I have a 67 coupe, I have rebuilt the entire suspension with stock components and 1" lowering springs. I want this car to handle to the best of its abilities without going to extremes. I plan on doing new sway bars (front and rear) and if the shelby drop helps as much as I have read that it does, would consider it. Also if there are any other "cost effective" tricks to better handling, then I would appreciate any info.
Shelby drop worth doing?
- Thread starter robbz28
- Start date
horseballz
10 Year Member
robbz28,
Roller spring perches combined with a critically accurate alignment using specs for modern tires will make a HUGE improvement. And yes, the Shelby drop makes a big difference, but is much less forgiving of inaccurate (inconsistency from side to side of the car) alignment. Many alignment shops insist on using the specs "in the book" and a fairly wide tolerance range, from this number to that number. The width of tire/wheel combo, as well as offset, can have some effect on alignment requirements. In my opinion, the best for offset is stock, meaning putting the mounting point of wheel to hub being the same percentage from the outer edge of the wheel as a stock rim. This is most friendly to wheel bearings, etc. All that having been said, this setup:
Disc Brake, Steering and Suspension Products for classic Chevy and Ford cars and trucks
looks to be one of the coolest/best bang for the $$$ upgrade for Mustang front suspension/steering/alignment control. Click on the pic of the "Standard Kit" for a better view. I'll try to find the thread, posted by one of our members, that shows pics of his install. Seems like a pretty easy install that could be done in a day, or at least a weekend. The kit with the upper arms also would be even cooler, but you stated that you've already replaced with stock stuff and it seems you could put off the uppers until your stock ones are whooped. Roller spring perches are still a MUST! If you can weld and are good with shop tools (drill press, etc) roller perches are pretty cheap & easy.
My $.02, or maybe $.03 or $.04,
Gene
Roller spring perches combined with a critically accurate alignment using specs for modern tires will make a HUGE improvement. And yes, the Shelby drop makes a big difference, but is much less forgiving of inaccurate (inconsistency from side to side of the car) alignment. Many alignment shops insist on using the specs "in the book" and a fairly wide tolerance range, from this number to that number. The width of tire/wheel combo, as well as offset, can have some effect on alignment requirements. In my opinion, the best for offset is stock, meaning putting the mounting point of wheel to hub being the same percentage from the outer edge of the wheel as a stock rim. This is most friendly to wheel bearings, etc. All that having been said, this setup:
Disc Brake, Steering and Suspension Products for classic Chevy and Ford cars and trucks
looks to be one of the coolest/best bang for the $$$ upgrade for Mustang front suspension/steering/alignment control. Click on the pic of the "Standard Kit" for a better view. I'll try to find the thread, posted by one of our members, that shows pics of his install. Seems like a pretty easy install that could be done in a day, or at least a weekend. The kit with the upper arms also would be even cooler, but you stated that you've already replaced with stock stuff and it seems you could put off the uppers until your stock ones are whooped. Roller spring perches are still a MUST! If you can weld and are good with shop tools (drill press, etc) roller perches are pretty cheap & easy.
My $.02, or maybe $.03 or $.04,
Gene
JonK
Member
I have the same focus as you and wanted to stay improved stock w/o doing coilovers, etc., etc. Read these articles which explain the drop and other worthwhile improvements:
DazeCars, Shelby Drop, Klaus Arning drop, upper control arm drop, Falcon, Mustang, Cougar 60-70
DazeCars, Suspension 101
The Shelby/Arning 1" drop will put your tires flatter to the ground but it must be aligned to the shelby specs in the article or it will drive worse obviously. Your cars original tires were bias ply which need different settings than steel belted we have now.
Jon
Oh Yeah, GEAUX TIGERS!
DazeCars, Shelby Drop, Klaus Arning drop, upper control arm drop, Falcon, Mustang, Cougar 60-70
DazeCars, Suspension 101
The Shelby/Arning 1" drop will put your tires flatter to the ground but it must be aligned to the shelby specs in the article or it will drive worse obviously. Your cars original tires were bias ply which need different settings than steel belted we have now.
Jon
Oh Yeah, GEAUX TIGERS!
That DazeCars article is the one I was reading about last night....I do have a really good alignment shop here in town, they will do what you want, real old school shop with the same guys in there for the past 30 years, they know how to align the classics, not some punk behind a computer. Gene, I will be sure and give that all a good look, I have only recently found the desire to have a car that goes good around curves (I drag raced for the past 14 years) and am burned out on it. We got lots of windy country roads that I think the car would be a ball in once I get the t5 installed and the suspension dialed in.
rusty428cj
10 Year Member
I would check with John at Opentracker I have his front end on my Mustang & 67 Fairlane and also did the Shelby drop on both.
Opentracker Racing Products
Opentracker Racing Products
Thanks for the replies, just the kind of stuff I'm looking for, I love that opentracker has DIY kits...i have a press, welder, any tool at my disposal and am a jack of all trades, master of none when it comes to this stuff, but I feel confident I can achieve my goals with my DIY budget.
