Ride Height

[Ausi_CS]

My CS has in its past had modifications done to the rear springs to lift the rear of the vehicle, possibly for towing purposes. The towbar was removed some years ago when the vehicle had repair work done after a rear ender. I now wish to return the vehicle to normal heights, as it is sitting too high for my liking, particularly at the back. Does some one know the factory specified ride heights, front and rear, and from what points are they measured - from guard to center of wheel, or to ground, or chassis rail to ground?

Cheers,

Michael

 

[PNewitt]

Like most of the '65-68 Mustangs, the ride height is a bit lower than you might like. I've seen GT/CS cars jacked up, or too high from getting new springs. Ford had specific springs for specific Mustangs--although there was no specific spring for the CS--it was the same as for the regular coupe--despite the added weight in the back from the fiberglass.

Get a look at the gallery, and see how those cars sit, although 35 years will make cars "sag".... My best guess is to make the side rocker mouldings "level" as the car sits.

You're from Oz? I think there about three CS cars in Australia. Ever meet a Falcon GT with a Monza nose at a stoplight there?? I have an actress friend who used to be on "Home and Away" (TV show) there in Oz.

Paul N.

 

[GTCSMustang]

I just went through this for a 1968 Mustang I recently bought. Here's what I found.

Ride heights are measured from the ground to the highest most point of the wheel well opening (which should be though the center of the wheel).

For Mustang with standard suspension:

Front - 26.68 tolerance +1.00 and -0.70
Rear - 25.39 tolerance +1.00 and -0.75

For Mustang with GT and Special Handling Package:

Front - 26.49 tolerance +1.00 and -0.70
Rear - 25.49 tolerance +1.00 and -0.75

All dimensions are for Mustang with:

Full tank of fuel
All engine fluids at full
Spare tire with wheel in design position
Front seat at rearmost position
Jack and components in design position
Tires inflated to 24-psi front and rear (for ride height evaluations only)
6.95-14 tires

Adjustments for other tires:
E70-14 subtract 0.10
7.35 x 14 add 0.20
F70-14 add 0.30
FR70-14 same as 6.95-14

All dimensions in inches

.....Or you could just do what Paul said.

Hope this helps.

Scott

 

[PNewitt]

Well, er...uh....I guess you could go with THOSE dimensions!

Thanks, Scott!

:

p.s. where did you get this? From the Ford Shop Manual? Now I gotta include this in the revision of my books.

 

[GTCSMustang]

Only through detailed interviews with dozens of Ford factory workers and scrutinizing once lost Mustang assembly documents was I able to uncover this super detailed information.

Just kidding. It's on page 32 of the "1968 Mustang Chassis Assembly Manual" reprinted by Jim Osborn Reproductions.

But someday I'll uncover something really cool that nobody knows. Stay tuned...

Scott

 

[rvrtrash]

Like most of the '65-68 Mustangs, the ride height is a bit lower than you might like. I've seen GT/CS cars jacked up, or too high from getting new springs. Ford had specific springs for specific Mustangs--although there was no specific spring for the CS--it was the same as for the regular coupe--despite the added weight in the back from the fiberglass.

I can't beleive I'm going to do this, and I'll probably be shot down, but I actually have to disagree with the CS Guru here. Last year someone mentioned the weight differences for the standard coupe and the CS. I happened to have my car apart at the time so I gathered up the CS parts and standard coupe parts and weighed them, and if I recall correctly, the difference was only about 10 pounds, which wouldn't make a difference in ride height. OK, let the stoning begin.
Steve

 

[Ausi_CS]

Thanks Scott,

Gee, could you provide any more detail? You didn't mention wether or not the car is parked in the rain, or if I am suppossed to be sitting in the drivers seat...

Just kidding, excellent info - just what I was looking for.

Paul, (and for anyone else interested) as far as cars in Oz go, last confirmed numbers were 6 cars - two in Queensland, two in New South Wales, one in Victoria, and one in South Australia (yours truly). Although I am told recently that as many as two more are soon to be registered in South Australia, but whether they are vehicles brought in from interstate or from the U.S. I do not know. It was nice being a bit unique, but will be equally so having "sister" cars locally. Good for comparing notes etc.

I do wonder if any other GTCS owners here in Oz are members of this forum - I haven't noticed any myself.

Anyway, Thanks for the info.

 

[Ausi_CS]

Oh, and another thing,

Scott, you referred to Imperial tyre (tire) measurements - eg. 6.95x14. How do those sizes compare to the metric standard DIN measurments that we use here, eg 175/75 x 14. I have done a bit of a net search and the only reference I can find assumes that imperial tyres all had an aspect ratio of 100%, that sounds a bit high. Was there a set aspect ratio used in imperial tyres or did the letter coding attached somehow make reference to tyre sidewall height? Currently I am running on 235/60x14 rear and 195/65x14 front. If a can find out the details I can then make the appropriate calculations to suit.

Thanks again,

Michael

 

[rvrtrash]

I can't find the website I used, but a 6.95x14 is 25.3 inches tall and basically a 185/75/14. Some have suggested going just a little taller with a radial because of the way they sit (more flex) and I went with a 205/70/14. One website that might help is www.tireguides.com/tips.html .
Steve

 

[Ausi_CS]

Thanks heaps, Steve ;D

 

[PNewitt]

"I can't believe I'm going to do this, and I'll probably be shot down, but I actually have to disagree with the CS Guru here. Last year someone mentioned the weight differences for the standard coupe and the CS. I happened to have my car apart at the time so I gathered up the CS parts and standard coupe parts and weighed them, and if I recall correctly, the difference was only about 10 pounds, which wouldn't make a difference in ride height. OK, let the stoning begin.
Steve"

Steve..Steve...Steve....

Ya know...there is this ride at Disneyland, called "Indiana Jones". They tell you to not "look into the eyes of MARA"....or great, awful things will happen to you. Then you ride this wild runaway vehicle in a cave that feels like a three-wheeled Camaro and sounds like a blown out Z-28 intake manifold.

Crossing the great and ominous GT/CS GURU is like that.
(add visions of that big head and steam and lighting like the Wizard of OZ). FFFSSSSTTT!!



(but of course...I'm only kidding)
All I can say to your "CS Weigh-In", is that I took off my CS trunk lid once, and it weighs a TON! I think it must be more like 40 lbs. But, no one has weighed all that stuff before. Interesting... How did you stand on the bathroom scale while holding all that stuff?

Paul N.,
(part time guru).

 

[rvrtrash]

Oh Great! I knew I should have kept my mouth shut. I crossed the GT/CS Guru and when I woke up this morning I was BALD! Let this be a lesson to all of you to not to get on Paul's bad side. ;D

Seriously, my unscientific method was to weigh myself, then weigh myself holding each trunk lid, then the quarter extensions, scoops etc. individually to figure out what the parts weighed, then repeated to verify. I wish I would have saved the data for you. I'll see if I can still access messages from summer/fall 2003 on this site and get the numbers again if you want.
Steve

 

[rvrtrash]

The original post on weight is on page 14, dated 2/14/04 (or there abouts) and is titled gt/cs weight.
Steve

 

[68sunlitgold]

Steve,
here is the link...so we don't have to run through the old messages:

http://californiaspecial.com/forums/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=816

Doug

 

[rvrtrash]

Thanks Doug, I didn't even think of that. Congrats on coming home by the way. By chance are you going to have the coin project completed before then or did that get back-burnered?
Steve

 

[68sunlitgold]

I still plan to have it done before I leave. Hopefully within the next 2 months.

Doug