...returned home to find an email waiting for me , from a very reputable source, saying these springs arent going to fit! (I sent the source a request for specifics)
Bummer, What would be the problem? Too long? or is the locating pin to big? You could drill your shock/leafspring plate bigger to accomodate them.
I am going to measure the E body and B body spings I have for my other two cars to see what that legth is. Lots of guys have switched E body/B Body and even C body springs to our era of cars with good success. But maybe it will raise the ride height to much again.
will you check your cvt front perch brackets...are there three mounting bolts or four?
These leaf springs are 6-leaf, Fins59 in WIsconsin thought 6's wouldnt break, as did his 5's.
Hi Roger - Since my car is up on the lift I got some measurement for you.
57" long. approx.
2-1/2" wide.
5 leaf.
front perch 4 rivits.
rear perch 3 rivits.
20-1/2" from center of front bushing to centering pin. approx.
35" from center of rear bushing to cntering pin. approx.
that is not encouraging, Dick.
These springs are just lying on the ground right now, as arced as they can get.
They are 2 1/2" wide.
The front bracket has four bolts.
The overall center-to-center is 53"
Center of front to center pin = 20"
Center of rear to center pin = 34 1/2"
Think I'll just go crawl under a rock.
Of course even though your car is "off the ground", the springs are still stretched/under stress by being attached to shocks and such...
Tom Fox measured 55" on his convertible-on-the-ground-ready-to-roll.
Dick,
Thanks for the report anyway.
Over at Forwardlook.net, BHWINC (he used to post here) tells me these donor springs should work, because I also thought to grab the front mounts. (The front bushings are larger in '63.) He says shackles and new bushings for the donor springs are sold at Napa for $27 per side, so I think I can get all necessary parts for right around $100. I already have shackles, so maybe all I need to buy is rear bushings. However, I do not have a lift, and my garage is pretty cramped, so I don't know if I care to attempt the swap myself.
The salvage yard did not offer me a receipt. Obviously he isnt reporting that sale to the govt, or his boss.
Why don't things ever go smoothly for me?
Today I began the leaf spring change-out. I removed one spring, and discovered in the process that the front brackets (perches) are riveted to the frame (Dick had mentioned this earlier, but I guess I didnt make note), so I am not readily able to remove these brackets and bolt on the replacement ones (salvaged from a 1963 Belvedere).
I made some measurements, and the 1963 front brackets wouldn't fit on the 1959 anyway, but the '63 spring will fit into the '59 bracket with a tiny bit of clearance.
Oh well, I thought, just bolt the '63 springs to the '59's front brackets. Well, the '59 uses a 1/2" diam bolt, whereas the '63 uses a 5/8" bolt, so I'd have to enlarge the holes.
In addition, I do not have enough rear bushings. So I took a break and went shopping. I went to Napa, then National, even the Dodge dealer. Napa can sell me two complete shackle assemblies, with bushings for $27/each, but all I need are the bushings. National knew of a spring company in Tacoma, WA that sells all sorts of bushings, but they are closed on Saturdays, so I left it to National to get back to me with price on bushings...if it's close to $54, I will just order the shackle kit from Napa. Pictures follow...
Last edited by rogerh on Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:06 am, edited 2 times in total.
PICT0001.JPG[/attachment]
Existing bracket, riveted to car, with 1/2" pivot boltthe 1963 front bracket is a"bolt-on" style, with 5/8" pivot bolt. This bracket is too large to replace the '59 bracket
Proof it is riveted onMy lowering blocks. I will have to re-use these "U" bolts, as I think I've lost the originals
Last edited by rogerh on Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:09 am, edited 2 times in total.
The Internet is just great! I Google'ed "Mopar leaf spring bushings" and discovered Summit Racing sells the complete set of 8 shackle bushings for 1963 Plymouth- for $16.95 (shipping not included).
I am soliciting comments on taking the irreversible step to enlarge the existing front perch holes from 1/2" to 5/8".
Roger - You may want to check and see if the Summit Shackle kit for a 59 has the same OD on the bushing as for the 63, then you can use the 1/2" bolt and not have to drill.
Dick.
