Technical Thoughts on lowering the front of my 59.

I've been looking for some polished stainless skirts for a few years. I'd like to lower the front by 2-3 inches.

I'm thinking just bandsaw the front coils and leave the rear leafs as they are....

Or am I ruining my own ride?

 

As you must know, cutting will tend to stiffen. But ,that being said, these are kind of a float boat. Probably could use some stiffening. dont take 3 " out. maybe a coil. then try it.

 

Check with Fatman. They may have dropped spindles for the stock suspension. That is the best way to go.

 

Damn, Ryan doesn't charge extra to hit the FULL IMAGE button so us old farts can see the photo without a magnifying glass.

In other news It just flat would look better to me if you brought the front down so sat level. The tail dragger look is great on round body cars but I'm not a fan on square body cars.

 

i say make it a hopper ! ok , just drop it a few !

 

This.

I'm really thinking I'll just cut the springs. I would have done it when I rebuilt the front, but I hadn't ever driven it then.

It rides so soft, a couple of inches wouldnt even make a difference. I'll have to realign it though.

 

On my Studebaker I cut about 1 1/2 coils off and it lowered it about two inches.....granted, that's not a Ford or a Ford Spring. Your results may vary

 

I just did my sons 59 Edsel and just swapped in Moog CC851 springs. It went down right at 2” and the springs are actually progressive so the first bit is soft, but then they stiffen up as they compress. I found the application to be for the rear of a 90ish Thunderbird and the spring rate is basically the same as the original 59 springs. They are just shorter. Here is a pic of stock springs, Aerostar springs (shortest) which I hear lower these too much and the ones I used (mid-length in pic). Also attached a pic of how the Edsel sits now for reference. Your Ford should be basically the same. The rear has 2” blocks on this car, but it is actually slightly nose down with the 2” drop in front. I measured a 1/2” difference in the height of the bottom of the front fender vs. the rocker right in front of the rear wheel for reference (so around 1/2” lower in the front).

 

Eaton Spring Co. or Posie's might have lowering front springs for it.

 

Cut a coil and a half in the front and a 2" block in the rear of my 57..

 

I took 1 coil from my OG springs, I could have gone another 1/2. I calculated the new spring rate as 495 lbs/inch. The OG springs were around 415 and it does ride nice. I have a fat sway bar up front that really helped the ride.

 

This is one of the things which I like so much about this place! Real world stuff!

I'm going to look into the Moog CC851 at the local auto parts store.

 

If they don't carry that brand, they can be looked up by application which appears to be 89-91 Thunderbird or Cougar rear. I wasn't the one that found these, that was someone else in the 52-59 Ford social group. But, they seemed to work well. Good luck.

 

Finally getting the time to do this. I'm going to cut 1.5" off which puts it at about a coil and a half.

I figure if I don't like the ride or I screw something up I'll just buy the Moog springs locally.

Also got the Addco sway bar which should be a huge improvement over the pathetically small stock 5/8" bar.

 

Cool! Looking forward to how it looks when you get it back on the ground.

 

I used the Moog springs on my '59 w/ 2 1/2" blocks in the rear. It would be lower, but I went to 15" wheels and tires that are about an inch taller than 14's. It did work out very well. The car handles very well, takes the windy country roads very well...... Better than it should, Ha! Like was said before, they are a progressive spring, you can actually feel it in the corner.

 

I'm git'n old, so I don't remember the correct year, but I used Ford Windstar front springs on my '58 Fairlane 2-dr Hdtp. It brought the front down by a couple inches, and maintained the proper ride. They also maintain the variable rate which makes the handling nice.

 

Slam it

 

Mmmmm, I'd love to slam it for sure! Out roads here in the arctic zone of the US wouldn't be kind. I've got some frame rash on it now, but man I want it lower.

 

I've been driving my 59 for 22 years. I have VW tires on the front and I dont want the car to sit any lower

 

Apparently MOOG is no longer making the CC851 springs. Everywhere I've checked lists them but they are NLA. I went to Eaton Detroit but the spring pair is very pricey, considering that if the CC851s were available they are $70 a pair locally. Napa and Advance Auto both said they aren't available any longer.

I'm trying to figure out what the specs are for the origional spring so I can look up what would work. I'm still toying with the idea of cutting my origionals, but the progressive aftermarket springs seem like the way to go for lowering this boat.

 

Did you just look up the CC851 by application? I think I remember them being a rear spring for a early 90’s Thunderbird.

 

Yes 89-91 T-bird rear. Not available, but the front springs are...

Update, I was able to order them directly from Moog on their website. PayPal and free shipping. I'm going to save my uncut origionals in case....well I have no idea.

 

Another update....I was just refunded the Moog CC851 spring. Apparently they are not made anymore. None of the auto parts stores have any in any of their warehouses either.

I just went through the 13 page thread about the Areostar CC850 springs.

I know @bobss396 said the CC850 made his 59 too low. What are you running for an engine? I have a 352.

It looks like the older Fords do very well with the Areostar CC850 but the 59s may be too heavy, and I think the front suspension was redesigned in 59 which would have different geometry.

I'm really considering getting the CC850 and possibly adding lift blocks if it is too low.....

I really have no idea now. Just want to put my front back together.

 

I wouldn’t be afraid to run the CC850’s with some thicker rubber isolators. I actually still have a 1” thick set I believe that I never took back to the store. They should raise it about 2” so you have some room to deal with being too low. My sons 59 Edsel never bottoms out at all even with no bumpers in it right now with the 851’s. Not terrible to try it once the ball joints are broke loose that first time.

 

It looks like either the CC850 Aerostar springs and the Eaton Detroit lowering springs are my only options.

 

Did you try Rock Auto for those rear T bird springs? It seems like they have a bunch of odd ball stuff maybe they get from warehouses closing up, etc..... might be worth a try.

 

careful on the cut. Them babies ain't lightweight and after the cut it will settle a little. Ex: at 3200 lbs, i cut one coil (and a fraction) -2" down after the settle. Initially i was going to do 1 1/2 coils. My bud did that on his, same car, and he can snowplow with his bumper.