Front suspension ideas

Gentlemen I'm new to the site and I have a 466 in a 69 mach I. Front end is stock and I'm not sure what spring is installed. Then front end sits faily low and I wanted to know if anyone has any ideas of how to lift the front end a few inches. The header flange is scraping quite a bit.

order big block springs

Couple different quick fixes, new big block springs or a 1 inch coil isolator.
Justin

thanks guys I think I will try the big block springs I tried the spacer and when I got the car in the air, I sasw that it already had 2 spacers installed. So I will start with Big block springs and go from there.

I know somebody that has a set of 67 mustang gt 390 springs

I ordered some performance BBF springs and when I took out the old springs about 3 coils were cut. So these should help quite a bit.

got the new springs installed and now the car is sitting really high in the front. Back to the drawing board on this one.

if you are going to drive this thing on the streets I would lower the upper A arms to the shelby position and you will be thanking me for this, It drives like a dream when you do this....

Yes, I have been seeing this mod everywhere, I think this weekend I'm going to go ahead and pull the springs out again and make it happen. The above pic is with the old springs but it started sitting at that level after having the suspension hang for about a week or more. Usually it is sitting lower. Right now the front end is sitting up and it reminds me of a GASSER. It needs to come down about 3-4 inches. I will go home tonight and take a picture and post it. I am in question if I installed the springs upside down too. Is the flat side suppose to be on the top or bottom? I put the flat side at the bottom, but it is making sense to me to reverse it. I don't think that would have an impact on the height though. Thinking I may need to cut the new spring.......

don't cut the springs untill after you lower the A arms, it will bring it down a little....

They shelby drop will only lower the front end about a 1/4" maybe 1/2" max. If you go with a lighter front spring, it will drop the front atleast 2 1/2".
What is the intended purpose of this car?
Justin

the car will be street driven on nice weekends mostly, and local auto shows. It will see the drag strip occassionally. Did some measurements from the ground to the lip of the well and the rear is 26" off the ground and the front is 28 1/4.

blu69MachI wrote:Yes, I have been seeing this mod everywhere, I think this weekend I'm going to go ahead and pull the springs out again and make it happen. The above pic is with the old springs but it started sitting at that level after having the suspension hang for about a week or more. Usually it is sitting lower. Right now the front end is sitting up and it reminds me of a GASSER. It needs to come down about 3-4 inches. I will go home tonight and take a picture and post it. I am in question if I installed the springs upside down too. Is the flat side suppose to be on the top or bottom? I put the flat side at the bottom, but it is making sense to me to reverse it. I don't think that would have an impact on the height though. Thinking I may need to cut the new spring.......

The flat side of the spring goes on top, if you reversed it, you've got big problems, assuming you have stock suspension.
Look at the spring perch that sits on the upper control arm and you will see it has a spring locator tab. Rotate the spring until it is tight up against it.
You need to drive the car for quite a bit before the springs settle, don't just put them in let it down, bounce it up and down and think that's where it's going to sit, it needs to be driven for it to settle, sometimes it takes a few days even. A lot of aftermarket springs are too tall, I had to cut my springs a half a coil.
Post a pic of the spring in the car if you're unsure, but I bet it's in correctly, it'd be tough to put it in upsidedown.

It's tough to see see but in the upper right hand corner of the right hand spring perch, you can see a tab that locates the spring.
The end of the nonflat side goes up against that tab.
http://www.opentrackerracingproducts.com/rollerperch/

Thank for the response, well I put the springs in so I KNOW they are in WRONG lol. And I thank you for clarifying that up for me because I was a little confused until I got one in and realize how much a fight it was to line up the top. I know the tab you speak of too, This weekend I will have at it again and do it correctly. I bought springs from CJPony "SCOTT DRAKE COIL SPRING PROGRESSIVE RATE PAIR BIG BLOCK 1967-1970" and now the front sits 2" higher than the rear. With the old cut springs I think I measured it at around 24 inches and the old cut spring is extremly shorter than this new spring. I figure I will probaly cut a 1/2 coil off because the car sits way to high in the front. then install the spring correctly and see what I get. Here is a pic as of this evening, sorry for the crappy quality. I really appreciate the input.

