"Reckless Abandon" is getting the winter body and paint work done. Im thinking of dropping the front with a set of aerostar coils like I have in different cars in the past. I've used them with great success on a 57 ranchero w/ 302, 57 ranchwagon w/ 390, a 57 fairlane w/ 460. 2 50 fords, one with a flatty, one with a 302. Each have been a pleasure to drive after the install. Comments from the hood? Should I? Will i be happy with the ride, with the 371 be too heavy? Anyone actually have experience doing the swap in an olds and not just a belly button?
I can't answer your question, and I don't mean to redirect your thread, but I'm curious, why not just cut a coil or 2 from the stock springs? That would drop the ride height while also increasing the spring rate, which is kind of what you want, isn't it?
^^^ what he said,,I tried the 'star coils on my '53 DeSoto hemi' 2 door, it was too heavy. I'd guess the same with the Olds'. I cut one coil on the stock springs, a one inch shortening, that gave a two inch drop at the fender edge due to suspension geometry, works fine.
BIG car like that.....just trim a coil or two. IIRC, in high school a friend had one and we cut 2. It sat great!!
My kid has a '60 (white also). I looked under & noticed that the lower A arms have the riveted on lower plate. Knock the rivets out, put 2" square tubing between it & the arm (drill holes to line up with the rivet holes, of course) & bolt it back together. Quick & easy way to lower without changing the spring rate.
It is astounding that so many people think "Aerostar" springs are like "Magic Beans" or some such. The fact that they are "reported" to work well in several applications certainly does not mean they do in fact, or will work well in ALL applications. It is simple physics, spring rate, leverage, weight of vehicle front end are all part of an equation. Any significant variation in one or more of the factors, one vehicle to the next, yields a different result. Ray
Like I've said , I have use are star coils in 50 fords, 50 mercs and 3, 57 fords. I checked out the weight difference between the v8 57 ford Fairlane 500 and the olds. At about 700 more I agree it's too heavy. Bagging isn't an option so Im thinking of clipping the coils and going with a set of lowering block.
You wouldn't have a picture of your sons car would you? I'm liking this idea the more I think about it. I'd sure like to see his cars stance.
Instead of immediately selecting a particular dimesion of square tube, just drill the rivets out and replace them with bolts about 3" long and 'lower' it via the bolts to see how much drop at the 'A' arm gives you at the wheel opening or rocker panel. Then you know for sure what dimension tube you need to insert in between the spring plate and 'A' arm. Ray
We haven't lowered his - YET. But, Hnstray has a good suggestion. I used this method on my '49 Merc. Bought a kit from Butch's Cool Stuff. Could have made it myself for a fraction on the cost. Just watch the scrub line, 'cause if you go too radical, you could have a problem if you blow a tire.
You're right. I'm not after a weed wonder, just a little lower. I think 2 inches would do it well. not big on air bags but that's just me.
I had the Aerostars in my '59 Ford, looked great but the tires scraped the front fenders. I put the stock springs in with 1 coil removed. So far so good and may go another 1/2 coil one of these days.