Hot Rods WHERE CAN I FIND A REPLACEMENT SHOCK ABSORBER BY LENGTH AND COMPRESSION?

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My '39 Studebaker Coupe Express is on the road, but the rear shocks on the car appear to not be doing the job. I can't ask the original owner where he bought them or what brand they are as I bought the car from his widow

I see the numbers 735518 and C6091, but NO indication of a brand name.

• Extended length is 20"
• Compressed length is 12.5"

Online searches bring back a request for a "standard" car. This is a street rod, and, by no means standard.

Has anyone ever seen these numbers or can give me a place to find Extended and Compressed length
numbers to find a comparable shock absorber?

studeguy54@gmail.com

 

Rancho shocks online catalog will let you search by length and other specs. you can use that to get a stock application reference for other searches.

 

the shock warehouse online does the same

 

I don't mean to insult your skills or knowledge, but are you sure the problem is the fault of the shock? I only ask because a buddy stopped by yesterday in his '37 Chevy coupe complaining about the ride (way too stiff) and wanting to change the springs in the rear. I had recommended the spring rate he was using. I told him to bring it in the shop. We'll put in up on the lift and look at it. Well, if the body comes down 3/4" the axle hits the solid mounted over the axle exhaust pipes. The shocks were mounted so that there was only an inch or less of compression left. The rear suspension was going solid if the car hit the slightest bump. Oh yeah, and he didn't want to change ride height either. I gave him a list of things to do to fix it. We'll see how he does. Anyway, the point is, if somebody else built it. it is worth checking out.

 

A timely question I was getting ready to ask myself. I need new shocks for the front of my car, the ones on it are slap worn out. Mine were added sometime in the past with home made brackets. I plan on pulling a front wheel and get what numbers I can and try to find a match or something comparable.

 

Same. I'm gonna pop one out this week sometime.

 

When I built my '46 Woodie, I called the Bilstein Shock people and gave them all the same dimensions you are looking for for my car and they gave me the numbers of the shocks they would recommend. Over 50K miles with no issues and rides great. Give them a call.

 

You can find Monroe shock table online which gives all of the lengths and types of ends.

 

I use Monroe's online chart on every car I've built. Easy to find the right specs, and then do an online reverse search using Monroe's shock number and see what vehicle it's for. Then buy the shocks from whoever you prefer to use.

 

https://www.monroe.com/technical-resources/tech-tips.html See bottom of page for length PDF.

 

Make a pot of coffee or get a six pack, sorting shock numbers is only the beginning. Mount style (guessing top and bottom eye), each style had a letter code. Lots of discontinued shocks. I ended up with NAPA HD gas shocks, the numbers are in my build thread. I think my rears are 20 and 13. I'll look tomorrow or Monday.

 

Any good Oreilly counter guy can pull up shocks by mount type, length, compressed length, etc. I did it for years. Look for a counter guy that doesn't have pimples and ear pods. The commercial sales counter folks were pretty good at pulling up shocks by customer requests.

 

I have a NAPA catalog from 1980, I'll see what it shows. Which mounts do you have?

 

The shock I have on the car appears to be the Cantilever Pin CP5 style mounting with bolts going through the "eye" on either end of the shock. Parallel bolts on top and bottom hold the shock in-place. 5/8" nut on bolt on bottom, 13/16" nut on top.

• Extended length is 20"
• Compressed length is 12.5"

This site is amazing. The number of responses I have received from people is AWESOME!

Thank you!

Denny Foust

 

A good counter guy at any chain store is harder to find than shocks that fit!

 

You sure on the 13/16 nut? If so, I wonder if a sleeve was removed to fit your car.
Only exactly 20 - 12 1/2 ones listed fit large trucks.

 

Check out this file

 

Yes, I think so, as the rubber insert on the shock fit over the upper stud, the bottom one fit over a bolt, no sleeve on either rubber grommet. The just fit over the bold with a washer facing the nut.

 

Thank you everyone for your help. I was able to find an OEM shock absorber that will fit my application.