Front-end rebuild

Royce · June 23, 2022, 3:30pm

I’ve been using these - they pivot freely on the shaft and make it much easier to install the coil.

https://secure.cougarpartscatalog.com/store/p/14036-Coil-Spring-Perch-Performance-Each-Repro-1967-1973-Mercury-Cougar-/-1967-1973-Ford-Mustang.html?sessionthemeid=26

Elimivertible · June 23, 2022, 4:41pm

Thanks, I think those are the Scott Drake ones I am leaning toward?

C4DZ-3388-HP?

Elimivertible · June 23, 2022, 4:44pm

Ok wow they do make that much difference over say the Scott Drake ones?

mr_580 · June 23, 2022, 6:48pm

Have the Opentracker roller spring perch’s and am happy with how they have been in my 68. I feel they make a difference.

Midlife · June 24, 2022, 2:07am

Almost everything is better than Scott Drake parts. Ugh.

Czechmate68 · June 24, 2022, 5:09am

I just finished my whole front end and the steering too this last month. I too hot the Mook upper and lower control arms as they come with new ball joints so just pushed all the old. You will want the new spring perches too that articulate as they are so much better. I got new springs as I wanted the front lower by one inch. WCCC has a free loaner spring compressor I borrowed and worked well. That helped to make a scary job easy.
The tirods I only ended up replacing the inners as the outters were fine. I cleaned up all the rust, and repainted everything black while I was doing it. I
Just put new rubber bushings on the study rods and made new “eyes” the whole the go through out of a piece of sink pipe as they are usually rusted out. The rods should be fine. I have lots of photos I haven’t posted yet but can if you want to see what I did.
I am like you having never done this but studied a lot of videos. I have no air tools, didn’t need them. Only basic power tools. Didn’t really use them. Mostly need some good big wrenches. I used PB Blaster penetrating oil before trying to crack any 50 year old nuts. Works fast and well.
I just used floor jack stands. It was probably the most daunting project yet but very satisfying to complete by myself! I took my time doing a little every day then hit on the weekend. I figure I spent two weeks doing that way working around my regular job schedule.

Then I tackled the power steering but that is a whole another project!

Nice, I will pick up some PB if itworks better than seafoam/wd 40. Luckily this car has very little rust anywhere so that should help I hope. What perches did you go with?

I’m thinking of replacing the entire power steering system while Im in there, any tips you can offer there?

Good that you don’t have rust issues but these old bolts can still be hard to crack sometimes and the PB blaster will help with a squirt and a few min make the difference.
I got the perches from WCCC and really like them. They will be better than the old ones for sure.

With my power steering, I wanted to keep it all stock so my goal wasn’t to rip and replace but overhaul it. I got new hoses, the RAM repair kit, and the rebuild kit for the power steering control valve and took that puppy apart and put in all new washers etc. It was a great learning experience and there are a couple good videos on how to do it. Mine worked fine but was just tired and leaky. If you don’t want to get that deep, you can send it out to get done but I didn’t want to spend that money with all the other new parts I was buying. Front end and steering refresh was about $2K all in.
I took lots of photos as the hoses get a little hard to remember what goes where. But like me, you might as well while you are under there for all the suspension work tackle that too.

Appreciate your advice.

Elimivertible · June 24, 2022, 4:00pm

[/quote]
Almost everything is better than Scott Drake parts. Ugh.
[/quote]

Oh, I have some SD stuff I have been very happy with and those in particular have great reviews on Summit etc.

Do you know what brand the WCCC ones are? They don’t indicate but they do sell a fair bit of Scott Drake stuff.

69XR7Ragtop · June 24, 2022, 8:16pm

First, absolutely beautiful ‘70!!!
Second, ditto on the roller perches, they do make a difference and also the 1” lowering springs from WCCC. Those springs are shorter than the originals, but stiffer and they really tightened up the sway in my front end when I installed them recently.

Al_Bundy · June 24, 2022, 8:19pm

This is something I wish WCCC would add to their site. It sometimes makes the decision to purchase a lot easier.

Elimivertible · June 24, 2022, 11:34pm

Thank you, it’s far from perfect but it’ss mine and I love driving it.

Guess I am going to have to pony up for the roller perches, man they are spendy though. Wasn’t going to do the coils because these ones seem to be the right height but maybe I should idk, getting expensive!

Czechmate68 · June 25, 2022, 5:07am

Ditto on the car. Yup, I went through the same thing but happy I did the roller perches and 1" lowering springs. And yes it adds up quickly. But, you are going to be knee deep in this so why not do it now.
I forgot to mention on my power steering refresh, I also pulled out the steering box to make sure it looked ok. The test is when you get it opened up and see if you have good grease in there or rusty crap.
Mine was good so just cleaned it up and put it back in since I wasn’t having any problems with it.
But you have to note where the Pittman arm is so when you go back to reinstall it your steering wheel is centered. Also change out the rag joint while you are there as those get old and can add extra play in your steering easily.