Daily Driver Raunch Wagon

[Ecode70D]

Gary, YouTube for those of us that don't face book?  See, I'm stuck in the 60s with this tech stuff.  I don't text, tweet, or twerk....looking good!

     Me too.

[hiball3985]

     Me too.

Me three.

[gasman826]

easier said than done...quite the learning curve

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjclNecO72g

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=k3BWHhTEpQI

[Jeff Norwell]

Looking good Gary!...vids worked well on U-Boob.

[Ford Blue blood]

Thanks so much Gary......

[gasman826]

Alignment day!!!

[hiball3985]

Good for you! I can't even get close to that caster with these damn Granada spindles 

[RICH MUISE]

If I remember correctly, Jim, my alignment guy was able to get mine to just over 2 (also Granada spindles),which should have increased a tad when I dropped the back end.
Nice job,Gary. At first I was confusing your '57's....thought this was the sedan. Guess I needed to pay more attention to the thread title and the sheen on the paint, lol.

[gasman826]

I have no proof but I think Granada 'style' spindles differ from model to model.  The Granada spindles on the Custom had similar alignment limitations as the spindles on the Wagon.  The Custom spindles were from a Granada and the Wagon spindles were from a '71 Ranchero.  I modified the Custom frame to make more header clearance, add anti-dive geometry, add caster adjustment and camber adjustment.  The Wagon alignment was barely satisfactory.  This past winter, the Wagon front end was completely dismantled looking for wear, damage and installing power steering.  I also installed custom upper control arms.  The AOD upgrade required a three gear selection shifter so I installed '64 Galaxie idler arm, drag link, valve, cylinder, pitman arm, steering box, column, and steering wheel.  I didn't take a picture of the camber.  I adjusted left camber to -1/8 and right -1/4.  The 1/8 difference is for road crown.  I also added an Addco sway bar.  Looking forward to the next drive.  The AOD was not as I wanted it so it is down for adjustments.  Next drive not soon enough...its summer!

[hiball3985]

If I remember correctly, Jim, my alignment guy was able to get mine to just over 2 (also Granada spindles),which should have increased a tad when I dropped the back end.
Nice job,Gary. At first I was confusing your '57's....thought this was the sedan. Guess I needed to pay more attention to the thread title and the sheen on the paint, lol.

If I remember correctly Lynn had the same issue as mine. I think he was going to go back to the stock spindles and a disc kit. My spindles were already on the car when I got it so I can't say for sure what year/model and just going by what the last owner told me, he just said they were Granada but he had the work done at a shop, he's no mechanic and not much car knowledge to speak of.

[gasman826]

It's just a little thing but something everyone can do.  When installing upper control arm bushings, press the rear bushing flange flush.  Most aftermarket upper control arm bushings do NOT have the bumps/stops.  Press the front bushing to correct control arm shaft end play.  Even if the replacement bushings have the bumps/detents, continue to press pass them.  The entire upper control arm will be moved 1/4" +/- toward the rear of the vehicle yielding more positive caster.  A very little yield but very little effort to get a little more positive caster.  The newer upper control arms (with screw-in type bushings) have been substituted with the shaft adjusted as far forward as possible to get more positive caster.

[lalessi1]

If I remember correctly Lynn had the same issue as mine. I think he was going to go back to the stock spindles and a disc kit. My spindles were already on the car when I got it so I can't say for sure what year/model and just going by what the last owner told me, he just said they were Granada but he had the work done at a shop, he's no mechanic and not much car knowledge to speak of.

You are correct sir, I ditched the spindle/disc set up from a Gran Torino (as best as I could determine) for stock spindles and a Wilwood kit. I managed to eek out 3 degrees of caster with 59 control arms.

http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=6439.0

[hiball3985]

You are correct sir, I ditched the spindle/disc set up from a Gran Torino (as best as I could determine) for stock spindles and a Wilwood kit. I managed to eek out 3 degrees of caster with 59 control arms.

http://57fordsforever.com/smf/index.php?topic=6439.0

Lynn, I wish I had thought about it at the time when you made the change but I would have liked to know what the difference was of the included angle,  stock vs the Torino vs Granada?

[robhaerr]

Very cool!

Just sent you a friend request on the Facebook.

Rob Haerr

[lalessi1]

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...

Rob, if that friend request was for me, I have a "page" at the direction of a former employer but I have never used it and I don't even know how to access it.