Hot Rods Wanting to lower my Packard

I recently bought a '50 Packard. It's a pretty decent car, but it's sitting too high for my tastes and I'd like to lower it about 3" front and rear. I'm planning on blocks in the rear , but I'm wondering if the Aerostar coils everyone seems to like to use will work in the front. Any thoughts? I could always cut the coils, but that seems to mess up the ride. Gotta do it on the cheap as I'm retired.
hanks, Tom

 

If memory serves it is a king pin front suspension, easiest way to lower one without totally screwing up your steering geometry is to reverse your uprights. Most of those old heaps lost about 3-4" when that was done.

 

Never heard of doing that. How is it done?
Thanks, Tom

 

I'm pretty sure king pin inclination is built into those. Seems if you reverse them , the inclination will be backwards.? Also the caster may be built in.
Any lowering you do will affect the geometry and have to be reset ( aligned)
Shorter springs with the same weight spec would probably be the best route.
A spring catalog with specs may be good reading.

 

You swap sides with them most of the time. On some of them the king pin is a two piece and you move the bottom piece to the top is it like a sleeve spacer. very old hot rod trick, most won't use it because it is majic.

 

If you swap the uprights you have to bend them or your wheels will be cockeyed. This is why they make new lowered uprights. Not sure they are available for Packard but they cost $300 - $350 a set.

Easy way is to cut the coils or get shorter springs,what's the diff, it's going to louse up your ride either way. The lower you go the lousier the ride and the more often it scrapes.
2" is about as far as you want to go in regular use.

Another way is to lower the spring plate on the lower control arm. Some cars, and I think Packard is one of them, made a 2 piece control arm with the spring mounting plate rivetted on. You can cut the rivets, make a spacer and put it back an inch lower. This lowers the car at least 2 inches because of the leverage.

 

looks like Fatman Fabrications might have what you need

 

try calling ESPO for shortened springs with the correct spring rate.
http://www.springsnthings.com/catalog.htm

 

Hey Tom-
I've got one too! Looking to do about the same with mine, lowering the back with 2" blocks, air bags in front, hopefully disc brake conversion in the front and going to a Cadillac 472 w/ turbo 400 trans.

 

If the springcup in the lower arms are riveted you can take it loose and shims it to desired height.