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Hotchkis coils? - Printable Version

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Hotchkis coils? - Limeyboy - 01-19-2021

Hi,
Has anybody tried Hotchkis dual rate springs, I need to get my 70 cleveland handling a bit better to suit UK back roads where I live  Crazy
I'm thinking drop the front by 1/2" to an 1" with stiffer coils?
It wont be used enough to buy sports upper control arms etc so just coils and new bushings.

Cheers
Jeff


RE: Hotchkis coils? - JTS71 Mach1 - 01-19-2021

Lowering the front will help. Also put a much larger sway bar, on the front, and consider adding one in the rear. The suspension on a 70 Mach1, wasn't intended to be a corner carver. They were much more interested in straight line performance, Gears and technology has grown leaps and bounds since then. Search the web as there are tons of companies, that make suspension parts for the 60's and 70's Mustang's in general. From mild to wild, they can make your Mach1 handle like a race car. If you're so inclined. Hope it helps.

JTS


RE: Hotchkis coils? - Limeyboy - 01-20-2021

(01-19-2021, 11:35 PM)JTS71 Mach1 Wrote: Lowering the front will help. Also put a much larger sway bar, on the front, and consider adding one in the rear. The suspension on a 70 Mach1, wasn't intended to be a corner carver. They were much more interested in straight line performance, Gears and technology has grown leaps and bounds since then. Search the web as there are tons of companies, that make suspension parts for the 60's and 70's Mustang's in general. From mild to wild, they can make your Mach1 handle like a race car. If you're so inclined. Hope it helps.

JTS
Thanks JTS, it's got a rear bar 1/2" dia (stock?) and the rear shocks are yellow with an "air pipe" connecting the sides?
I've got new stock upper / lower control arms and all bushings front and rear on order ( wasnt going to change the rear springs at the moment, though I've seen a UK video of a guy putting a single Ford Transit van leaf onto Mach 1 springs  Idea) and will fit them over the coming weeks / months probably ( power steering / brake lines as well) so was thinking of the springs as I'll have them out for the arms.
I haven't got the budget for "corner carving" ( though that would be fun, people are still not at all used to seeing a "Yank tank" over here) but the more I drive it the more I like it and  the more I want from it  Thumbup
Now i've been around most of the underside I think I've found the only real rust in the car, back of the rear passenger side wheel arch, it's where there is a rubber drain fitting on the opposite side ( quarter do you call it?) I reckon a 7" x 3"  plate would sort it, the outside has a few bubbles but I'm not doing "cosmetics" at the moment so will do that in the summer probably but it doesn't seem to bad.  I'm still amazed how rust free / original the body is.

Jeff


RE: Hotchkis coils? - JTS71 Mach1 - 01-20-2021

The rear shocks with the hose connecting them are called air shocks. They have an air bag inside them, to be able to raise the rear of the car for larger tires, so they don't hit the outer fender/quarter lip. The area you have rusted is part of the inner 1/4 panel also called a trunk drop. If that's the worst rust you've found you are very lucky. If you check the web there are several companies Mac's, CJ Pony Parts, Ohio Mustang, etc. that offer the inner panel that's rusted making for a simple repair. Be very careful with the front springs, as you will have to compress them to get them out, and reinstall them. Believe me they can, and will hurt you if you're not careful!  Naughty  Hope it helps.

JTS


RE: Hotchkis coils? - Limeyboy - 01-20-2021

(01-20-2021, 07:47 AM)JTS71 Mach1 Wrote: The rear shocks with the hose connecting them are called air shocks. They have an air bag inside them, to be able to raise the rear of the car for larger tires, so they don't hit the outer fender/quarter lip. The area you have rusted is part of the inner 1/4 panel also called a trunk drop. If that's the worst rust you've found you are very lucky. If you check the web there are several companies Mac's, CJ Pony Parts, Ohio Mustang, etc. that offer the inner panel that's rusted making for a simple repair. Be very careful with the front springs, as you will have to compress them to get them out, and reinstall them. Believe me they can, and will hurt you if you're not careful!  Naughty  Hope it helps.

JTS
Found it in a UK dealer thanks, found a bit more rust today in the trunk, 2" square hole over the frame rail where the rubber bung would be Laughing , bondo job so I've ground it all out now and as it's the same side as the 1/4 panel rust a trunk floor panel drop off will kill two birds with one £59.00 stone  Thumbup

As mine is a California car it has all the evaporative emissions equipment in the trunk, as the tank itself is in very good condition is there a safe way to "remove the equipment and seal the tank"?  I know I have to vent the filler cap but would like to remove a possible future problem ( any of the evap stuff leaking vapour etc)

Should I be looking for a valve to let me pump the air shocks up as I've not seen one?

Thanks
Jeff


RE: Hotchkis coils? - JTS71 Mach1 - 01-20-2021

Good find on the replacement panel, sounds like a good price as well. Don't know about the emission equipment in the trunk??? as I remember there was a small evaporative canister located in the engine compartment, down in the right front corner down and out of the way. Don't know I ever saw anything in the trunk? Yes there should be a valve somewhere in the line It will look a lot like a threaded valve stem, similar to the one used on motorcycle wheels. Glad you're making progress, it sounds like you're making a good thing better. Good Luck.

JTS