1963 Impala 409 race car

[balabon]

To raise the front end the way it was done in 1963, for what they thought was proper weight transfer, I think they used truck spindles and if this is correct what truck spindles were used? I want to raise the front end of the car to make it look like the drag cars of the 60's. I would also like to know if anyone knows the size of slick that would fit in the rear wheel well without modification. The car is a 1963 409 car. Thanks for your help!

[64ss409]

I don't know what others did as far as spindles, I used spacers under the springs. I used narrow 14's on the front, but some used narrow 15's for a little more raise.
Ron

[walkerheaders]

alot of the guys used ball joint spacers on the uppers and the 409 wagon springs.
my 63 body has 10.5 X 28 M/T slicks on it. no problem.

http://www.348-409.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=610&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

[droptop62]

It would seem you are going for a 60's nostalgic kind of look.
I don't think there were a lot of choices back then for slick sizes.
but a reproduction vintage 8 inch slick would probably be what was used.

[jim_ss409]

Here's some pictures of ball joint spacers. These are for 55-57 Chevys but the idea is the same. The first two pictures are aluminum spacers that go between the ball joint and the upper control arm. The last one is a "C" type spacer that goes between the ball joint and the spindle. All the spacers really do is alow the front suspension to travel more. So if you put in a taller spring, like a 409 wagon spring, the front end will sit higher. I don't think main stream companies that build suspension parts will have these spacers because they would consider them to be a bad idea for street use but alot of guys used them in the 60s & 70s. I think E-bay might be the place to look for them.

[SteveD409]

Most of the guys in the 60's that wanted that look took their ride to the alignment shop and had "horseshoes" added to the saddle of the spring perch in the control arm. I purchased a pair of these not to long ago from a local alignment shop (whoops, thinking about it-probably 10 years ago)--they said it was a common item.

SteveD

[jim_ss409]

Oh, and as for tire size, these look pretty big...
















:rofl :rofl :rofl

[jim_ss409]

There's a grainy picture of a really radically lifted 62 in this thread. http://www.348-409.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1909

[Fran Preve]

They did NOT use truck spindles.
Spacers pictured at probably best way.
Station wagon or airconditioning front springs will work.
Cut the rear coil but 1/2 coil at a time.

NHRA rules limited front to be raised 2" and rear to be lowered 2 inches, static height, from stock. That's 4 inches and well enough to show a definate "pitch".

What they said on slick width, BUT WATCH THE BACKSPACING OF THE RIMS.

If the rim design doesn't matter, 15 x 8 Corvette Rally wheel with a 8" repo slick or a 9" NHRA slick will fit and get the job done. 10's and 10.5's will fit but watch your backspacing.

[tatt2jim]

i am in the process of doing the same thing ,i have a set of ball joint spacers in the front and as far as in the rear i have a dana 60 stock width and i have 29x11.50 15 hoosier dot pros on a 15 x 8 rim with 4" backspacing , it has a ladder bar coil over ,but stock frame rails and wheelwells and no mods at all to fit them in

[jim_ss409]

Here's a link to some spacers on E-bay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33585&item=7959099656&rd=1