". I'm not sure how much exactly.

 

[Ronstang]

I have never heard or read that (here or in books) you need to shim a 67 after a Shelby drop. Where did you learn this??

I'm not sure what was done exactly on his car as I was not there when the components were installed but when he finally got his car to my house for me to see it was sitting quite low, lower than normal for a Shelby drop. After the new engine install I had him take his car to a local frame shop I know to have it aligned. These guys are good old world craftsmen and that is why I trust them. It was even apparent to me that he was going to need to shim the upper arms to get the alignment correct. There was not anywhere near enough adjustment in the lower arms to get the proper settings and the only option was to install longer A-arm bolts and shim them out like a 65/66 vehicle. They measured the frame and it was not the problem so I am really not sure what is going on with his car.

 

[Ronstang]

Oops.....darn cable connection.

 

[65fastback2+2]

I'm not sure what was done exactly on his car as I was not there when the components were installed but when he finally got his car to my house for me to see it was sitting quite low, lower than normal for a Shelby drop. After the new engine install I had him take his car to a local frame shop I know to have it aligned. These guys are good old world craftsmen and that is why I trust them. It was even apparent to me that he was going to need to shim the upper arms to get the alignment correct. There was not anywhere near enough adjustment in the lower arms to get the proper settings and the only option was to install longer A-arm bolts and shim them out like a 65/66 vehicle. They measured the frame and it was not the problem so I am really not sure what is going on with his car.

shelby drop and 1" drop coils you know that, its my 14" rims that make it so low

 

[Ronstang]

shelby drop and 1" drop coils you know that, its my 14" rims that make it so low

The size of the rims have NOTHING to do with the fact that your car could not be aligned without using longer bolts and shims in the upper control arms Einstein.

 

[65fastback2+2]

The size of the rims have NOTHING to do with the fact that your car could not be aligned without using longer bolts and shims in the upper control arms Einstein.

haha, well newton, even you yourself said you put plates to space out the upper arms on 65/66's that have the longer bolts, so it makes sense

 

[Ronstang]

haha, well newton, even you yourself said you put plates to space out the upper arms on 65/66's that have the longer bolts, so it makes sense

I only use plates because it reduces the amount of shims I need to use to align the car and even without the Shelby drop most 65/66 cars have close to 1/2" of shims and anything that reduces that amount is a good thing.

 

[67GTA-FB429]

I'm not sure what was done exactly on his car as I was not there when the components were installed but when he finally got his car to my house for me to see it was sitting quite low, lower than normal for a Shelby drop. After the new engine install I had him take his car to a local frame shop I know to have it aligned. These guys are good old world craftsmen and that is why I trust them. It was even apparent to me that he was going to need to shim the upper arms to get the alignment correct. There was not anywhere near enough adjustment in the lower arms to get the proper settings and the only option was to install longer A-arm bolts and shim them out like a 65/66 vehicle. They measured the frame and it was not the problem so I am really not sure what is going on with his car.

So basically, shimming a 67 was an isolated instance, not a needed fix for all 67/68s?

 

[mustangdave]

Pbum5, why do you think your upper control arms are bad? Usually if a car is pulling really hard to one side, it's a bad control valve on the power steering. Do you have p.s.?

 

[65fastback2+2]

So basically, shimming a 67 was an isolated instance, not a needed fix for all 67/68s?

i dont see how you could do it and NOT have to do that fix. Mine has like 3/4" of shims, theres no getting around that, and my frame was checked against being bent too....