Introduction


The Mustang pictured below (bottom) was first purchased by my father-in-law, Buddy, in 1986, in Connecticut. Shortly after, he purchased a second six-cylinder convertible and sold the pictured one to my wife's cousin, Ronnie. Dad died in 1994. When Ronnie decided to sell the car to finance an in-ground swimming pool in 2006, my wife Sharon and I decided to buy it, and brought it home to Tennessee.
The car had undergone a cosmetic restoration before Dad bought it, and apart from some minor detailing since then, was still in the same condition when we bought it.
In June 2010, I found out it was a Sprint 200, Package A, 3-speed manual transmission. And after reading an article in the archives of the Mustang Times by Jim Smart, went looking for the Broadcast (Build) Sheet. I found it wrapped around the wiring harness behind the speedometer. After a brief search to find out what all the codes meant, I realized that surprisingly little is known or published about these documents. So I decided I'd try to attempt to decode it myself. This blog is a journal of that research.
All discussions below currently pertain to only 1966 Mustangs.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Springs & Ride Height

If it's been awhile since my last post, it's because the codes and related information are getting a bit more difficult to decipher.

This post will begin a series on Springs. The build sheet had separate codes for the front and rear springs under a general heading named Springs on the second row, fifth column from the left. I'll discussed the front and rear springs in separate posts, but first would like to make an entry on the Ride Height.

The Ride Height is a function of the type of spring used and the weight of the vehicle it carries. Coupes, Fastbacks, and Convertibles were all treated a little differently because of the weight distribution of their particular body style. Options such as air conditioning, power steering, and the type of transmission also influenced the weight distribution, and as a result the load rating of the springs used. Therefore, there's a little bit of variability in the Ride Height of vehicles.

Following is a table of information provided by Mustang Concours Judge, Jeff Speegle. It was taken from a 1966 Technical Service Bulletin. It provides the measurements and a process for obtaining them. Remember, these dimensions were based upon the stock tire diameter of 25.3". In order to apply these measurements to your vehicle, it may be necessary to convert the measurements by factoring in your tire size.

You'll notice that the front of the vehicle originally sat a bit higher (approx. 1-1/2") than the rear.


TSB#727
Ride Height
Dated 4-1-66

To measure:
Place car on level surface. Push down on front and rear bumper by at least 1 inch then let off (to settle suspension). Measure at the center of the front and rear wheel wells - at the center of the wheel. Then lift up on the bumper and let settle and repeat process. Average both measurements. Do the front completely before doing the rear.
For tire sizes other than stock tires, calculate actual tire diameter. Subtract the stock diameter from the actual diameter (if the actual tires are larger in diameter). Divide this number by 2, and add the result to the tables below. If the actual tires are smaller, subtract the difference between the two tire sizes from the tables.

Front Ride Height
Model  
Min.      
Normal      
Max.      
Tire Size
Tire Diameter
6-Cylinder
25-27/32
26-13/32
27-13/32
6.95 x 14
25.3”
6 & 8 Cyl. w/ AC
25-3/4
26-19/64
27-19/64
6.95 x 14
25.3”
HiPo
25-3/64
25-19/32
26-19/32
6.95 x 14
25.3”


Rear Ride Height
Model  
Min.      
Normal      
Max.      
Tire Size
Tire Diameter
All except HiPo
24-1/2
25-17/64
26-17/64
6.95 x 14
25.3”
HiPo
24-7/64
24-55/64
26-19/32
6.95 x 14
25.3”
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