I would prefer to keep my front suspension instead of replacing with a Mustang II . Question how is the ride with the front leaf spring . Would it be advisable to at least modify The shocks to a gas shock. Concerned about Highway driving. I have leaf springs on the back 305 engine with TH400 trans Ford 9 inch if it makes a difference for weight, Changing spindles to Ford 4 ½ spacing . Thanks
I logged thousands of miles with both transverse and dual leaf spring front suspensions,they ride fine,forget the Mustang II,that's for street rods. HRP
Are those wheels in pic #3 what you will be running on the car, or just temporary 'rollers'? They seem to be waaaay offset from anything even close to original and would have a very adverse effect on geometry/scrub radius of the front end. Steering effort would be significantly increased and tendency to 'wander' on irregular surfaces would be noticeable. If just rollers, never mind! Ray
I'd say a great deal of how it rides to you is going to be based on what you are comparing it to. That means what your daily driver is. It won't ride as smooth as a 2010 full size Buick sedan but will beat the hell out most pre 2010 Jeep Cherokees for ride quality. Pulling the front spring out and doing the normal things to make a leaf spring work and ride smoothly helps a lot. Having the complete suspension front and rear in top shape and the alignment set so it actually drives right down the road also helps along with having the tires perfectly balanced. Hell, I've had six Cadillacs as daily drivers over the years and the latest one with it's 17 inch wheels and low profile tires is the roughest riding one of the bunch. you feel every tar strip and little pavement change, My 51 Merc with Camaro Subframe and 21-15-75 tires actually road smoother on the highway if a guy was just looking for a "smooth" ride.
yes just rollers will change over to 4/12 spindles and add disk brakes. I have 2 16 inch rims that should fit .
A buggy sprung car rides like a buggy sprung car you wither like it or you don't. Sometimes we throw a later model engine on our buggy sprung cars and they ride ruff or bouncy for two reasons, one is we don't have good quality shocks on them and the other is that our late model engine does not way as much as the boat anchor that we removed for the swap and then the spring is too stiff. Adjusting your spring rate is more then an option it is a requirement if you are serious about using your car, period. Gas shocks don't hurt but are certainly not a requirement. Tube shocks have been a hot rod upgrade for gawd knows how long. A lot of us still use friction shocks because we like the look of them but a tube shock is a good idea if you are upgrading your suspension. They don't have to be a gas shock and sometimes I think that a gas shock is just as wrong as too stiff a spring, it just depends on the gas shock used I guess. Now big question is your rod buggy sprung or does it have parallel leaf springs? Not much would change to what I have just said but I a going to feel dumb as wood if I am talking a cross leaf and it is not a cross leaf.
A carousel and a Ferris wheel have different effects but both go in a circle. Similar idea for Mustang2 & buggy sprung suspensions. Each gives you a different effect due to the mechanical aspect of them. M2 has coil springs, buggy is tranverse leaf, and the pivot points for an A-frame and ball joints is not the same as those for a buggy spring that rides on a solid axle. Shock location relative to the springs is also a factor, and the type of shock determines yet another element. My take on the question is do you want to experience what it was like 'before' a certain time in history, or do you want to own something that 'looks' like it? A German chocolate cake and a chocolate cake are far different eating experiences. Same deal, you make a choice relative to your preference in the experience you want, because ultimately one thing tastes a little different from the other. Some of us like a side of ice cream, too. That's what a perfectly functioning traditional ride is like.
Hard to tell from the pictures, but a lot of your stuff seems to be bent. The anti-sway bar looks bent. The right front radius rod looks bent. The drag link appears to be fitted incorrectly and looks bent. If everything is in good shape and to the correct dimensions it will drive fine. MII will seriously alter the nature of the vehicle from original or semi rodded to a street rod. definitely a retrograde step in my personal view. Mart.
It seems every part is loose and the shocks are missing some nuts holding the linkage togeather. I value the input. I have no history of this vehicle a Mix , I assume I can buy the parts . Lots of work ahead
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