The drop is the single most effective modification you can do, and if you are planning a wheel alignment, it's basically free. If the shop insists on using "the book" for alignment, make sure they use the Shelby "page".
Here's more on the drop:
Arning/Shelby Suspension Drop
Here's more on the drop:
Arning/Shelby Suspension Drop
Hwyman
Member
Everything I read says the Shelby drop will lower your front about 1/2". I did the drop the same time I changed to 1" lowering springs, so I can't tell exactly how much effect it had, but with both done the front is lower. I don't find it to be too low, and my wheels clear the lip. I have 14" wheels which gives me a little more room in the wheel well, but makes the overall car closer to the ground than if you were running larger wheels. This picture is how it sits after the changes.
65fastbackresto
Active Member
Plus 2 on Opentracker
I used his plate and his specs for alignment, car drives pretty good.
I also have 1 inch lowering springs, had to roll the fenders, no big deal.
I had to argue with the alignment guy to get him to do it my way though, he was pretty pissed at me cause it took about 4 hours to get it right.
First thing I would do if you haven`t already is find someone who can do these old style alignments, you can`t get this done right very many places any more.
I used his plate and his specs for alignment, car drives pretty good.
I also have 1 inch lowering springs, had to roll the fenders, no big deal.
I had to argue with the alignment guy to get him to do it my way though, he was pretty pissed at me cause it took about 4 hours to get it right.
First thing I would do if you haven`t already is find someone who can do these old style alignments, you can`t get this done right very many places any more.
Thanks Hwyman....thats a very nice stance. Even with my lowering springs I definately have enough room to lose another half an inch (I was actually considering cutting my coil) but I think this is definately the way to go since I need an alignment anyway.
I have a place that will do the alignment any way I want....provided they dont die anytime soon, lol...they some old guys, but really good at what they do.
I have a place that will do the alignment any way I want....provided they dont die anytime soon, lol...they some old guys, but really good at what they do.
horseballz
10 Year Member
robbz28,
If you have a level spot to work, this, or one like it, is worth every penny:
Longacre Racing Products 78260 - Longacre Caster Camber Gauges - Overview - SummitRacing.com
After you do 2 alignments, it will have paid for itself and you set your specs the way YOU want them and tweak/play with different amounts of caster to suit your preferences without needing to pay for each change. Only downside is if you can't access your spindle cap & nut with your cool wheels on, you either need to put on some stock steel wheels/tires or fashion a large steel washer to fasten on your wheels in place of your wheel center cap. Heck, if you cover the shipping both ways, I'd be more than happy to lend you my unit. Once you use it though, you'll see why you need to own one.
HTH,
Gene
If you have a level spot to work, this, or one like it, is worth every penny:
Longacre Racing Products 78260 - Longacre Caster Camber Gauges - Overview - SummitRacing.com
After you do 2 alignments, it will have paid for itself and you set your specs the way YOU want them and tweak/play with different amounts of caster to suit your preferences without needing to pay for each change. Only downside is if you can't access your spindle cap & nut with your cool wheels on, you either need to put on some stock steel wheels/tires or fashion a large steel washer to fasten on your wheels in place of your wheel center cap. Heck, if you cover the shipping both ways, I'd be more than happy to lend you my unit. Once you use it though, you'll see why you need to own one.
HTH,
Gene
horseballz
10 Year Member
robbz28,
I just looked at your garage pic and if that wheel in the pic is what you're still using, just remove the center caps, the grease caps and "plunk" the magnet/gauge onto the hubs.
HTH,
Gene
I just looked at your garage pic and if that wheel in the pic is what you're still using, just remove the center caps, the grease caps and "plunk" the magnet/gauge onto the hubs.
HTH,
Gene
Here is how the care sits right now, I took this pic before I took it to the body shop (hopefully it will have a shiny new black paint job next week....finally) anyway, would welcome an additional 1/2 drop...going ahead and getting the body man to roll my fender lips before he sprays the car....just in case. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbz28/5428017723/" title="body1 by robbz28, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5137/5428017723_11de456734.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="body1"></a>
65fastbackresto
Active Member
One thing about it made me happy as heck.
With the shelby drop and 1 inch lowering springs, you dont even need a spring compressor to put them in, they just fall in place.
With the shelby drop and 1 inch lowering springs, you dont even need a spring compressor to put them in, they just fall in place.
Nope. 1/2"-5/8" is typical. And if it clears now, it'll clear after, or you'd be slamming the lip every time you hit a big bump.
Well I think I'm sold...if I can find a thread on building roller perches that would be great. Shelby drop, plus roller perches, plus new sway bars and reinfocing my LCA's and adding a monte carlo bar and subframe connectors...about 400 bucks worth of product and my own labor = world of difference...i hope. Throw a new TCP rack and pinion in on that and then were really talkin! I went back and forth over the borgeson vs. rack and IMO the less moving parts the better, so...now i just need some money...taking donations, anyone, anyone? Bueller?
