Justin

Any tips on how I could raise the back of my red Mustang? I think it sits too low at the back

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...RedMustang.jpg

Knight

air shocks.

hp246

Justin,
I have a 67 Fairlane convertible. (Basically a Mustang with a bigger square body). I had the same problem. The first thing I tried was a new set of shocks. Absolutley no help. I ended up ordering and installing new springs all around.

The front coils I left up to a a shop, I did the rear leafs myself. About a 3 hour job on my garage floor with hand tools. I think I have about $600 in to the spring all the way around, including the money spent to have the front coils done professionally (I didn't have the tools to properly compress the springs to get em in and didn't want to lose my head over it).

Air shocks are just a bandaid.

Now if you aren't concerned about a stock look, you could buy a kit and bag the car all the way around too.

Good luck

tricksixtyfive

Nice stang, take the time and money to do the job right. redo the rear springs

Rapture

Hi-Jackers

kjacobson351

My 68 had the same problem. your picture will not load on my computer so I don't know what year it is. but I bought a set of springs for a 1970 convertible (much heavier car). I did my research and found out that they mount exactly the same. so now It sits a little higher and is much more stiff. and it only cost me about $90 from mustangs unlimitted.

1973Mach1

I just took air shocks off my 73 Mach 1. It sits low but handles much better than with the air shocks. I have parts for rear leaf replacement just need to figure out how to get all the frozen bolts off without pulling car off jack stands. While your at it replace sway bar rubber parts.
Andy...

Cheese302

if you havent chaged the springs yet, that is def. the trick. if you realy want get springs from a big block and that should help a little more. Changed the springs on my dads 1966, did wonders

word of the wise, get all new hardware and new shackles, it'll make it easier in the end, you can just cut the old stuff out with a sawz-all.

Cheese302

sorry double post

1973Mach1

Sawz-all will work for everything except with the bolts in the front that go through the frame.

Cheese302

i used a saxzall for those bolts as well, you have to cut through the bushing as well, and it'll get messy. but it works

hp246

I used the old fire wrench, just have to be careful around the gas tank. By the way, if you are going to do the rear, do the fronts at the same time. I did the rear on my Fairlane first, then did the front later. Wish I had done everything at once. It the 35 year old rears are bad, so are the 35 year old fronts.

1973Mach1

Isn't it always this way While your in there might as well replace. Insert project name, wallet and more time than you have here. Heck for the back I am going to have to go get a sawz-all. Just finished building the garage, work benches and getting a compressor. For the front I agree with earlier post. Let someone with the right tools mess with compressing springs. Now all I have to do is find a mechanic that is local, not expensive and trust worthy. Ha. A few years ago I had some work done to a 66 Mustang and when I got it back it had a 176 more miles on it than when I left it and smelled like cigars.
Happy Holidays
Andy...

Cheese302

i did the front springs on my dads 66 mustang convertible. not too bad, just have to be careful.

hp246

Wow Andy, I didn't think I was giving such bad advice. I've been through it. Ya gotta remember, you're talking about a springs that have been hauling that weight around about 25 years longer than Ford designed them for. If you are gonna break down and do the job, might as well do it right rather than do it half a**ed. It really isn't that expensive a job. And, if you have the right tools, the fronts aren't that bad. I watched the shop do it. They used the fire wrench to first heat and take the temper out of the front springs. then they cut them into pieces, and just pulled em out. They had a spring compressor, which they compressed the front coils, locked em down and put a safety chain around em. Once the safety chain went around em, they popped em in place using a wrecking bar. Removed the chain and locks, and springs were installed. Tookk them about and hour start to finish. About 8 hours work if I had tried doing it myself.

1973Mach1

Not bad advice at all. I appreciate it. I will get it all done some time this winter. I will have to get a sawz-all to do the rear myself. This will have to wait until after holidays. Can not afford more tools and holiday gifts at same time. Just finished building garage, buying copressor and air tools. I already have all the rear parts and attempted this once. Ended up just taking the air shocks off because everything else has been painted and is frozen in place. For fronts I would like to find a shop that is local to Maryland zip 20794 and wants to work on older cars. DC Metro Maryland area is large full of cars and I have yet to find a mechanic that has time for this kind of stuff. I really do not think it would be worth what I would save and risk to do the fronts myself. Would have to buy tools I would most likely not use again. I have a regular shop that does things for us on our daily cars. He is ok but expensive, always at least 45 dollars in shop and disposal fees alone. He also does not really want to mess with older cars.
Happy Holidays
Andy...

kjacobson351

my old springs in the front were easy to remove but I bought some SUPER stiff 1'' drop springs for the front that we could not compress so what we did (which I don't exactly think is OSHA approaved) is remove the top hooks on the spring compressor and weld an eye bolt on to it. then we bolted a come-along to where your export braced bolt on to and just start cranking. (its not for the faint of heart)