What front springs do you run? My car was originally a 350 car but had a 400 in it when I got it. I ASSUME it still has 350 springs. I've got the front end apart at the moment and I'm contemplating what springs to put back, the 350 springs or Moroso. Application: '72 all steel car, 455, most likely aluminum heads, no air, no p/s, aluminum radiator. Driveability: 60% strip, 40% street. What do you think?
The 47160's are the springs that I was considering. I definately like the stance that I've seen on a couple of GS's with them. Is there any clearance issue, if so what header brand gives the best clearance? When reassembling the front end, is it beneficial to tighten the lower arm bolts while the front is still in the air or with all the weight on the ground? The reason I ask is that I noticed that when tightened with the lower arms down, the lower arms want to push up when weight is on the front end. Not by much, but my thinking was this could help somewhat during launch. Or, would this possibly separate the rubber bushing from the shells when the weight is on the front end?
Okay, got the Moroso springs, but I don't remember what side goes up. Flat side or round side? Also, neither end fits snuggly in the upper seat. There's a good bit of play. Is this normal?
I figured out that the flat side goes up. I see that the end of the coil goes within 1/4"of the slot in the lower control arm. Problem is, when I put the spring in the upper seat it's cocked outward and won't fit in the lower control arm. It's almost outside of the lower ball joint. Am I doing this right? o No:
My brother and I just completely rebuilt the front end on our 69 race car and installed the same springs. I am assuming you have the proper coil spring compressor. We did ours with no engine in the car so when we put the jack under the lower control arm we were a bit short when the car began lifting off the jackstands. We grabbed a rachting tie down (the same one we used to put the cars on the trailer) and wraped it around both control arms and finished pulling them together. It is a little tricky and not to mention dangerous.
The coil spring compressor that I'm using attaches to the frame. It has a long bolt that passes thru the shock hole and connects to forks that draw the spring up into the upper seat. The thing that concerns me is that even when I just hold the spring in the upper seat the bottom sticks out beyond the lower control arm seat(the bottom of the spring sticks out towards the wheel). Also, does it matter if there's slack between the first coil(top) and the tabs that center the spring in the upper seat?
Has anyone tried the QA1 front coil-over conversion. o No: I have been eyeballin' that kit for some time now. :Brow: Not very cheap, but looks like a nice setup. :TU:
Reynold, I think you need to use the type of spring compressor that just goes up through the middle of the spring itself. Once it is compressed as far as you can go then the lower arm should come up enough to get the lower ball joint attached. At least thats what I did, with those springs.
I got one side done. I'm waiting for some paint to dry before I do the other side. The compressor I'm using is a long bolt that goes thru the shock hole in the frame and goes thru the middle of the spring to the set of coil hooks. It took awhile, but I got the right side in. It took some "persuading" but it's in. I installed travel limiters, but the left side wasn't seating flush I welded the hole up and drilled again about 1/2" further back. I glued a thick rubber pad onto the frame where the limiters will hit. Soon as the paint dries I'll do the left side.
