'56 Ford Fairlane suspension

... oh ...

BTW ...

You need to delete those tailpipes and use the exhaust outlets on the face bar ... ;)
 
If you think it will help, there are a few places that can re-arch your leaf springs for you. And some can custom-make rear leafs for your car with modifications you want. St Louis Spring is one that I have used in the past.
Be prepared to re-outfit your leafs with all new front and rear bushings, nylon pads between rear of leafs and all new rubber for leaf surround keepers.
It is a heat-treating process, so the old stuff must be removed, if there's anything left to them.
Be real careful about telling them how much extra arch you want based upon how high you want the rear to stick up. I made the mistake of telling them I was hauling loads of firewood in the back of my Courier wagon and they way overdesigned the arch and thickness of metal on the leafs. Those springs would survive a nuclear haulocaust.
 
Thanks again for the replies guys. We are back from our trip, and had a good time on the American Queen steamboat. We got to see the new American Countess (?) when we docked next to her for a day. I am sure it is luxurious and all, but it is not decorated or furnished in the old fashioned way the Queen is. The boat has some filigrees and all that, but next to the Queen it looked to me like a four story condo building. I am sure they made it for younger passengers who may not care for the 1880's ambiance. The queen public areas were furnished and built to match pics of the real 1880's boats. Nuff said.

Anyway we got home, and the next day, the wife has covid, as did my brother who was also on the trip. I am semi sequestering, and sleeping in the guest house, so I will be waiting a while to do the '56.

The plan...First get the Sway bar from Larry's T-Bird, along with new HD front shocks. New poly bushings all around. Second, NEW leaf springs and bushings in the rear, along with new HD rear shocks. My mechanic friend knows of a good suspension shop semi locally that he recommends, and I have a backup I have used before. Third, is wheels and tires. We will wait until last to make sure we get the right ones. Probably American torque thrust's, that come in various setbacks and sizes to order.

I appreciate all the advice on companies and brands to check out. My goal is not to lower the car any more than it is, I want it to simply drive nicely and not wallow around if there are rear passengers.

About the bumper exhaust...it was that way and I removed it as I think it tends to corrode the bumper, as well as its being a bit of a choke point on the flow, some really tights spots there. I kept the parts, but installed a full 2" exhaust with crossover pipe for sound along with 36" glasspacks. The crossover really smooths out the sound on a Y Block.

As previously mentioned, This car was a frame off in 1991. Some floor panels and a whole front clip replaced (got all the receipts). They took a 1986 Mercury and used as much as they could out of it. 302 EFI motor, 4 sp AOD, Integral PS, computer, etc. Then they added AC and a 9" 4.10 Posi rear axle from a '58 Edsel wagon. Inside it is done in Vinyl to match the paint which is one of two original partial year colors.

My wife and I dated in a 1956 Merc which was Persimmon and White (the other partial year color). We looked a long time to just find one and drove a ways to look at one, but it just wasn't as nice as this Ford, so we decided close enough. Talk about a chick magnet, women stop to ask me what color it is. They all love it. Guys not so much. I get a lot of 'why that color?' and 'I'd paint it'. When I ask where their car is, most are strangely quiet.

Enough rambling, been working on remodel and rentals for years, and now I want to enjoy the car more, as I have orders that this one is the keeper.
 
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Be careful on the HD shocks, they don't eliminate sway, as my understanding they just dampen road shocks. I went too far with HD shocks on a later model and turned the ride horrible, like no suspension, just solid iron. Sway bars gave me most improvement but too big in the rear will make the car tail out in corners. Just what I've experienced.
 
I had a set of the HD shocks from Larry’s on the ‘bird. They were fine, not rock solid racetrack stuff. I’m sure they’ll be ok.
 
Daves55Sedan said:
The '55/56 Station wagon models had a heavier front anti-sway bar than the passenger cars did. Only problem is, no one offers bushings with larger holes for the wagon bar. If you could get a wagon anti-sway bar and buy a pair of new car rubber bushings, maybe you could somehow ream them out to the larger size.
I am using P205-75R15's on front and P215-75R15's on rear, all on stock wheels, and I detect very little side-to-side deflection of the tires when cornering at high speeds. OEM 670x15's or 710x15's would roll over like a dog on these curves.
Once upon a time, you could get a set of "helper" coil springs and assemble them on your rear shocks. When I installed mine on the 4-dr sedan, I jacked the rear then tightened the spring end clamps to achieve a barely noticeable lift in the rear. This helps a little on cornering. I don't know if those helper spring kits ate available anymore though.
The '56 model was the last year the car was designed with a high center of gravity. They lowered the '57 and later models to help do away with excessive body roll.
Tire selection is probably going to be your best deal. The ones I mentioned above are close enough on O.D. so that it is not necessary to swap your original speedo driven gear. The rear's (215's) are a bear to get on due to the width of the tire (a little over 8"), but it is worth it. Neither tire (205's or 215's) interfere with existing suspension or wheel-well space.
Click to expand...
You can get larger bushings here. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2844684823...aAQn7A5mNZp5Rvb0+bJO0KlBg=|tkp:Bk9SR7SqqOfqYA Most rubber suspension goods are now offshore made and poor quality and degrade very soon these are a far better option. Use the ones I used they have a lubrication zirt fitting and bracket the standard car 1954-56 used a 3/4" sway bar ,wagons were 7/8".
 
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