I have searched the Knowledge Base and previous posts but did not find an answer to my problem.
I just took delivery of a 1939 Ford Panel truck, with what I assume is a "standard" hot rod set up of 350 Chevy and Mustang II front suspension.
I am a complete amateur and this is my second post, so bear with me as I explain my situation.
Inspecting the car underneath, I noticed the bottom of the right front shock was not attached to the lower control arm. After searching for and locating the bolts, I could not re-bolt the shock because the hole/"pipe" at the bottom had been dented ( probably due to the shock swing back and forth aganist the A arm ) and so the bolt would not go through.
So I went to my local auto parts store and bought two new Mustang II front Monroe shocks. Upon installing these new ones, I noticed they were not as "tall" as the old ones. The cast "tube" is the same, but the metal rod which moves up and down in the tube and attaches to the upper control arm is approx 1" shorter than the old shocks.
The only way I could install the shocks was to omit the rubber bushing on top of the control arm. I kept the bushing below the upper control arm, but if I used both bushings, the threaded part of the shock does not stick up enough for me to bolt it to the upper control arm.
My friend who knows much more about hot rods than I do commented it has tubular set up with drop spindles. I assume this means the distance between the upper and lower control arms may be greater than standard Mustang II geometry, and thus, I would need a taller shock.
This is where you come in. :mwink:
I have searched and searched the Internet with no luck. I am just stupid here? Do I need someone with more muscle to extend the shock for me? Or do I need better more expensive shocks than the $12.99 ea I purchased at Murray's? If so, what are your suggestions and where do I get them? Do they make taller shocks for Mustang IIs that are dropped???
Thank you in advance for your help.
BTW, here's a pic of the car for reference:
I just took delivery of a 1939 Ford Panel truck, with what I assume is a "standard" hot rod set up of 350 Chevy and Mustang II front suspension.
I am a complete amateur and this is my second post, so bear with me as I explain my situation.
Inspecting the car underneath, I noticed the bottom of the right front shock was not attached to the lower control arm. After searching for and locating the bolts, I could not re-bolt the shock because the hole/"pipe" at the bottom had been dented ( probably due to the shock swing back and forth aganist the A arm ) and so the bolt would not go through.
So I went to my local auto parts store and bought two new Mustang II front Monroe shocks. Upon installing these new ones, I noticed they were not as "tall" as the old ones. The cast "tube" is the same, but the metal rod which moves up and down in the tube and attaches to the upper control arm is approx 1" shorter than the old shocks.
The only way I could install the shocks was to omit the rubber bushing on top of the control arm. I kept the bushing below the upper control arm, but if I used both bushings, the threaded part of the shock does not stick up enough for me to bolt it to the upper control arm.
My friend who knows much more about hot rods than I do commented it has tubular set up with drop spindles. I assume this means the distance between the upper and lower control arms may be greater than standard Mustang II geometry, and thus, I would need a taller shock.
This is where you come in. :mwink:
I have searched and searched the Internet with no luck. I am just stupid here? Do I need someone with more muscle to extend the shock for me? Or do I need better more expensive shocks than the $12.99 ea I purchased at Murray's? If so, what are your suggestions and where do I get them? Do they make taller shocks for Mustang IIs that are dropped???
Thank you in advance for your help.
BTW, here's a pic of the car for reference: