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51 D-42 Coronet Club Coupe: going “nose up”


MIHooper

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Looking to put the nose up on my Coronet... more or less a gasser(ish) direction... nothing extreme with a straight axle kit... just push the stock up 3-5”.  Anyone done this with success on a similar Plymouth (or Dodge)?  If so, what parts were used? Difft springs? Difft shocks? Both? Any help would be very appreciated!! Thanks!!

 

Mark

Downingtown, PA (outside Philly)

51ECA0E8-C00A-49D8-9F1A-96673B774C8E.jpeg

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you will need to get a stiffer set of springs to get this nose up a bit more in line with stock...these look like they have lost their temper...many of the spring companies can help you with this...be prepared for harsher ride but you should get rid of that floating boat feel also.  Shocks will not raise the suspension....they only dampen movement...

 

Eaton is one name t hat comes to mind..there are others.....

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Espo spring.  Also some folks have used coils from a late 80's Ford Aerostar van.  Some have reported that they raised their cars 2 or more inches.  But is this a raise above their 70 year old springs, or a raise above stock ride height??  

 

Stock height according to an online catalog of American cars,

 

1664 mm / 65.5

 

guess you could airbag the front.

 

Edited by greg g
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Still waiting for new photo's.

That is actually a stance that some hot rodders like.

Possible it has lowering blocks and thats the way the car sits.

 

I just have a issue with the garage ... not a tool insight. And some crap on the one shelf .... is this guy going to fix this car to a gasser?

Just curious, you plan to do the work yourself?

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49 minutes ago, greg g said:

Espo spring.  Also some folks have used coils from a late 80's Ford Aerostar van.  Some have reported that they raised their cars 2 or more inches.  But is this a raise above their 70 year old springs, or a raise above stock ride height??  

 

Stock height according to an online catalog of American cars,

 

1664 mm / 65.5

 

guess you could airbag the front.

 

 

Thanks for reply!  Raise will be above stock ride height... and you’re correct... that’s the 70 year old springs underneath.  I glanced at Eaton Detroit and they have them from stock to 2” above stock ride height & can have them make seemingly what I want.  Not interested in bagging it, tbh.  Question ... if I went with the bigger/beefier springs... do I have to alter the shock to anything other than a stock replacement???  My apologies for the lack of knowledge... I’m just trying to get a handle on how I need to get it done safely.  Thanks for any/all direction!  I’ll also check out Espo Spring... thanks again!

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 the shock is tied to the upper and lower control arms and their sole purpose is the dampen the spring, to keep them from oscillating.   The best bang for the buck for handling and would be an ideal time to do this as you will be in the area working as it is, is to move the shock from the upper control arm to the chassis for full effect and better handling.  Then you would need a different shock length..

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13 minutes ago, MIHooper said:

if I went with the bigger/beefier springs... do I have to alter the shock to anything other than a stock replacement???  My apologies for the lack of knowledge... I’m just trying to get a handle on how I need to get it done safely.  Thanks for any/all direction!  I’ll also check out Espo Spring... thanks again!

Here is my question ... exactly what is stock and what is modified?

Not sayin it is right or wrong, just what you have is not original.

Now you need to crawl under the car and determine what they changed, to make it what you want.

 

Possible I am wrong and your front suspension is flat wore out ... disregard my post!

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41 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

Still waiting for new photo's.

That is actually a stance that some hot rodders like.

Possible it has lowering blocks and thats the way the car sits.

 

I just have a issue with the garage ... not a tool insight. And some crap on the one shelf .... is this guy going to fix this car to a gasser?

Just curious, you plan to do the work yourself?

New photos of what?? I just posted that as a reference to the project I’ve driven for 2 years as stock & currently planning to take a direction I prefer a bit more.  It does not have lowering blocks... and I do not care what some other hot rodders like.  No... I’m not a trained wrench and have been in the national defense/security sector for over 23 years now... bouncing around the globe so space where I have always lived has been at a premium... more so now that I have a family.  So no, I don’t have some 32,000 piece Uber-Mechanic tool kit from Snap-On or Craftsman, but I have some essentials here and some others in storage I can grab as needed.  As for working on myself... some small(er) things I can/will do here with the aid of moving the wife’s SUV out temporarily to make space & resources such as this site, HAMB, YouTube etc.  Anything of significance... I have a couple shops local that can or have already helped me out.  Anyhow... worry bout your own housekeeping, bud... I’m just here to learn & pick the brains of those who been there & done it.   Enjoy your evening.

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5 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

Here is my question ... exactly what is stock and what is modified?

Not sayin it is right or wrong, just what you have is not original.

Now you need to crawl under the car and determine what they changed, to make it what you want.

 

Possible I am wrong and your front suspension is flat wore out ... disregard my post!

It’s just flat wore out.  Lol... no worries and no need to disregard anything lol.

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All good brother!  That’s why I just want to raise the front & not chop anything up.  Everything removed will get shelved in case my kids want it back to original.  That includes the 230 Flathead, the not-fully-factional gyromatic transmission & the rear end.  Paint, interior, stays.  Pretty much trying to do what my dad woulda did back in late, late 50s, early 60s here on the east coast.  I’m the 3rd owner... see pic attached.  I know... I know... “but it’s original!”, right?  I’m a Hot Rod kinda guy, not a Hemings kinda guy lol.  Plus I did my due diligence on production, collector outlook, etc.... keeping all original stuff that allows a return to original ... and hot rod it a bit... is kinda my happy-medium.

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5 hours ago, chrysler1941 said:

I think I'm getting old. When I was "younger" people wanted to lower their cars. Now it's reversed like every thing else in this world. I don't understand anything anymore. ? Yes I must be old.

Lolllll... I just like the 60s east coast style.  Slammed to the ground is ok... but not for me.

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Could you split the difference and put in 2 inch lowering blocks in the back and stiffer springs up front to get it higher?

 

I have a 52 Concord and I recently tried some moog cc850 springs.  About $60 on ebay. They were shorter than the originals, but after putting them in, it sat about 2 inches higher because they were stiffer.   For reference, the moogs were about 12" high.

 

moog_cc850.jpg.4af998c2cfa6a5c4774fb75800342233.jpg

 

Increasing the height in the front may make it 'boat' in front.  I resolved my boating by putting in 'F1 Shock mounts'.   I got them from Speedway Motors - 1948-52 Ford F1 Forged Upper Shock Mounts, 6-1/2 Inch.  They were 84.99 plus shipping/tax etc. You drill holes in the frame and bolt them on.  They replace the upper shock mount.  The bottom stays the same.  It really stabilized it out.  You will of course need different shocks for it.  There's some posts on the forum, if you search for 'upper shock mount relocation'.

 

If your back leaf springs are really weak, you would have to watch for bottoming out on speed bumps and such.   Mine wallowed quite a bit, so I put in new leaf springs and then 2" lowering blocks for 1 3/4" leaf springs.

 

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