AzPete
Well-Known Member
"Kats66Pny" said:
One thing, the lift in the back is not an expensive thing since most buy new springs and shocks anyway.
Hmmmm, don't need a trade (having just bought JohnPro's '66) but prices are flexible......
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What would these be called?
- Thread starter Kats66Pny
- Start date
One thing, the lift in the back is not an expensive thing since most buy new springs and shocks anyway.
Hmmmm, don't need a trade (having just bought JohnPro's '66) but prices are flexible......
Dne'
Well-Known Member
I remember helping my brother install some air shocks on his '67 Mustang coupe, in about 1975 ish. When done, the car sat up nicely, but when going over bumps or speed bumps, the rear end would hop off the ground, and rode like a rock! Funny, it wasn't even very old of a car at that time! He traded it in on a Triumph spitfire(i think), they gave him 500 trade in! I could have strangled him! I would have given him 500, even back then~ it was a neat stang! sigh!
I bought my leaf springs from Laurel mountain, 1.5" above stock spring height and shocks. I like the stance of my stang, not too high, not too low~ settling may occur.
I bought my leaf springs from Laurel mountain, 1.5" above stock spring height and shocks. I like the stance of my stang, not too high, not too low~ settling may occur.
70_Fastback
Hell Bent for Speed
"silverblueBP" said:
:Kburn
Haters! :craz
I could always part out my 66.. might take me a year to sell everything + sell my kidney on the black market, and then I might be able to afford it . :lol
I do have a question though about that set up. What's it ride like? Is it rough and bumpy if you hit a pot hole?
I could always part out my 66.. might take me a year to sell everything + sell my kidney on the black market, and then I might be able to afford it . :lol
I do have a question though about that set up. What's it ride like? Is it rough and bumpy if you hit a pot hole?
daveSanborn
Active Member
"silverblueBP" said:
+2
mgRide height on a classic car that is more for show than for go is a matter of personal preference. ANY car will handle/perform much better when the front is equal to/a hair higher than the rear. When the rear of the car is lifted it unneccessarily shifts weight to the front, which diminishes handling and slows weight transfer vital to achieving traction. Does it look "meaner"? To some people it does. Does it improve anything? No. It negatively impacts the driveability of the car.
66gt350
Active Member
"silverblueBP" said:
That's a new term for me. I've always heard that the car looks like a stink bug.
"AzPete" said:
Ummm....Pete, you might need them for your "new" 66, I think that the back end is now held together with duct tape and baling wire :craz
AzPete
Well-Known Member
It rides fine on the street. It is a bit stiffer than others but the springs use the arch to lift, not a lot of stiffness.
As far as handling, it is real good on the street. The car is not built for corner carving. Weight transfer is good as far as straight line racing. I do not run the car hard.....but it will if I want it to. The way this car is set up is much better than those back in the day and I would not be afraid of driving the car in any street situation for handling concerns.
As far as handling, it is real good on the street. The car is not built for corner carving. Weight transfer is good as far as straight line racing. I do not run the car hard.....but it will if I want it to. The way this car is set up is much better than those back in the day and I would not be afraid of driving the car in any street situation for handling concerns.
AzPete
Well-Known Member
"66gt350" said:
Damn Ca. bums.........I guess owning a car on each coast helps someone...... :sad
Kat:
You have my permission to raise your rear end to whatever height you wish. Disregard any bozos that tell you differently.
It'd look even better with you wearing stiletto heels.
You have my permission to raise your rear end to whatever height you wish. Disregard any bozos that tell you differently.
It'd look even better with you wearing stiletto heels.
66gt350
Active Member
Don't worry....you're not his type he's more into: :ss
A
Anonymous
Guest
That almost made me spit soda all over the keyboard :lol :lol
"Kats66Pny" said:After doing some googling for rear suspension stuff - damn of insomnia
Edit: Ok I think I know what I need. I'm in love with look of AzPete's pony and it's what I want! :vic
You will not want anything more than a 4.5 leaf rear spring, unless you are willing to sacrifice comfort for performance. I have 5 leafs on my '69 for better traction. It is very stiff, though, and tends to "spring board" when going across bridges. Long bridges get down-right annoying.
