New found enthusiasm

[markiemyster]

After seeing several CAC members awesome cars at Carlisle I came back with a new commitment to take my 65 to the next level.
I purchased my coupe in 2000 and made many changes to make it a good driver but after seeing so many great cars I feel rejuvinated to make some needed changes I've been putting off.
I purchased a set of longer bolts for the rear VBP fiberglass spring that was in the car when I purchased it. The car never sat like it should. I'm hoping the longer bolts will drop the rear about 1 1/2".

My question is: (finally!!) I crawled under the car after work today and looked the situation over and was wondering how you hold the spring in place while you take the short bolt out and put the longer bolts in? It doesn't look like a jack is the answer but I might be wrong. Any input from someone who has done this would be appreciated.

Thanks, Mark

 

[JohnZ]

Just use a floor jack (with a pad on it so it doesn't nick the spring) positioned near the outboard end of the spring, and use a C-clamp just inboard of the jack pad so the jack doesn't slip inboard. Jack up the spring until the load is off the bolt, remove it, and replace with the new one.

 

[Tom Bryant]

I know what you mean Mark. These shows really make you want to make improvements. I'm thinking of taking the '59 to the next level too. Uh...running.

Tom

 

[IH2LOSE]

After seeing several CAC members awesome cars at Carlisle I came back with a new commitment to take my 65 to the next level.
I purchased my coupe in 2000 and made many changes to make it a good driver but after seeing so many great cars I feel rejuvinated to make some needed changes I've been putting off.
I purchased a set of longer bolts for the rear VBP fiberglass spring that was in the car when I purchased it. The car never sat like it should. I'm hoping the longer bolts will drop the rear about 1 1/2".

My question is: (finally!!) I crawled under the car after work today and looked the situation over and was wondering how you hold the spring in place while you take the short bolt out and put the longer bolts in? It doesn't look like a jack is the answer but I might be wrong. Any input from someone who has done this would be appreciated.

Thanks, Mark

Mark pleasure meeting you.

And yes nothing gets you more motivevated then a show like this.

As I was parousing the NCRS cars it realey got me motivevated to get my butt in gear on the 66 to ready it for flight judging. 2003 carlilse I had picked up some parts to prepair the car and had was delayed because of a knee surgery,buy the time I was recovered I had switched gears and was in full planning stage for the 62. So I have to finish the 62 100% and put that behind me.then I will go full swing back into the 66. I am almost afriad to set a date but the 2006 old town show may be the place to have it judged (did I just set a date?)

 

[allcoupedup]

Use a chain or some kind of safety device while you have the spring compressed or bent so you don't kill yourself. Also, I'd leave the front wheels on.. with jack stands only at the back too points. With jackstands on all 4 corners, midyears are very nose heavy. I forget what I was doing but I once had the back end come up a little while working under the car - NOT A GOOD FEELING. Since you will be appling upward pressure in the back - make sure the car cannot tip forward.

brian

 

[stepinwolf]

Just use a floor jack (with a pad on it so it doesn't nick the spring) positioned near the outboard end of the spring, and use a C-clamp just inboard of the jack pad so the jack doesn't slip inboard. Jack up the spring until the load is off the bolt, remove it, and replace with the new one.

As usual JohnZ is right on with his ( hi John, it's Bob ) solutions. However, in the past it has happened that because of the supporting points, some cars actually tilted slightly forward while trying to lift and compress the spring. The solution is to chain the car to the jack, by doing the following.

Take a short 4" piece of old heater hose, and slit it length wise. Then wrap it around the strut rod, near the outer end. Then take a 24" piece of chain, and tie the strut rod to the jack, by wrapping it around the split hose ( so as not to mar the surface ) and the front axle of the floor jack. This way, as you jack up the end of the spring, the lifting process, actually pulls the rest of the car towards the ground. Sounds kind of strange, but works perfectly.

It is also the ONLY way to compress the spring by lifting, when working on a bare chassis, because of the reduced weight.

Stepinwolf

 

[markiemyster]

I know my next Project #$%^

Thanks guys for your tips, especialy Stepinwolf for the chain idea. It worked like a charm and the whole process took about an hour start to finish.

The car sits alot better now. I took the car for a test run to see how it felt and so it would settle into the new ride hieght and it seems fine. The new hieght is about 1 1/4" lower which closes the gap in the rear wheel wells nicely.

While I was taking my test run the power steering started squeeling. Of coarse I was a good 10 miles from home. I checked and I was out of fluid. I knew I had a slight leak but nothing that was a concern as long as I checked it once in awhile.
I babied it home. As I pulled in the driveway I realised that when I had the rear end jacked up with the front end on the ground it must have poured out of somewhere because there was a big puddle that I didn't see in my haste to test drive the car.
Well I know what this weeks project is. I'm sure I'll be back for some more great advise.

Thanks again, Mark