so i managed to really work myself into a corner this time. the short version of it is, i'm finalizing my v8 swap after my old 250 dumped a couple cylinders back on mother's day. i obviously couldnt put it back on the road with a 5.0, and the 1 1/2" wide brake shoes on the front (not joking... the interchange is something like 63 falcon REAR brakes). so i happened accross a set of 72 torino spindles, and everything fits fine aside from the lower ball joint as discussed in another thread on the board. what i'm after here is an off the shelf part that i can make work here. the lower ball joint from a 64 galaxie should work, but it's obsolete. the later big car LBJs are a no go because they are pressed in, and that isn't gonna fly on the little lower control arms in these cars. so my question is, what used a bolt-it style lower ball joint with the proper size stud?
Start here. http://pitstopusa.com/i-5066765-allstar-performance-ball-joint-adapter-bushing.html Just keep in mind, that spindle was designed for a suspension with possible radically different geometry and arm lengths, ackerman, etc, so be careful...
i've looked at the different bushings for fitting the small ball joints to the larger holes, but this means i end up having to grind the spindle down to allow myself enough thread to get a nut and cotter pin on. if i could find a ball joint that is the correct size for the lower that is bolted the lower control arm, i'd be in business. as for the safety, this is kinda the test subject for a lot of the stuff we do at the shop. if there is no way whatsoever to make it safe, i'll just tear it down and try something different. someone out there has to try this stuff out, right?
Yes, definitely! I included the disclaimer, so to speak, just in case. You don't always know who's on the other end or their capabilities and I'd hate it if I gave advice and someone got hurt because of it.:Handshake I know you don't want to spend a lot on a test subject, but what about the lower control arms that have screw in ball joints. There are a lot more choices with those than a bolt on as the bolt patterns are usually different from one application to another. Maybe someone on our forum has an old set after they did an upgrade to a MM2 or strut setup...
Thanks spork, but im trying to find a correct ball joint because the adapters don't resolve the entire issue. I have kinda been kicking around the idea of screw in ball joints like injectedmav mentioned, for a couple days now. If anyone else can weigh in on that I'd appreciate it. Also, I still haven't abandoned the idea of finding a correct sized ball joint that could be used. Even if it ends up being a gm or chrysler original part, I can live with that.
turns out ford used a bolt in lower ball joint on early 72 torinos. i just got one dropped off to play with as soon as i finish dismantling the original non serviceable lower control arms, and it is one big mofo. for anyone thinking about attempting the swap this way, the moog p/n for the torino joint is K8059. i'll post a progress report hopefully later this evening.
alright, so with a little bit of scrap metal i had sitting on the back shelf of the shop, a few hours of grinding, welding, and drilling, i have results. the LCA has to be "clearanced" for the larger torino ball joint, and the bolt holes have to be filled and redrilled. surprisingly enough, it isn't that hard to fit the torino joint, as the opening in the LCA is the right size, and the mounting is pretty close. i probably could have just run a rat tail file through 2 of the bolt holes, but i figured it was a better idea to be more precise and less lazy... lol once i get the drive's side done, and the engine lit, i'll get to see how it does, but it all seems to be alright for now.
I found a 73 Gran Torino 4-dr in a salvage yard today. Should I get the front disk brakes? Cost probably $160, no bargaining. View attachment 49497 View attachment 49498 View attachment 49499 View attachment 49500 Rick
everything ive found shows 72 and 73 as the same. there was a changeover in 74, but i dont know what is different. if i could have gotten the complete brake assembly for 160, i probably would have jumped on it, especially since there was some nut job out at the long beach swap meet last sunday was trying to get 650 for granada discs. i still have to shell out for the rotors, calipers, pads, bearings, and hardware.
after taking a short hiatus to finish getting the 4 speed situated, and a few more pieces into the engine compartment, i was able to play around a little more with the torino disc swap. i found that the camber adjustment had to be set for max neg. camber to get it to an acceptable position. this was achieved with the shelby UCA drop, and 65 V8 mustang springs with one coil removed per side. in a nutshell, the torino disc swap is not an option for a car at stock ride height, but works fantastic for those of us who like the car down in the weeds. the extra static camber that is built into the torino spindles allow the car to be acceptably aligned in cases where the ride height has been lowered about 2" or more. also worth noting, use of a wedge kit is advised to avoid ball joint binding under those circumstances. as soon as the rest of the project is buttoned up, and i get a chance to really go out and abuse this setup, i'll be able to post final results.
