This is the first batch:
Some 4 1/2 leaf Rear Leaf Springs, with the reversed eye, which should give an overall rear drop of 1.5 inches. These are practically brand new. Ernie bought them to go on his fastback, but then decided to go with AirRide suspension...which means that his car is going to stick to the road! And I get a nice stiff set of leafs to replace my saggy 43 year old springs.
V-8 Steering System! So I also got a new setup that includes the Center Link, idler Arm, tie-rods and adjusting sleeves. This will replace the weaker, less cool 6-cylinder steering with the newer V-8 system! The real reason I'm doing this is for the aftermarket parts, like Baer Trackers and roller idler arms. Understandably, nobody makes those parts for the 6 cylinder cars. This will give me a stronger steering system, with more flexibility down the road. AND as a bonus, I got really cool lock-nut based adjusting sleeves, as opposed to the stock "clamp down" units.
Steering Box. aka Ford Spear-o-Matic(see below for story on that name). The steering box is a remarkably expensive but utterly important part of the steering system. It takes the turning motion of the steering wheel and relays that to laterally turn the wheels of the car. The unit I have in my car is sloppier than my handwriting, and Ernie said his was in good shape...so I took his word for it. It HAS to be better than mine. Plus, it has the V-8 pitman arm required to use with the above steering system, so it was a natural purchase.
620 lb. front coils. Ernie removed 1" of height from the springs, giving the car a 1" drop in the front. These will make the front a lot stiffer, and much less "mushy" plus fix the problem with my car now, which is that it points upward, because I have stock height coils on the front. He threw in a couple of insulators...I doubt I'll use them though, cause I don't think they're poly.
Export Brace. So he sold me a 1-piece shelby style export brace. I really had my eyes on the Maier Racing Export Brace, because it's cooler looking, and I believe has to be stiffer...BUT this is bang for the buck, and they want $250 for that brace. Ernie sold me his for $20. Can't beat it.
Odds and Ends
Some Power Coated hood hinges, with springs, and some powder coated Shock Tower Caps. Neither of these are parts that I particularly need...BUT, his are powder coated, and mine are 40-years-of-neglect coated, and the price was right so it seemed like a no brainer.
Some Power Coated hood hinges, with springs, and some powder coated Shock Tower Caps. Neither of these are parts that I particularly need...BUT, his are powder coated, and mine are 40-years-of-neglect coated, and the price was right so it seemed like a no brainer.
So there it all is...My first batch of parts for this build. I felt silly dropping all this cash before I even have the car up to Atlanta, but the deal was good and the time was right. I still have a few more parts to buy from him, but the next project HAS HAS HAS to be getting this car into my garage!
Ford Spear-o-matic
So, here is why Mustang Guys call the long-shaft on the steering box the "Spear-o-matic."
The name is a take-off on the 'o-matic' series of transmissions Ford put out. The original Mustang came with a "Cruise-o-Matic" and Mercuries of the time came with a "Merc-o-Matic."
The steering shaft goes from the steering box (which is mounted between the front wheels, directly in front of the driver) all the way up to the steering wheel. The steering wheel actually bolts onto the end of the shaft. Works great. Except in a collison, the steering box is usually ripped right off it's mounting point, and pushed inward into the car. Since the Steering wheel sits on the end of that long shaft, the steering wheel, due to the laws of physics, ALSO starts moving inward...right into the head, chest or neck of the driver.
They are, in my uneducated opinion, one of the most dangerous designs of the original Mustang, third only to the super flimsy seats, and the lap-belts with no shoulder strap. OH and for a while, the Lap Belts were OPTIONAL!
