I just got a pair of P&J shortie shocks for my 47 Ford and there isn't much room for travel. I had the wife get in there and try to move the car up and down best she could and it didn't seem to have any issues, but then again how accurately dose that reflect real world conditions?
that doesn't seem like enough. measure the distance between the rubber bump stop and the axle, that is how much travel the shock should have.
Looks like your upper mount is too short and the lower mount is further inboard than the stock thru the axle lower mount.
on my 47 Coupe used rear gas shocks for a early 60's Corvette. set up had dearched main spring with a couple of leafs removed
There is a shackle available that has a shock mount, that would give you a lot more travel. HRP Check it out:
The bottom shock mount looks su****iously high. Also looks like the bolt on upper shock mount has been messed with, looking like the whole shock has been moved rearward, possibly necessitating the raised lower mount. All looks a bit odd to me and as it is I'd expect the shocks could be bottoming out, making for a harsh ride and little shock life. Chris
I had the spring lowered and the shackle and shock mount are the ch***is engineering kit. I'm going too see if the kid i sold my parts car to still has the old timey tube shock mounts
From the listing on Summit Extended Length (in.): 11.25 Collapsed Length (in.): 7.88 I'd say you want them close to the middle at ride height. The others have offered solutions to get there.
Measure the shock extended and the shock compressed. Say the total difference is 6", for example At rest, the shock should at 3", the middle of the travel. Adjust shock mount(s) accordingly.
It looks like somebody cut that shock mount off the mounting plate and moved it rearward. Is the rear leg touching anything? I would start over with new upper mounts being it looks like those are just bolted onto the frame.
He is using those shackles; but the kit was made for a stock height car. The lowering spring altered the relationship of the axle to the frame. Guess if I was going to fix it; I'd either get a '47-'48 tube shock axle with the shock stud hole or weld a shock stud onto the existing axle in the same place. Then make new "arms" for the frame mounts at the correct height. Picture of the CE shock kit he has.
And @topher5150 Make up some bolt in brackets that pick up the existing 2 holes . And move the pivot upwards and outwards slightly. Easy to make a cardboard template and get 4 x pieces laser cut. And use "crush tubes" to bolt the brackets in As the suspension is lowered the shock lays over more. The brackets will correct this angle and provide more compression travel
Find the center of the shock travel. That is the max apart your mounts should be. Measure between the bump stop and axle. Add 1/4-1/2" (so the shocks don't bottom out) and use that dimension for the compression distance when mounted. You need to take into account the angle too for efficiency.
Both the Posies and the Pete and Jake kits mount the lower end of the shock on the top shackle bolt that they have and extended bolt for. That causes loss of the stock Panhard bar/sway bar to male work. Depending on if that shocks is a a 1084 with a compressed length of 9-1/4 and extended length of 14=1/4 with a 5 inch stroke that the kits suggest or the real short "roadster shock" with a compressed length of 7-7/8 and extended length of 11-1/4 With a stroke of three and some frog hairs you don't have a lot of travel either way but I am going with the 1084 and 5 inch stroke. My math says that right now your shock should be 11-3/4 or close to it eye to eye at static ride height. I'd be figuring on how to get that 11-3/4 and as some of the others suggested new bolt holes in the frame and moving the top mount up may be the quick and simple way and give a slightly better shock angle at the same time. At the same time those brackets in the kits won't do you any good with where your shock mounts to the axle. They only work with that shackle bolt.
Whatever you end up doing; it seems to me it would be a poor choice to eliminate the Panhard bar as the shackles on these cars are near vertical stock (and in your case, due to the de-arched spring, beyond vertical) with no horizontal location control. Another question, how is the wishbone to frame clearance where they cross; car is probably not that low; but it is something to check.
I was wondering that too. I saw some pics where it's at more of a 9:00 compared to mine closer to 12:00
Looks like that is caused by your de-arched spring; the added length has the shackle rotated further outboard at the bottom, which rotates the shock stud further inboard at the top.
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