Daily Driver Raunch Wagon

[hiball3985]

I tried to note the difference but it was very hard to tell. I think I posted a side by side picture somewhere on the forum but I don't know for sure. Measuring any difference was outside my tool/skill box...

Thanks Lynn, I was hoping if anyone had the skill it would have been you. I didn't have a stock spindle to compare to. I wonder if anyone has ever compared the two?.

[gasman826]

I compared OEM spindle with Granada spindle but only for spindle difference.  I mounted an extra lower control arm with each spindle to find Granada lowered the vehicle height by an inch.  I did no other measurements. 

While I was messing with spindles, I had a set of big Ford Lincoln Mercury 12" rotors.  The big rotors fit the spindles as well as the caliper supports making for OEM 12" brakes.  I did not complete the conversion because I was pleased with the Granada disc setup.

[djfordmanjack]

I would think that a spindle difference wouldn't affect caster. caster is all about location of ball joints and they are affixed to the A arms/trailing arms. so all that affects caster is moving upper A arms in 57 Fords, as Gary stated before.
camber is a different thing with built in inclination angle.

[rmk57]

Thanks Lynn, I was hoping if anyone had the skill it would have been you. I didn't have a stock spindle to compare to. I wonder if anyone has ever compared the two?.

I can take pics of a stock spindle beside a 70 Torino spindle if anyone's interested. Iv'e got 1969 Torino/ Mustang spindles in mine and I don't notice any difference in handling, stopping, bump steer from the originals. Maybe i'm more tolerant of ill handling cars to start with. 

[hiball3985]

I can take pics of a stock spindle beside a 70 Torino spindle if anyone's interested. Iv'e got 1969 Torino/ Mustang spindles in mine and I don't notice any difference in handling, stopping, bump steer from the originals. Maybe i'm more tolerant of ill handling cars to start with. 

Thank you for the offer but a picture wouldn't really help, any difference would be small and hard to measure..

[rmk57]

Only noticeable thing I could see is the spindle pin on the Torino sits about 3/4 to 1 inch higher which would lower your car the same amount and the lower ball joint
on the Torino is smaller.

[gasman826]

just love new glass....

new transmission cooler...

'64 steering column...

[gasman826]

winged goddess of speed

[gasman826]

Winter upgrade list:  weld leaking oil pan, better fitting headers, new alternator, re-torque heads, adjust valves, replace valve covers, install hydraulic brake booster, change gear ratio to 3.89, add TractionLoc, rear disc brake conversion, traction bars....

[gasman826]

PICs:

building a 9"

preping rusty Explorer rear disc brakes

shop upgrade:  finally moved and setup media blast cabinet and dust collector

[gasman826]

Explorer rear disc brakes installed.  New 3.89 gears and rebuilt TractionLok installed.

[RICH MUISE]

All looking good Gary. Things sure go fast when ya know what you're doin'!

[KYBlueOval]

Explorer rear disc brakes installed.  New 3.89 gears and rebuilt TractionLok installed.

Gary,very nice indeed. I'm using the same Explorer rear brakes on my Ranchero and I'd like you to confirm a couple of things........the photo is the Passenger side, and the the parking brake cable exits the backing plate at the TOP of the plate. Is that correct?
Thanks
John

[KYBlueOval]

Gary, I've answered my own questions when I saw the other photos you posted on the Explorer Rear brake set up on another post.
Thanks.

[gasman826]

My shorty, stainless headers got changed out for:  Hedman 88658 Elite Ultra-Duty HTC Coated Shorty Headers.  These fit very well.  The stainless headers were heavily modified to make them fit.  They over heated the steering box and a couple of the plugs were a pain to get started.  The Hedmans fit closer to the block and have more steering box clearance.  I wanted ceramic coating for heat and didn't want to coat the stainless ones.  Anyway, the Hedman headers use the same real estate as the transmission shift rod.  So I just finished a shift equalizer linkage (PIC).  Works great and will isolate the transmission from the steering column (at rough idle, the shift lever at the top of the steering column would rattle). 
Also finished up the Traction Master knockoffs (PIC).