Lower my car more?

Ok, I've been told OVER AND OVER again that I should lower my car more. I'd personally love to, but the whole process scares me a little. With a mustang II I think my only options at this point are dropped spindles. So help me GOD, don't say airbags!!!

I already have 4 inch blocks (custom fab, not stacked) and I'd still like it to be lower. I NEED to get the driveshaft balanced and I figure that since it'd be out of the car anyway, now would be the time to change any of that. Should I just take it to a spring shop and tell them to give me lower, beefier springs? I'm assuming they're stockers, but at this point, I can only say they're old. I've never had them off the car!

I'm riding on bump stops now, with a Nova rearend, and I couldn't tell you what shape my shocks are in. Really, I'm just looking for opinions and options right now. I know you're probably stick of it by now, but I'll put up some pics. What would YOU do? Thanks, fellas!

 

Side view please - if you are driving the wheels off of it , leave it alone.

 

"Compromised"

I think you have the height just right. My god in ohio you can't drag the pavement.
Handsome pose there!

 

if you got lowering springs and droped spindles it gets pretty low
how much front cross member clearance you got??
mein dozes gravel on rough roads
i mid load all the tools and luggage in the back seat and leave the trunk empty to keep it off the bump stops, that really helps the ride

 

Don't have a side view pic with the blocks, just the ugly rake it used to have. Car's 16 miles or so from my home and I'm about an hour away from that at work. Guess I'll have to get some measurements this weekend!

 

Drop the rear a wee bit more but leave the front alone. Nice car man.

 

Adding too much block will result in "scrub line" problems where the rear U-bolts or shock mounts will hit the pavement. Makes for an interesting experience if you get a flat tire.

 

Okay, you've been told this over and over. By a lot of guys, I'm assuming. All of those guys (and every member of the HAMB except one) have one thing in common- the car doesn't have to please them.

What are YOU happy with? If you like it the way it is, then go with it. If you'd enjoy it more lowered (or raised) do that.

But if you spend time and money on something for the car that doesn't please YOU- how smart is that? Obviously, acceptance and approval from your peers means something, but exactly what is that worth to you? Only you know that answer.

And if you want my semi-worthless opinion- I think the stance is pretty good as it is.

 

X2 fbama73, I would leave the stance alone and put your money into new shocks and getting the car off the bump stops. There are plenty of cars that look bitchin but don't drive worth a shit, don't make yours one of them, you have a great lookin car, work on the driveability. My .02 cents.

 

Yeah... no shit. If it doesn't handle well on the road it doesn't matter how it looks, because you won't be driving it very much anyway.

 

If you dont want airbag theres no way you can lower it more and still being able to enjoy it.
W/ current set up i suspect that the front crossmember is about 3 to 4 inches from the ground, les than that and you can run into self destruction problems , if you see what i mean.

Why not bags? or a proper vintage hydraulic set up? is it a money issue?

EDIT: i just realized you drive on bump stops.....you do realize that aint supposed to be the way? even static drops if extreme need chassis Cing or stepping.
Do it properly.

 

1. It looks really good where it is. Lower will just make it look heavier and/or broken
2. If you're already riding on the bump stops, STOP! At this point you'd be looking at cutting up the frame and the floor pan in order to go further. That's major surgery. Are you willing and able to put that much time, work, and money into your car just to make it look like something broke?

 

I'd raise it up an inch and drive it. But I never did get into the lowrider thing.

 

I think it sits nice as is as long as it drives well enough.

This is an awesome pose my friend.

 

that looks low as hell to me.. looks like it would be a pain in the ass already to drive. looks low and mean and proportioned.. i would leave it as it is....

 

i mean, thats a nice 4x4 ya got there.. lol

 

i think his issue is he is knee is on the ground . stand up and look at it

 

Is it your daily driver...??? Do you drive it in the winter...??? How well does it plow snow...??? It snows in Ohio, right...???

Friends aside, are you happy with its stance/height/driveability...??? If so, tell your friends to find themselves someone else to ride with. Too many cars on this site look stupid sitting on the rockers...NO ONE back in the fifties/sixties had a car that sat on the rockers...no one knew how to do that and still drive it...nor did they have the modern components to do it then...I know, I was there.

