I had posted on here earlier about my switching to Aerostar front coils on my 58 Courier. It has settled some in the last few weeks and now I am wondering if it is too low. The tires/wheels I intend to run are a little taller,,,1 1/2" front, 1" rear so that will change it a little. I still need to add fluids, hood, battery, gas, so that might change it a little also. I have been thinking about putting a spacer in the front to raise it an inch or so. It seems too low to me but I am so used to seeing it higher. The more I get used to it, maybe it's OK as is. Any opinions? Pics attached. OH...the exhaust is not hooked up,,,hence the stupid looking hanging tail pipes.
Everyone will have a different opinion on what is low or too low. For me I'm more concerned on how well it aligns and performs rather then how it looks. Pictures are deceiving but from the second picture it looks like way to much negative camber???
PS. Courier looks awesome
I have not had it aligned yet and it will be a while. But, the bottom a frame (control arms) appear to be pretty level. Somewhere, I remember reading that this is what you should want.
stance looks good to me. you got a lot of speed bumps around town?
I agree with Jim....."too low" is a driving/handling issue, not a visual thing. I know most of the guys that like them slammed are willing to sacrifice their ride quality, but I'm not one of them.
Visually, the car looks right to me as far as ride height, but I need to throw in a BIG heads up here......I was at the point you are now a little over a year ago except I had new tires on the car. I had the car aligned even though I knew changes were going to be needed quickly...(mine was too high in front.) Anyway, to shorten the story, later I put aerostars with spacers in, and it dropped it way too much, but I thought I'd drive it awile to see how it actually handled. I was pretty sure it wasn't going to work for me (it didn't), so I was trying to save the alignment costs.I drove it less than 100 miles when I blew a front (new) tire at 70 mph. I had worn the inside edges on those new tires down to steel cords on both tires! Weird because the steering and handling felt close to right during that time.
Anyway, don't drive too much before you get an alignment!! I was lucky...it only cost me two new tires and a tow.
Too low for my taste but if you like it and can get it to drive and ride to suit you its all good. Sure would like to have a '57 Ford like that.
I went up with my 57 rides and handles good
It's ok for it to sit low. Most will think it looks better that way. I would wait until you get the tires you will actually use before changing the springs. Just a slightly taller tire may put it where you like.
Seems I always have to change the height of a build when changing wheels to get the right look.
If it still seems a little low, you can stick a spacer under the spring and that might go up another inch, and compensate for the extra weight your going to add.
Alignment should not be too much of an issue. I always try to add as much caster as possible to the alignment and use modern alignment specs, since we know use radial tires. Our cars do have an issue with not being able to add much caster where the upper control arm mount is, as they were into effortless steering with bias ply tires, not high speed stability.
If you at pretty low, it helps to trim some off the lower control arm bumpers. Making it about half height gives more travel.
I make a habit of rolling the front fender lips flat during the body work stage on most cars now. You just never know what wheel tire and height combo you may do in the future as trends change.
Quote from: ragtop on 2017-03-14 14:50
I went up with my 57 rides and handles good
Wow,,,that 57 is NICE. I found that yesterday somewhere doing a google search and really admiring it. Nice job.
My Aerostar springs set my car too close to the bump stops so I added spacers. I will go to dropped spindles and stock springs at some point. "Too low" is a function issue for me.
Like others have stated, it looks good visually. Can't be too low for me in that respect. As long as it is drivable, and you aren't scraping bottom you will probably be a happy camper. Looks really good to me.
If they were meant to be up in the air they would have wings!:<)
I have them in my 55CV. Dropped the front 3 1/2". Personally, I like it low, and yours looks way kool!! 👍
if it don't bottom out....drive it.Looks great.