I would like to raise the rear of my 67 about an inch. Has anyone removed the factory lowering blocks and if so, what was the effect on the ride and handling?
Are you talking about the wedges? You are going to want to keep those there for an ideal pinion angle.
Right the wedges are needed to maintain the proper pinion angle. You can easily have the rear springs re - arched to lower the rear of the car.
What is the best way to raise the rear about an inch? I would prefer to not put new leaf springs on. Can I buy a shackle kit that would raise it about an inch?
Shackle kits cause really bad handling and buckled rear springs. It’s easier and better to just have the existing leaf springs re - arched to achieve the ride height that is desired.
Royce is correct. I would suggest taking your springs to a spring shop to have them re arched. Most will do them for a reasonable cost.
Since the axle is mounted above the leaf springs its a little harder to raise vs lower with a block. Your not going to want to flip the axle mounting as that would lift it too far. Re arching the springs is the easiest and most likely the most cost efficient way to raise the ride height.
shackles are old school but work well for lifting the ride height. I just installed a set on mine to keep from having tire rub from my wide rear tires, future plans are to get new springs that have the lift built in but cost efficient wise, and super easy to install wise, this is the best solution. They look pretty tacky hanging down but my car is a work in progress and tacky is its middle name for now, so it works for the interim
Shackles ruin the leaf springs in short order. They will be bent backwards. I know, I did that when I was 16 on my first Cougar to clear the L60X15 tires. It probably took a couple thousand miles. You do dumb stuff when you are young and stupid.
The rate my car is going, ive only been 4 miles max before something else broke on it… so it’s going to take me years to accumulate a couple thousand miles.
A lot of us have been through that! Hang in there … when you get to the other side it will be all the sweeter…. And those “thousands of miles” will click over in short order.