R-

 

before going lower in rear will need to notch frame, and that opens another can of worms. you can cut the bump stops or get some aftermarket short ones, just so metal is not hitting metal. if local spring shop is run by guy into custom cars then talk to him about what can be done to limit use of tall lowering blocks. otherwise look online for what some likely pricey springs will do. yep, get some good shocks. up front have clip or aftermarket kit? lowered springs/shocks? how close is current lowest point under front to the ground? dropped spindles may say 2" but, may/ may not lower that much.
need clearance for suspension parts to move properly. what size tires/rims running? ya, go take a picture of your car and post.

 

HAHAHAHA! Hydraulic... That's hilarious! Ok... Why am I hesitant about 'bags? Well, I'm aware of all the fabrication/alignment/clearance needed. It's not a money issue as much it is that I know the work involved. HOURS of work IF everything goes as planned... Which it doesn't!

Just putting blocks on my car resulted in 8 hours of work and my driveshaft having to be shortened, causing I'm sure some of my drivability issues, which is why I said I need it balanced. I would not be happy if I had to lengthen/replace my driveshaft. Quite frankly, I don't want to spend a whole day under this thing to find out it ain't gonna work and I'm looking at ANOTHER day to try and fix it!

No, it's not my daily car, but when I'm already taking weekends off to mess with it, added time under it is a pain. I've recently spent 2 days working on something with NO cruise time in between. (pulling, painting/repainting the steering wheel) Makes it hard to enjoy like that.

But my MAIN problem with 'bags? I don't want to lose trunk space. Unless you guys can show me a smaller system that won't eat up my trunk space. I DRIVE my car, and on trips I NEED a trunk to haul my shit! Is there a system with a smaller tank you guys are aware of that I don't know about?

Sorry about the rant, guys. Lots of questions to get through. I really wouldn't mind airbags if they aren't difficult to install, take up trunk space and look tacky/out of place. I guess I could put together a more "retro" control setup, I just don't want to be pissing my time/money away.

To you guys who actually read all of this, thanks and your advice isn't falling on deaf ears. It's appreciated! Thanks!

 

Hmmm...

 

Show car...magazine car...maybe Ray Goulart's shoebox...and I said "still drive it." Guess I should never say never, eh...???

I should have qualified that statement, here goes: Those of us in the Midwest (I was born and raised in Iowa) never had a car that laid rocker...we had to drive 'em in snow, slush, mud, ditches, corn fields, gravel roads...about the only thing we could do was cut coils, heat 'em or use "J" hook suckers...and/or use cement bags/blocks, sandbags or lowering blocks in the rear...changing suspension components just didn't happen...neither did hydraulics or non-existent airbags...

R-

 

Ive found out recently actually, (that if you lower it more than you origonally planned, to the point where your actually nervous when your letting the jack down...if youll actually be able to get the jack out from under the car).......That you will be more happy. I just slammed a 61 Galaxie within an inch of its life...and glad I did, cause it looks RAD... who gives a shit how it rides

 

I love it the way it is. Subtle lowering>slammed. Slammed looks a little bit stupid IMO, what you have now looks sick and tasteful.

 

^this.

 

Ok, if I were to put airbags on her, what would I be looking at for a kit? I'm not looking to notch the frame or anything. Just get it to where I'm at now or an inch or 2 lower and raise it up to make driving a little more bareable. Do I have to put a 4 link or something in it? Do I have to use their control/gauge cluster or can I put in something a little less obvious that'll go with the theme of my car?

 

Looks good the way it is! And dont EVER pose with your car like that again! haha

 

Lower is better. She'll scrape off what she don't need

 

is it? did you know lifts were a custom car thing before lowriders came along? but cant see the fun of it anyway.
And trunk space? a basic set up, be it air or juice wont take a quarter of that trunk space.
A 2 or 3 gallon tank, one compressor, and a couple of valve blocks will fit on your front seat.
As for hydros, a gate style pump and a battery to move it will fit in the same space. and i dont think air line or hydraulic hose are much of a problem.
For a basic lay and play set up that doesnt hop space required is minimal.

But if you scared of losing "a whole day" workin on your car ......