Drummer

I am just about days away from buying a 65 coupe. It's just the matter of a 2 hour drive and swapping keys. I have pix of the rear of the car and the rear shackles that hold the rear leaf springs on are freakin long. I hate when I look at the rear of a classic car and see those, it's just freakin ugly. Why would you do such a thing to begin with? I want the leaf springs tucked in behind the bumper where they belong not hanging 3 inches down from the bumper. Please enlighten me as to why you would do this.

oxfordbp

To raise the rear end for a "mean" look
To raise the rear end for larger tires
To raise the rear end...

Get it home, see if the tires will fit in the wheel wells and if they to take the shackles out!

Drummer

I think I would do air shocks before I had all this ugly garbage hanging from the back. It's been well over 25 years since I used em but might try it. Thanks.

oxfordbp

LOL...I agree, air shocks are at least less visible!

MonsterBilly

You really shouldn't use air shocks on a mustang. The week area where the top of the shock mounts will fatigue and fail. If you want to do it right, get a new leaf spring

sideshow_downs

On my 65 the PO put huge shackles on to compensate for the sagging leafs

Jonk67

Get it home, figure out if the fender lips will rub the tires on compression with a straight edge. If the fender lips will rub (on compression) when the car is lowered to correct height then the backspacing on the wheel is wrong (replace with correct bs wheels) or the tires are too huge (replace with correct).

The only proper fix for this is to remove the old worn out springs and replace with new. You have a choice of standard (~2"+ above tires), mideye (~level - 1"+ above tires) and reverse eye (tires are into the wheel well-dropped look). I used mideyes and stock shackles and my rear 15" tires are 1/2" from the tops of my tires to the fender lip but do not rub on compression. If you only need ~1/4" of clearance to stop the rub you can roll the fenders (gives ~1/2" more of clearance) but will need to heat the paint to try to keep it from cracking. I have rolled my fenders F/R but have not done paint yet.

Do not use air shocks, they will punch through the floor eventually, made this mistake on a '70 20yrs. ago. The mount is not designed to support the wt. of the car which is what airshocks will do, the metal will fatigue, then crack, then punch through. It's not easy getting under there to weld and you'd probably have to take the tank out too as I don't know anyone that wants to weld next to a gas tank...

Do it right the first time, the shackles were a PO fix to compensate for 40+yr. old shot springs.
Jon

2+2GT

It's a cheapskate repair for saggy springs. Extended shackles also allow the rear of the car to wiggle side to side. Not exactly great for ride or handling, they also throw off the pinion angle. Not good.

You can get new GT springs, complete with shackles, eye and U bolts for under $200. Which these days is about the same as a few fill-ups at the pump. If people can't afford new springs, they shouldn't be driving the car.

I agree with the air shock comments. Air or coilover shocks will ruin handling and destroy the crossmember.

ozarks06

Back in the day everyone wanted a mean looking rake, and tires sticking out of the wheel wells 2". So the cheap way to get that was longer shackles. The more expensive way was air shocks. At least the shackles don't destroy the shock mounts in the trunk.

I saw an 80s Camaro last week with that tire stuck out look. Your PO probably drove it that way in the 60s to 80s when it was all the rage.

Drummer

Just an update. Just 12 hours before we were supposed to meet and swap keys the guy backed out of the deal. I am so pissed! 20 plus emails and countless pictures later plus me ordering brand new high dollar window inserts for the Wrangler I was trading plus almost ordering new leaf springs. This was a 50th birthday present for my wife. I could scream!!!!