Early Mustang Rear Coil-over

[kmcanally]

I found this pic of an unfinished coil-over conversion on an early mustang. The simple design has the front of the lower bar connected to the original leaf spring spring bracket and the upper bar running to the back and connected to the rear frame rail. The beauty of this is that it requires no hacking of the floor pan to install the upper bars. A simple square tube crossmember welded in between the frame rails serves as the coil over mounts. What is not shown in the pic is either a panhard or watts link to control the side motion of the rear housing.

I am interested in knowing what you guys think of this 4-bar design.

By axing the leafs this conversion would make it easy to get a 315 tire under these cars without notching the frame rails, all you would have to do is a little surgery on the inner wheel houses.

[boodlefoof]

The upper bars point rearward? I've never heard of that before...

[baz67]

They had a discussion on this design on corner-carvers a while ago. I searched but could not find it. If memorys serves the the design is to try and keep the pinion angle stable. It seem it would be a pain to try and get the trailing arms at the correct angles for this. Who knows.
Brian

[vintageracer]

Ford actually ran early 64-68 Mustangs with prototype independent rear suspensions. They were a "bolt in" affair that used the front spring hangers and rear shackle mounts. Very similiar to late model IRS car with a bolt in rear subframe if you will.

One still exists although it was remanufactured from the drawings. It is in 68 Shelby Coupe prototype car labeled EXP500. I last saw the car at the Shelby Nationals 8years ago. The car is refered to as the "Green Hornet" in Shelby circles and ran this rearend when in Shelby use. It was removed before sale to a employee. The IRS was based upon a 9" Ford center section. The Green Hornet also ran "Conolec" electronic fuel injection. Ford was ahead of the curve back then with some of the prototype stuff.

There was a gentleman in UTAH back in 95-96 that was making and then begining to sell this rearend system for Mustangs. $5,000 price sticks in my mind. I "think" they got the drawings from Fred Goddell who was Shelby Chief Engineer.

Do a search under "Shelby Green Hornet" and see what you find!

[vintageracer]

Extra note! There is a picture and comment about the early Mustang IRS in this months HOT ROD! A gentleman has taken one of the kits made off the original design and upgraded the install. It's in a 65 Mustang Coupe.

[kmcanally]

I too saw the IRS in HRM....very nice and expensive at about $7000....the pics in the mag show the upper bars also running to the back which, keeps it a bolt-on deal....the parts diagrams on CTM Engineerings website also show the upper bars running to the back where they connect to brackets that use the original tie-down holes in the sub frame...those 315's would should look good on my coupe...

I wonder what AtsroRacer would have to say about the geometry of this upper bar design? Me thinks he knows his sheeeat about suspension design...

[vintageracer]

I guess inflation has hit. I also thought it was expensive in 95 when it was $5,000!!!!