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65 drivability upgrades?

S

spitse

New Member
I have a ‘65 coupe that started life with a 289 manual steering 4 speed. It had a 351 Windsor swap sometime before I got it. I added EPS and put a disk brake conversion with a dual master. The car is a date car/driver. I want to enjoy driving the car, not restore to Original. I’m pretty sure the entire front suspension is original including tie rods and bushings.

What front suspension kits are out there that improve drivability to an enjoyable level? To more like a modern car that won’t break the bank. I’d like to be a bolt on kind of thing so I could do most of the work. I’ve replaced a lot of steering and suspension stuff over the years on my jeeps and ram trucks so swapping parts is not as scary as welding is to me. I’m not really looking for high speed driving and such, but 80 mph and unfortunately rough roads here in Oklahoma is not out of the question. Again it is a date driver car so goofing off / burnouts might happen as well. Lol.

Any thoughts or directions is welcome. Looking at product websites and adds only go so far in knowing what might be best for my application and budget.


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Lots and lots has been written on this topic. These cars came stock with a very cheap and flaky Falcon front suspension.
  • Arning/Shelby drop- drill 4 holes and lower the upper control arms. It can be free or you can fork out for a drilling template. It will give you better cornering and lowers the front about 5/8”.
  • Do you like your ride height? It’s dependent on personal taste and the wheels and tires stuffed under there now. You might consider changing the springs.
  • Everyone raves about roller spring perches. The ones with real roller bearings can be a little pricey, but I see that PST now has Teflon coated versions for around $99. Either will eliminate the rubber bushings, providing much better response to road conditions by freeing-up the suspension.
  • Adjustable strut rods. Watch the video and see why you need them. Every time I watch this thing it makes me cringe. The rubber bushings compress, the strut rod flexes, and the wheel assembly moves forward and back. The adjustable versions eliminate all that, improving cornering and stopping.
  • 7/8” diameter front sway bar (some say go to 1”)
  • Others will add to the list, like custom control arms or coil-over systems. I believe the 65 could use an improved lower control arm bushing- but I don't remember the particulars. You can’t go wrong with suspension components from Street or Track, or Opentracker.
Stock strut rod and bushings;
The Street or Track version is below;
 
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I built my 65 to do everything. Road course, drag and what it always does, street driving. You don't need to break the bank to make one handle like a new car. Hell, mine corners better than anything I've driven and it's not a rough rider at all. Here's my parts list.

Stock style upper and lower control arms. Lower arm bushing replaced with a roller bearing.

Roller spring perches. Nothing else should even be considered. These allow the upper arm to be smoothly responsive to suspension movement. I was going to rollerize the uppers as well but wanted to wait and see. I see no need.

Adjustable strut rods. See video above.

New coil springs. I run 500 lb lowering style. The stock springs lift the body too high. Higher center of gravity and just way too much wheel gap

Basic shocks. You don't need pricey pieces. Not saying a Bilstein (for example) isn't a great shock, I just have no issues or experienced a limit with a basic one.

Arning drop. Makes a huge difference. A must.

1" sway bar w/ poly bushings

Alignment set-up makes a big difference. I run my caster and camber both to the extreme side of suggested parameters. There is a very noticeable tilt to my wheels when viewed straight on. Not NASCAR level but you really can't miss it. Getting close to 2 degrees, if I recall correctly. I have thousands of miles on the tires with zero wear showing.

I run 17" wheels with a 225/45r17 front and 245/45r17 out back

Not saying I have done this (wink) but it could cruise north of 125 mph and be perfectly stable and secure feeling all day long.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. Definitely going to get to learn a lot on this project.


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I've pretty much done the same upfront as Terry.

All new stock style arms, lowering springs, arning drop, larger sway bar, roller perches (a must do) etc. No need to go crazy.

The only thing I wish I would have done is upgrade the steering. It's still stock and not great.

Edit. Forgot I did the roller idler arm on my factory power steering too.

I'm running 235/45/17 front and rear. Car corners fantastic and rolls over bumps nicely. I wouldn't call it a track car though.

Check out opentracker for roller perches and the suspension stuff.

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Ah, Pat reminded me that I failed to detail my steering upgrade. It plays a role in handling, obviously.

Having been a while ago I went with the Borgeson fluid powered steering box. Used a GM style Saginaw pump in which I tweaked the valving to lower the output pressure a fair amount. Basically making it really only functionally beneficial at very low speeds, like parking or low speed parade type operation. It uses the stock style steering components but I upgraded to a roller bearing idler arm and incorporated a Baer bump steer set-up as well.

If I did it today I would forego the Borgeson making way for an electric system. Not a damn thing negative to say about the power box. It works great. Just be nice to not have the pump drag on the engine. As far as electric steering goes I'm in the process now of mentally piecing together a system for the old F1 project. Flaming River has one now that is able to incorporate a speed sensor via "plug-n-play" to limit assist level at speed. This is key to me. I don't want to deal with a knob (potentiometer) all the time. You can gram a $15 hall effect prox switch and wire it into the control supplied with their kit and be good to go. Kit has the gear motor, harness and control box(s) for about a grand. You supply the column and necessary joints and shafts, etc. I figure I can cobble it all together for a little less than an EPS system and have automatic speed sensitive assist over the EPS. About the same money I have in the full Borgeson system and steering components I upgraded on the mustang.
 
All of the above will get you a very nice handling old car! If you call John at ORP and tell him what you want out of the car, he can put together a complete package and save you months of parts tracking. You'll also want to address the rear springs and mounts. As far as shocks, spend up front and you will be happier, Bilstein or Koni.

Things like a roller bearing idler arm helps too. I can guarantee that with those improvements you'll feel safe well north of 100mph. On a track of course :D
 
Another upgrade is a young, nubile, blonde, preferably scantily clad, sitting in the passenger seat or on your lap to make your driving experience that much more enjoyable.
 
Well, I’m married to a Blond and don’t what to loose her. I want to keep dating her so she remembers why she likes me. Lol. Worked so far over the last 18 years.

So if I am reading the stuff above right, I can mostly rebuild the front end with quality stock replacement components and bushings. Do a Shelby/ Arning drop, roller spring perch, adjustable strut rods, maybe larger sway bar and proper alignment and the front should be way better than OEM new?

I have a full set of KONI shocks waiting for the front suspension rebuild and a set of rear springs I want to install as well. Is there any cost effective tips on the rear as well?

Part of me wants the ease of buying a kit to have everything. I am also realizing I might duplicate parts if I buy a kit and upgrade some components. So piece by piece might be better and more cost effective with less wast I guess. Just concerned I will miss a bolt or bushing if I go that direction.


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The front end work you describe will make a tremendous improvement. I would include new coil springs if after "the drop" the ride height (wheel gap) is still high. The drop isn't really about lower the car but it does a tad.

In the back, provided the car sits level and one leaf spring hasn't sagged more than the other you are probably good to go as is although a good shock is never a bad option.

Don't buy a kit. Call John at Opentracker and let him set you up. He won't over sell you and will give you just what you need. He personally prepares his control arms so they are ready to bolt on out of the box and will perform very well. Nothing but quality stuff. You can get some really crappy ball joints, etc with some of the suppliers you will find online.
 
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