Resurrected Junk
Not long after I got the '73 home, I noticed that the rear sat low. I checked the front end to make sure it wasn't set high. No such luck. My car had a droopy butt. I used photo tricks to minimize the condition when shooting the car. Examing the rear springs revealed the onset of a reverse curve in the back part of the spring on each rear corner.
The rear springs on the A-body are 55" long and are asymetrically attached to the axle with the longer part to the rear of the axle. The spring locates the axle and suspends the body. The leaf spring as installed by Mopar is a simple, primitive, yet effective device for its intended use.
Like others here at FABO, I looked around for alternatives for solving my car's condition. Some suggestions were to install a helper spring or air shocks. Either would cure the condition. However, on the basis of firsthand experience, I ruled them out. Both raise the rear spring rate making the car ride stiffer and promote increased understeer. With a /6 and 904, there isn't power to burn for kicking the tail out.
I shopped around for a set of springs that would give me a close to stock ride height and spring rate. Following the recommendation from either FABO or /6.org, I settled on a set from McVeigh springs. In the photo you can see a tired old spring next to a new one. Note the difference in the arc of the spring.
Although the tires that came with the car were manufactured in the 46th week of 06, I had a right rear disintegrate on Christmas Eve. With only a donut for the BBP spare, I spent Christmas at home alone. It did give me time to plan my next move. Rather than purchase another 185/70-14 for the 4½" wide BBP wheels, I broke out a pair of the Magnum 500s and put 205/60-15s on them (sneek peek photo) on December 26th.
I joined the family the day after Christmas. On the way down, blew out another of the the 06 Goodyears on the SBP front. (first tire photo) Hauled out the SBP spare I carried. It was an oldie, using a 3 digit date code. It was made on the 24th week of a 0 year. The choices were 1990 or 1980 or 1970. I knew nothing of its history other than it came with the rim I had picked up at a swap meet. We decided it was probably a 1980 model.
On the way back to the Edge of the World, BLAMMO!!! While the Goodyear had gone down fairly tamely, the thirty year-old Brand X exploded with all the fan fare of the right front blowing out on a Cup car. (second tire photo) Tread went flailing around and chunks of rubber flew off the car. It was a handful to bring to a stop. Divine Providence found me a used tire at 11:00 PM in Belton, TX and two sober guys to mount it for me.
The next day, I inspected the damage. Rubber marks on the paint. Wire from the tread belt was wrapped around the fender brace. Fender mounted turnsignal unplugged from main wiring harness. The upper control bushings had disintegrated from the trauma. Two of the wheel well trim screws had been beaten/vibrated away by the the flailing tire.
Not long after I got the '73 home, I noticed that the rear sat low. I checked the front end to make sure it wasn't set high. No such luck. My car had a droopy butt. I used photo tricks to minimize the condition when shooting the car. Examing the rear springs revealed the onset of a reverse curve in the back part of the spring on each rear corner.
The rear springs on the A-body are 55" long and are asymetrically attached to the axle with the longer part to the rear of the axle. The spring locates the axle and suspends the body. The leaf spring as installed by Mopar is a simple, primitive, yet effective device for its intended use.
Like others here at FABO, I looked around for alternatives for solving my car's condition. Some suggestions were to install a helper spring or air shocks. Either would cure the condition. However, on the basis of firsthand experience, I ruled them out. Both raise the rear spring rate making the car ride stiffer and promote increased understeer. With a /6 and 904, there isn't power to burn for kicking the tail out.
I shopped around for a set of springs that would give me a close to stock ride height and spring rate. Following the recommendation from either FABO or /6.org, I settled on a set from McVeigh springs. In the photo you can see a tired old spring next to a new one. Note the difference in the arc of the spring.
Although the tires that came with the car were manufactured in the 46th week of 06, I had a right rear disintegrate on Christmas Eve. With only a donut for the BBP spare, I spent Christmas at home alone. It did give me time to plan my next move. Rather than purchase another 185/70-14 for the 4½" wide BBP wheels, I broke out a pair of the Magnum 500s and put 205/60-15s on them (sneek peek photo) on December 26th.
I joined the family the day after Christmas. On the way down, blew out another of the the 06 Goodyears on the SBP front. (first tire photo) Hauled out the SBP spare I carried. It was an oldie, using a 3 digit date code. It was made on the 24th week of a 0 year. The choices were 1990 or 1980 or 1970. I knew nothing of its history other than it came with the rim I had picked up at a swap meet. We decided it was probably a 1980 model.
On the way back to the Edge of the World, BLAMMO!!! While the Goodyear had gone down fairly tamely, the thirty year-old Brand X exploded with all the fan fare of the right front blowing out on a Cup car. (second tire photo) Tread went flailing around and chunks of rubber flew off the car. It was a handful to bring to a stop. Divine Providence found me a used tire at 11:00 PM in Belton, TX and two sober guys to mount it for me.
The next day, I inspected the damage. Rubber marks on the paint. Wire from the tread belt was wrapped around the fender brace. Fender mounted turnsignal unplugged from main wiring harness. The upper control bushings had disintegrated from the trauma. Two of the wheel well trim screws had been beaten/vibrated away by the the flailing tire.