If you want a rake, you need to stay with a standard eye. My '66 (for another day until the transporter takes it to AzPete) is using 4.5 leaf mid-eyes in the back. It sits pretty level, with 1" drop springs in front. If anything, the rear is a tad lower than the front, which is what cause me to use a standard eye leaf on my '69 (wish I'd gone mid-eye, as it came out too tall for me, and I had to use lowering blocks to get it back down).
The 4.5 leaf, though, are the ultimate in crossing performance with comfort. My/Pete's '66 is about the smoothest riding Mustang I've ever seen, as the front suspension is all put together with OpenTracker and Street or Track parts. There is a single shim on each side of the front suspension, just to help get a touch more caster, and zero bushings left, with the exception of the lower control arms, which are stock.
Last edited by a moderator:
tarafied1
Well-Known Member
I've got the 5 leaf "Grab-A-Track" standard eye springs and gas shocks from Mustangs Plus. My car sits at about stock rear height (the front is lowered). It is stiffer ride than stock but not bad at all. Having just drove over 3000 miles on the Hot Rod Power Tour with it on all kinds of road conditions I was pretty happy with it. Keep in mind though I had tools and luggage in it for a little extra weight. Even normal everyday driving though I have been pretty happy with the "Grab-A-Track" suspension parts...
"tarafied1" said:
Mine are also the Grab-a-Trak on both cars, both using KYB GasAJust shocks. I agree with you completely on the 5 leafs. I really don't mind the 5 leafs, except for certain conditions, but they are definitely not for everyone. I think if you have a performance car, you at least learn to like the 5 leafs. If you're going total comfort, though, they're probably not the right spring.
tarafied1
Well-Known Member
I agree!
I don't like that "mushy" feeling that some people say is a car handling good. If the door handles scrape the ground on sharp curves, it's NOT handling good IMO. The 5 leafs have also kept me from needing traction bars as the rear-end doesn't wheel hop or wind up. I guess I'm weird but I actually like how it rides.
AzPete
Well-Known Member
I also must agree with liking the ride I have on this car. Each person has different ideas about the ride and what is good for them. It also varies from car to car as to how a certain system rides. The last '66 I did with the lifted springs was a bit harsher than this one...but not bad in my view....of course, maybe it has to do with my food intake too....lol
I'm not extremely picky about the comfort. I don't plan on taking long road trips, and I'll pretty much only be driving it to take kids to school and picking them up, and the occassional trip to a cruise night or to the store. When I want a comfy ride with AC and a radio to listen too... then I'll drive hubbys Lexus. :lol
Since leaf springs really aren't all that expensive, I guess I can do some trial and error testing and go with one set up, and if I don't like it, later down the road try another kind.
Since leaf springs really aren't all that expensive, I guess I can do some trial and error testing and go with one set up, and if I don't like it, later down the road try another kind.
AzPete
Well-Known Member
Just buy mine.....saves the entire restore thing.....oh, off track.....sorry.
As to the springs....once you have removed the old set, the swap for the next set is easy. You may need a sawzall to remove the front spring bolts the first time. Use plenty of PB Blaster.
As to the springs....once you have removed the old set, the swap for the next set is easy. You may need a sawzall to remove the front spring bolts the first time. Use plenty of PB Blaster.
Jonk67
Well-Known Member
If it helps you any (each car seems to sit a little differently) this may give you an idea of ride height. Mine is a '67 and I installed 4 1/2 leaf Mideyes on the rear, if I wanted it to sit ~2" higher I would have gone with standard eye leafs. I would suggest the 4 or 4 1/2 leafs for you.
I drove my wife (front seat) and 11yo daughter and friends(back seat) around quite often and had no complaints of jarring/sharp ride, it was comfortable for a 40yr. old car but still sporty enough for me. I used KYB GR-2's on all 4, for <$100 I think they're great low pressure gas shocks, the gas-a-justs are a higher pressure and stiffer.
The front has the 1" drop and 1" drop springs, I wanted my car level and tire tread just at the fender lip so it came out perfect so far.
Jon
I drove my wife (front seat) and 11yo daughter and friends(back seat) around quite often and had no complaints of jarring/sharp ride, it was comfortable for a 40yr. old car but still sporty enough for me. I used KYB GR-2's on all 4, for <$100 I think they're great low pressure gas shocks, the gas-a-justs are a higher pressure and stiffer.
The front has the 1" drop and 1" drop springs, I wanted my car level and tire tread just at the fender lip so it came out perfect so far.
Jon