Customs Hello everyone

I have a 54 Monterey that has been lowered by a previous owner and now have a terribly hard ride from the front end. It basically has very little travel before it bottoms out. Any suggestions?
The rear was lowered also, but I removed the lowering blocks as I am not a fan of lowered vehicles. Just my personal preference. The drivetrain is not stock. It has a 351w, C4 trans and a Ford 9"

 

Photos of the front would help a ton, I’d bet on it having heated spring and crummy shocks from
The sounds of it but we can’t tell much with out a photo of what we are talking about

 

Like Tim said, pics would help, but if they torch heated and collapsed the front springs or cut them, it's going to ride like shit. You can use Ford Aerostar replacement coils in front on your Merc to replace the stock ones, they ride nice and are still a couple inches shorter than a stock coil if that's the look you're after.

Also, a lot of old rubber bump stops become petrified with age, and the early ones are really tall sometimes, so I wonder if new, softer rubber ones might help? Again, hard to say without pics.

 

Here are a few pics. not great with the light in the way. let me know what you need to see better.

 

look at the coils of your springs. you can usually tell where the torch heated a couple of places to let the spring collapse

 

Looks like you just need some new springs up front.

 

haha just unbolt the lower A frames. let the jack down. easy, no danger

 

Welcome to the HAMB!! And your avatar car looks great, love those Mercs. Lots of experience here to help with just about any old car questions you can think of. Hit the Full Image button when you post photos, it makes them big for the rest of us.

 

Yes, but I bet that is in the back of your mind…..

 

Usually removing springs that short isn't a problem, but getting the new ones in can be a little tricky. Just be careful.

 

Looks like your springs have been shortened. As a result you have little travel and poor ball joint (and probably steering and suspension) geometry. New springs should sort you back out. If the shocks are also stock length they've probably been bottoming out too, good time to address those too.

 

Thanks all. I was thinking all of the above. Does anyone have the part numbers for the Aerostar springs and a suggestion for shocks?

 

this is what I got off good ol google. https://www.summitracing.com/search...MI4oD2nOnpggMVVQKtBh20HwQ8EAAYAyAAEgJ_UfD_BwE

 

Aerostar Front Progressive Rate Coils: Mevotech SMS850V
Volare Front Shocks for lowered height: KYB 343138

 

While you’re at it, consider rebuilding the front suspension.

 

Not mine! Never worried about that.

Ben

 

I was going to, thanks

 

thank you very much for your help

 

When you have the springs out you can drill out the rivets that hold the plate under the bottom of the spring to the lower A frame and space it down to add a little drop without changing the spring rate. I used 1" heavy wall square tubing and grade 8 bolts to replace the rivets on my 53 Merc years ago.

 

I completely forgot about that trick!

 

The 850 Aerostar front springs are compound wound a give a nice ride while lowering the front about 2 to 2-1/2”. From many’s opinions of this swap you need the correct stiffer KYB 4305 shocks. Most need a jack to put them in.
From others personal experience and mine cut the lower A-Frame bump stops between 3/4 and 1”. I also used urathane spacers on top of mine 1/4” on one side and 3/8” on the other to be perfectly level. I bought them by outer diameter of the springs.
The other option above is to remove the rivets on your A-Frames to lower the spring mount. This is a good idea and best if you like the original ride but lowered the height of the blocks. You will need new springs since yours appear to be cut.
You stated not your not a fan of lowered cars but if your rear springs have not been replace and original I guarantee your at least 1” lower than stock now. With the AeroStars and the lighter weight of the engine swap especially if your engine has an aluminum intake you will be pretty level, just a little lower than stock.
54 Mercurys were always one of my favorites growing up in the 50’s.

 

Yes the rear still has a small lowering block. Maybe 1/2 to 3/4 “. I’ve ordered the aerostar springs and kyb shocks. Yes i do have an aluminum intake too. The rear was way too low and the exhaust would drag backing out of the driveway thats why i unlowered it. Dont mind the slightly lowered look just not the ground dragging look

 

While you're posting pics, I'd like to see some of your Mercury. Can't tell much about it in your avatar.

 

I hope my merc drags in the driveway.
Installed the Aerostar springs. Haven’t driven it yet.
Still sits a little too high but I won’t mess with it until I get it all together and drive it a little.
I’ve torn down a couple old rides and found the front suspension not in need of much. No need to fix what isn’t broken.

 

Lol. To each his own. I know many like the on the ground look.

 

Here are a few pics of the engine bay

 

I put up a few of the engine. will put more once the weather gets a bit better. The previous owner was George Straits son in TX. if anyone knows who built it let me know as I would like to have a build sheet if possible