Scary stuff

[Bruce R]

Just got a 58 Thames, posted on “builds”, Got a stack of built pix with it and there were 10 pix of the Mustang 2 front suspension installation which I’m posting here. It’s the first 2 that really gives me pause cause it looks like they just chopped a crossmember out of a stang complete with a section of the unibody and spliced it into the Thames. Now I’ve never done one of these, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t done like that, so, I’m wide open for any thoughts,suggestions,or even snide remarks, is thi something that needs correcting ?

 

[eyesore]

For saftey's sake, that's going to require some attention! A little hard for me to see what's what but I think you could fix it easily. Do you have a welder?

Picture #2 is a little concerning! What are pictures 3,4, 5 and 6 of?

iSore

 

[Bruce R]

For saftey's sake, that's going to require some attention! A little hard for me to see what's what but I think you could fix it easily. Do you have a welder?

Picture #2 is a little concerning! What are pictures 3,4, 5 and 6 of?

iSore

They’re all of the same installation as it progressed, just from different angles and sides. The builder died in 2013, I bought it from his widow so the only info I have is a stack of receipts, photos, and the vehicle. And yes, I have a whole shop full of tools and equipment as well as a pretty well equipped machine shop.

 

[Bruce R]

Just to be clear, I did not take any of those photos, they came with the car.

 

[eyesore]

I looked at picture #1 a little better and it doesn't appear as scary as I thought it did in picture two! Does the welding look good where it attaches to the body? You might also check out the way Fatman does their stubs for ideas.

http://www.fatmanfab.com/

Fatman does good work & I've had several buddy's use their clips but man are they high!

iSore

 

[Bruce R]

It’s hard to tell about the welding, it’s been ground and painted, but you can see that the width of the stang subframe didn’t match the Thames, see the step ? Doesn’t the crossmember have to be at a certain angle in relation to the rest of the chassis to maintain the proper camber, or is it caster ? You know how a kingpin tilts back at the top ?

 

[kenny c]

That's caster. As far as the workmanship goes its hard to tell if has been ground and painted. If you grind off the paint and find porosity I wouldn't trust it. I may be inclined to clean it all up and plate it just for piece of mind.

 

[lowbudget50]

You are correct in thinking that is not how it is normally done. My guess is that the frame was not the right width so he stubbed the who front section on for ease of installation. That's how people do Camaro and nova front clip stubs.with some solid plating and bracing it would probably do just fine

 

[Bamamav]

I’d say that install was done before you could buy aftermarket crossmembers. As long as the caster angle is right and everything is welded good you shouldn’t have any problems. There are figures on the net you can measure the slope of the top hats to make sure it’s right. It may even be a better installation since it used factory parts.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Bama and kenny have it right.

Before the aftermarket kits came along, the only way to get a Mustang II suspension was to cut it out of donor and graft it into the recipient. The transplant can be good or bad, pretty good, pretty ugly, pretty ugly good, depends on the surgeon and his methods.

Ugly can be fixed, but if the orientation (geometry) is wrong, you're looking at a complete cut out.

Sift through a few pages of my thread, starting here...

http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36240&page=6

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[lowbudget50]

My 50 is a factory mustang suspension. But those trucks have the perfect frame width so you dont have to stub it like that. You can slide it right around the frame. It can be done cleanly, I think people just take the easybrode sometimes

 

[Bruce R]

Yeah, at least I got awhile to think about it, can’t get it into my garage just yet. The m-2 suspension was one of the selling points for me, but if I have to, I’ll put it on a modified mini truck chassis, that 2wd Chevy tracker I got is looking better and better.

 

[Old Iron]

MF, I have to say, that is the best job of using a factory Mustang ll that I have ever seen. Two thumbs up.

 

[sneakysnake]

The adjustments in the upper A arm should give you enough to align it unless they have the crossmember way out of whack.

 

[lowbudget50]

MF, I have to say, that is the best job of using a factory Mustang ll that I have ever seen. Two thumbs up.

Thanks! That was the very first setup we did. Then u modified it to use the Lincoln mark 5 air bags

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

What did you do with the strut rods, Mister Minter?

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[lowbudget50]

What did you do with the strut rods, Mister Minter?

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When I did that I modified them and put a heim joint on the end. That way they would Flex up and down with the airbags. Now I have to be there a arms on it

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Now I have to be there a arms on it

No offense... what does this mean in English?

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[lowbudget50]

No offense... what does this mean in English?

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What do you mean hahahaha, it is English. Just nothing that makes sence

It was supposed to say"now I have TUBULAR a arms on it now"