Rear leaf/shock mounts and V8 driveline

[Luva65wagon]

If you have a pair of Falcon rear leaf/shock mount supports (large or small size, doesn't matter -- I'll make them work) and at least the end off of a larger drive-line, with the 3.25" yoke instead of the puny 6-cyl yoke, I could use one of these too to make a new driveline for the 8" rear end I'm installing.

Thanks!

[InkedForLife]

Roger,
I have 2 pair rear leaf/shock mounts, 1 off a 65 I6 Ranchero and the other off a 65 V8 Ranchero. If I make it to the meeting Wed. I will bring them, if not we can figure something else out.

Troy

[Luva65wagon]

Troy,

If you bring both sets, I can tell which might work best. They may be the same unless the V8 Ranchero had a 8" rear as well.

I measured the spring width on mine tonight and they're 2" wide, so I think the cars had only 1.5" wide leafs. Just a guess, of course, but I swear the two I delivered to Ralph on Saturday were not as wide as mine are. Maybe they went wider on the later-model wagons and Ranchero's. I'll bet both of these you have will be the same width as mine and each other. The u-bolt holes are probably different though.

I'll bring a u-bolt with me to the meeting in case you make it. Otherwise I'll work out something and have you mail them to me at my expense or something.

[InkedForLife]

Roger,
I will not be able to make it to the meeting tonite, too much to get done and not enough time. I am willing to send the shock mounts your way, however, they did not fit my 8" rearend either. I ended up getting a set of mounts from a 67 or 68 mustang. The problem I had wasn't the width of the springs (the springs on my 65 are 2"), but the width of the axle housing. Not sure if there is enough room to redrill the holes to fit the wider housing, but like I said, I will send them up to you if you want them.

Troy

[62 Comet]

Roger,
The springs you brought me are 2 inches wide. I have a pair of Mustang spring plates but Mustangs have 2.5 inch springs. If you can post dimensions you need I will check.I will send them to you if they are what you need.
Thanks again, Ralph

[Luva65wagon]

My springs are 2" and I'm told the 67 Mustang ones work, but they're not just lying around for the taking either. So I'm thinking to just make something work.

Ralph, I wonder if the ones you have whether people just "accept" that the extra 1/4" width on each side of the spring is acceptable? I would think they might rotate somehow, though maybe not with the u-bolts. I could add some side shims, I suppose.

I was thinking anything that is for 2" wide leafs, even if for even the small axle housing, since I can slice them in-half (width-wise) and lengthen them the amount needed to accept the u-bolt. I don't exactly want to have to quarter them and make them wider in two directions.

Troy, I understand it's not exactly a hop, skip, and a jump, from Portland to Seattle, so not to worry. If you want to send what you have in the mail and let me know what the postage was, and anything else you might want for them I'll send that to you by mail on the flip-side. Ralph, same with you, if you can send the one's you have too and I can look at them along with what Troy has and use what's best. :D I'll mail you something in return as well (though I think I still owe you a case of something -- but I just barely caught the ferry that night as it was. I didn't forget).

If that works for you guys, check for a PM with my mailing address.

[pbrown]

Ralph, I wonder if the ones you have whether people just "accept" that the extra 1/4" width on each side of the spring is acceptable? I would think they might rotate somehow, though maybe not with the u-bolts. I could add some side shims, I suppose.


It's not a problem. I have the large tube plates - which are ALL for 2.5" springs and they fit and work just fine. Kenny also has them. Anyone with a straight tube 8" axle in a 60-63 Falcon has the 2.5" plates.

Are you sure you have 2" springs? I thought all the 64-65 Falcons had 2.5" springs.

[Luva65wagon]

You are right Patrick. Your post forced me under the car to actually measure my springs (my micrometer eyeballs need adjusting, I guess) and they are 2.5" springs. So I need 2.5" width lower supports. Troy, you said that's what you had, right?

[pbrown]

AFAIK there were no straight tube axles available on cars with 2" springs. The 63.5 V8 Falcons had a 8" plus 2" springs but they were the tapered tube style. Look for Maverick or Mustang plates. I'm sure there are others.

[Luva65wagon]

OK, to clarify, I have straight axle tubes (2 7/8" tube diameter) on the 8" and I have 2.5" wide springs. So, if anyone has 2.5" width lower supports -- even with a tapered tube axle housing (whatever size that is) -- I can make those work with some welding magic.

I have one from the Maverick I got that is right, but they are obviously mounted with one shock forward and one shock back on the 72 Maverick. Falcons have both shocks forward, so the lower supports are mirror image parts. The ones I got from the Maverick are identical looking (almost).

[InkedForLife]

Roger,
Sorry about taking so long to get back to you. I have been on a wheel hunt for the past 2 days. But yes, I do have the 2.5" springs and I will get the mounts in the mail to you first thing Sat morning.

Troy