Re: lower

Posted by Bob J On 2023/9/22 8:01:40

On mine, having the larger 327 engine in it, the boys back in the 50's put in longer & heavier springs and heated the top coils to bring it back down to the correct ride height. You may be able to do the same somewhat, but the top A Arm is also the shock on mine, not sure about your model and the frame restricts too much lowering, so now the lowering would come from the bottom mostly and that really affects the steering linkage alignment too. Wonder if there is enough adjustment or if you will have to fab/modify the tie rods?
You may have to shorten the drive shaft too. Take careful measurements of before and after between the output shaft on the tranny and the differential bearing mount.
Smaller diameter tires would also lower, but they would look weird in the existing wheel openings.
Looks to me like a very ambitious project.
I think to start you remove the springs front and rear, block the frame to where you want the new ride height and do a forensic analysis at all corners to see what will be required to affect the change.
Access to a drive-on lift like they use in an alignment shop would allow you to get the car positioned as described above and also allow access underneath to enable full evaluation of the needed changes. It would give you too a sense of how much wheel travel you would have left to allow the car to navigate normal road changes.
You may find that an aftermarket air ride suspension will be the easiest to get your desired ride. "Bag it and Slam it!"
Bob J.