And

sounds like you have a good plan.i'd say you'll end up with a coil off them.the best way i found to deal with springs on these cars is drop a chain down the top with the shock out and use half of a spring conpressor to hook the spring then use a engine hoist to compress it,unbolt the a-arm and let it down.worked good for me,and fast too.nice looken car too!

Some of your problem with scraping the headers is probably the design of the engine swap headers if that is what your using. When I did a 460 swap into a 69 Mustang years ago I finally had to make my own Tri-Y headers for ground clearance. With a toploader it is somewhat easier to tuck the header collectors up beside the trans, with a C6 they will hang down, just no room in there. I wound up lowering the front of the car quite a bit with the Tri-Y headers, that helped the handling and no more scraping manhole covers off the street.

Like mentioned above, the "Shelby" upper inner A-arm drop is a must do.

blu69MachI wrote:Thank for the response, well I put the springs in so I KNOW they are in WRONG lol. And I thank you for clarifying that up for me because I was a little confused until I got one in and realize how much a fight it was to line up the top. I know the tab you speak of too, This weekend I will have at it again and do it correctly. I bought springs from CJPony "SCOTT DRAKE COIL SPRING PROGRESSIVE RATE PAIR BIG BLOCK 1967-1970" and now the front sits 2" higher than the rear. With the old cut springs I think I measured it at around 24 inches and the old cut spring is extremly shorter than this new spring. I figure I will probaly cut a 1/2 coil off because the car sits way to high in the front. then install the spring correctly and see what I get. Here is a pic as of this evening, sorry for the crappy quality. I really appreciate the input.

And

Wow, those are expensive springs! I don't think you will like them for drag racing, and if you cut them they will be stiffer yet.
I used NPD #5310-9, it is listed for a 68 mustang 390 coupe, at, with ac. They are less than $80.
I cut 1/2 a coil off.
specs are 286 lb/in, 1899 lb load, 10.5 load height
They are the same spring diameter as my 69 428 mach1 with ac
I have Crites long tube headers and 3.5" minimum ground clearance.

I also want to add that I would be leery of thinking that the car with the springs upside down would be sitting at the same height as with the springs seated correctly. If anything I would think with the springs upside down that it would sit higher. You might want to think about putting them in correctly before cutting them.

I also have the crites headers, I'm going to install the springs correctly and see how it looks. This the first time I've played with suspension and I think I got too excited to fast. Maybe I need to get a different style spring? Something geared toward dragracing since it will see limited street, just some cruising now and then . I'll do some research to see if there is a better suited spring and maybe get a drop spring? then I can avoid cutting these and try to sell them.

FWIW... I run common Moroso Trick drag springs up front for a BB '69 Mustang in my '69 Mach 1. I had to cut 1.5 coils off to get the stance right. I snuck up on it 1/2 coil at a time. Yours looks to set a slight bit lower than mine with the big tires, so you might want to do 2 coils if you decide on them.

They seem to work well on my small tire/Caltrac car. I also run Caltrac 90/10's and roller spring perches.

Thanks for that input, I was looking at those too. The info you gave gives me something to think about.

like was stated do not just put them on then cut them they WILL settle after a little time......

4thHorseman wrote:FWIW... I run common Moroso Trick drag springs up front for a BB '69 Mustang in my '69 Mach 1. I had to cut 1.5 coils off to get the stance right. I snuck up on it 1/2 coil at a time. Yours looks to set a slight bit lower than mine with the big tires, so you might want to do 2 coils if you decide on them.

They seem to work well on my small tire/Caltrac car. I also run Caltrac 90/10's and roller spring perches.

X2 on the roller spring perches, only way to go.
Also forgot to mentiion I do have the 1" upper control arm drop.