Pic Request and question

[ras50gt]

Looking for pictures of 65-68 mustangs with raised rear ends? I saw a 66 coupe today with the rear raised up/front lowered and the stance looked mean as hell.

Also, on my 67 coupe.... I noticed I have blocks between the axle and leaf springs, is that how someone tried to raise the rear? I think the leaf springs are original but anyways, is that what the blocks are for? And If I wanted more of a raised rear like the 66 I saw, what leaf springs do I get? Thanks

Please post any pictures!

 

[jlangholzj]

air shocks m'boy, air shocks!

ahhh, you are correct mean as hell!!! sorry i don't have any recent pictures, but the easiest way to do this isn't through the leaf springs. I got a set of monroe air shocks, (actually they were a gift from dad) but they aren't that spendy. all you have to do is take out the old shock absorbers and put the new ones in their place and run the air lines; wich is really easy. i think it took us about 3 hrs. maybe not even that to do it. looks 100 % better

another route would be to make a pair of brackets to lower the rear of you leaf springs. HOWEVER they then stick out below the bumber and i dont think it looks as good, but if your tight on cash, this is the way to go. see the attachment fo this.

 

[351carlo]

Blocks that go between the leaf spring and the axle can either lower or raise the rear end. If the axle is above the leaf spring, a block will lower the suspension. If the axle is below the leaf spring, a block will raise the suspension.

The best method to raising the rear end is by obtaining the proper leaf springs. More than likely your leaf springs are old and sagging, and by removing the blocks and obtaining the proper springs the car will gain some height in the back.

Air shocks are not recommended. Shocks are not meant to support the vehicle, they are meant to absorb the bounces from the road, hence their name. If you gain any height in the back end through the use of air shocks, you are putting a force on their mounting points that is not meant to be there. With a full frame car, or a truck this is alright, since they mount to a sturdy point on the frame. With a mustang however, they mount to the floor of the trunk, which is just a piece of sheetmetal. This was not meant to bear a load, nor should it be expected to.

In short, air shocks are not an answer. I don't care who's uncle or cousin has been running them for 40 years, they are not meant to take weight off the springs. There is a reason the spring mounts are so heavy and shock mounts are a cantilevered piece of metal, one is meant to take a constant load, one is not.

 

[p0prcksandc0ke]

i have airshock in the back so i can raise or lower the back end when ever im at the gas station.

 

[ras50gt]

Here is how mine is set up: from top to bottom: axle, leaf spring, a grey block, then the plate where the bottom of the shock attaches to. The block must have been added, but what is it doing? Here is a link to some pictures, you can sorta see it in the picture called "1967-23"

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/ras50gt


Also, I've been thinking about selling her but am having second thoughts. She does start(prob use a rebuild or a 351w would be nice), some tranny work(i think something is wrong with the linkage), and of course paint. But what do you guys think? I aslo have a 93 GT that I want to start working on so thought I would sell the 67. How much do you think I could get for the 67 coupe? Its a 289-auto(numbers matching),odometer reads 69,xxx, 65B code-luxury,interior is in decent shape for being 40 years old, pretty much all original except the american racing wheels.

 

[p0prcksandc0ke]

dont sell it!!

 

[ras50gt]

dont sell it!!

Any reasons why??!! lol....


Anyone- You know why those blocks are like that? Would it look good raised in the back?


jlangholzj - where can I find those brackets(shackles?) to lower the rear of you leaf springs?

 

[suki243]

just a fair warning, i've seen cars with those spring lowerers or w.e. and they are an eye sore, maybe if you paint em black,, but either way they stick out considerably

 

[ron67fb]

Those blocks are not in the right spot.

 

[jlangholzj]

as most would tell you, they are an eye sore. as far as i know, most guys just made em out of somethin like 1/8-1/4 inch sheet metal. or some 1/4 ince strip metal. i'm sure you could find some that are already made and fitted, but whats the fun in that ??? im sure you wouldn't have a hard time finding some 1/4 inch strip metal at your local metal shop. happy pounding!

 

[351carlo]

This would get a lot better replies if it were in tech.

Anywho, those blocks are not in the right spot. It goes, from top to bottom, Axle->Spring-> plate->nuts. The blocks get installed between the axle and the spring.

The only reason you would want to put the block there is if you have some sort of lowering spring and still want the travel on the shock to be appropriate, but this is not the way to achieve that.

Shackles are the rice of yesteryear. They're not terrible, but they're not the right way of doing things.

Just like air shocks.

Direction quote from http://www.cardomain.com/ride/736467/3

Do not use any kind of shocks that support the weight of the car, such as air shocks. I have removed cracked floor-pan/shock-mount assemblies from the backs of Cougars and Mustangs (welding and fabrication required) which required finding a donor car to cut a new one out of for a replacement. The factory shock mounts, both in the body and on the springs, were never designed to carry a load, they are only supposed to dampen the load carried by the springs. Load carrying shocks transfer the cars weight off of the wide stance of the leaf springs and instead support this weight on the narrow spacing of the shock mounts. This destabilizes the handling of the car. It also has a negative effect on braking induces wheel hop, since the springs need to be loaded to operate normally.

 

[Az Pete]

Our '66 with the lift provided by leaf springs with a 5 inch over recurve. Got them from JC Whitney. I really get a lot of comments. I like it as it was "in the day". lol

 

[Z06killinSBF]

Yea, those blocks are doing nothing but lengthening the shock travel.