MY GOALS:

1. Fit the biggest meats (tires) on the widest and most deep dish 15 inch rims, the same size at all four corners without rubbing.
2. Fairly firm handling and still have a nice ride as I want this to be the ultimate cross country highway cruiser carrying two full sized adults and a small light trailer and also as an around town daily driver. I don't want it to ride like a truck!
3. A good profile and stance, I really love the stance of Todd's (V8Thumper) GT Coupe, although I suspect that his car is sprung a bit stiff for a comfortable ride.
4. Longevity! I want springs that won't sag in a couple of years. (Maybe Fiberglass for the rear?)
5. Little or no racing (well maybe just one or two trips to the strip just for reference purposes )
6. I'm looking for that sometimes elusive "middle ground" of "The Best Of Both (ALL) Worlds". Not too stiff and not too mushy!
   

Any and all comments will be appreciated.
TIA
Gene (horseballz)

P.S. Does anyone here have or could tell me where to get the proper template for the Shelby drop on a 68?

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'68 coupe
289/3speed out getting ready for paint and new 5.0/T5
'85 F150 Beater
300/Overdrive Stick
Pre-dented&scratched
'02 Ranger 4x4 Edge
'02 Miata

[This message has been edited by horseballz (edited 01-11-2004).]

From what I'm told, 5 leaf spring rears are rough. Mine are only 4 leaf, although they were once under a car called Moneymaker and they've certainly got more rate than the 40 year old springs that I replaced them with. My front coils are STOCK replacement springs! Moog p/n 8088 with 1/3 coil cut off as it did sit rather high in front. My front end is light however, lots of aluminum. The '680#' springs I understand are quite rough, better suited for big block cars I imagine.

Polyurethane bushings will take any give out of the suspension components and stiffen up things significantly. Poly bushings + stock rate new springs + good shocks = sporty. Poly bushings + stiff springs + stiff shocks = loose teeth
I don't use any poly bushings, just the OEM neoprene stuff. My car isn't a corner cutter, although it does handle suprisingly well. I'm more interested in 60' times

LOTS of choices out there, Mustangs Plus has tons of suspension stuff. That'd be a great place to start looking and comparing

Thanks for the compliemnt

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1965 GT coupe, 333ci aluminum headed/solid cammed stroker, four speed, 3.70:1 9"

All Blue Oval, no blue bottle
http://mustangsandmore.50megs.com/V8Thumper.html

http://www.thecarsource.com/shelby/restore/lowering.html

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SCOOP

"It is the fight itself that keeps you young"

2.26 60'S
14.9 @ 90.86MPH

65 coupe,351w,C4,Big Boss 429 hood scoop,8" 3.40 TracLoc.

quote:

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Originally posted by Fastymz:
This is the best I've found for the,"template for the Shelby drop on a 68?"

http://www.thecarsource.com/shelby/restore/lowering.html
That looks like the template in the catalog!
Tony Branda performance has a template in their catalog.
Check this site for a template maybe?http://www.cobranda.com/

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67 Mustang F/B 302 GT-40X FMS Crate engine 5 spd cable clutch 13.39 on 205/70/14 BFG @104 mph Flowmasters X Pipe 4.11 9". Body shop NOW! 03 Focus ZX3 BORLA exhaust Wings West spoiler (Arrest ME RED)

P.S. And yes, I am a big tease, just ask my better half, Suzy

[This message has been edited by horseballz (edited 01-13-2004).]

[This message has been edited by horseballz (edited 01-13-2004).]

Note on cutting coils: IT DOSEN'T TAKE MUCH! Seriously, I practiced on an old set and cut off 1/2 coil to see what would happen... it slammed the nose loooooooow
I barely cut off 1/3 off the new coils, and it's perfect. I used an abrasive cut-off tool, DO NOT use a cutting torch as the heat will alter the springs' rate.

New springs will 'settle' some. If you have the means, you can compress the springs to coil bind and leave them compressed for a week prior to installation. THIS IS POTENTIALY DANGEROUS as the stored energy in those things can cause serious dammage if released suddenly. It's not like you can just stack some old phone books and barbell weights on top of them and let them sit in a corner of the garage

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1965 GT coupe, 333ci aluminum headed/solid cammed stroker, four speed, 3.70:1 9"

I have 4-1/2 leafs
550 coils up front with a little spacer
gas shocks
shelby drop

My website documents the front suspension changes (including the shelby drop)

And the car now handles GREAT. Its probably a little on the oversteer side (when its wet out), but I dont have the final sway bar package yet. It is firm. Probably at the upper limits for comfort.

The tires (which are on 16 inch rims) are 225 wide and thats about the widest you can fit comfortably. The rims are 16x8 with 4.5 inch backspacing. You could fit more on the back but then they would need more backspacing and wouldnt be the same as the front. a 15x7 rim with 225x60R15 tires should work so long as you have at least 4 inches of backspacing. Ask around though because I have not actually tried that combination.

New leaf springs will take a set over a year or two but you dont need to get glass springs. steel ones should last a good long while. Easily 15 years.