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You'll also need to do the modifications to adapt the R11 to work with the 37 cane shift as all of those were setup for column shift. Ross would be the in-country expert for that conversion as there is fabrication involved.

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Yes, I’m aware. In the end, I may end up bringing the R11 transmission and my car back to Allen as he has done the mods before. For now, it’s just getting the transmission for future use. My winter projects, body, paint, and upholstery are first….adding overdrive is at the end of the list.

Not much time on the car today, but I did get the shackles and shackle bolts cleaned up. That included pushing the old grease out of the bolts with new grease. I have one grease fitting that plugged solid. I’ll get new fittings from Harbor Freight tomorrow.

Replacing all the grease fittings is what I've done on both cars. Usually $15 will buy you a box that will do a couple of cars and you'll have nice, clean, unrusted, and unclogged fittings. Which pay for themselves in lack of frustration.

Also having one of those quick release grease gun tips that securely hold onto the fittings is a god send.

Leaf spring question....

I'll be taking my springs to Atlas Spring in Wichita on Tuesday to either be reburshed/re-arched or have new springs made. I know the weight and rate ratings from the parts list and obviously have dimensions from the old springs. That's where the question comes in...

In the parts list intro section, the springs (part number 317820) are listed with a length of 54 inches and 2 inches wide. My springs are in deed 2 inches wide and when measured on the car and loaded the length was right on 54 inches.

With the springs removed from the car the springs are 50 inches in length.

Does this all sound correct? Not knowing, I guess I would have assumed the stated length in the parts list was the length off the car, but this doesn't seem to be the case.

Just wanting to know for my own educational purposes.


EDIT: one more question....the parts list shows a "bolt gasket" (qty 8) for the shackle bolts. Does anyone know what these are? I'm assuming they were on my car, but if they were, they totally disintegrated over time.

Okay…I answered my own question on the leaf spring length. Did a little internet searching and the correct way to measure is following the curve of the spring. Doing that, I indeed get 54 inches. It was just coincidental that I also got 54 inches straight across when loaded on the car.

I do still have a question about the “bolt gaskets” for the shackle bolts. I see just a small remnant that appears to just be a thin cork “washer”. Does anyone know what material and thickness these are?