Launching HARD and CONSISTENT on Leaf Springs (65-66 mustang)

I've noticed some inquiry on getting 65-66 mustangs to launch HARD and CONSISTENT on leaf springs.

Another forum http://www.mustangsandmore.com has a moderator who owns a 65 mustang that is a Superstock recordholder. He uses and fully endorses fiberglass springs from Flexiform. There are some others who have switched to them on the site with great results. (I have not used them) Cal-Tracs and these leaf springs seem to be a deadly combination.

However, the Caltracs need set up for use with the fiberglass springs. I would recommend purchasing the springs and/or Caltracs directly from Alex.

http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/F...ML/005339.html

http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/F...ML/004367.html

http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/F...ML/004002.html

http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/F...ML/004967.html

http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/F...ML/005136.html

http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/F...ML/007059.html

Good Luck!

_________________
Mike Burch, 66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads, 10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: n2omike on 1/9/04 8:40pm ]</font>

This car uses the fiberglass springs and caltracs... combined with a 408 and C4 tranny to run well into the 10's and cut consistent 1.4 second 60ft times... even on Wednesday nights when the track is lame. It belongs to 'steve66' who is the guy talking about the springs in the first link above. It's his daughter driving. Her dad (steve) is watching in the crowd. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

The tires are MT 10x26" slicks on 10" wheels. He uses extended bumpstops to keep the tires off the fenderwells.



_________________
Mike Burch, 66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads, 10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: n2omike on 1/9/04 11:44pm ]</font>

well mike its all in the setup my mustang had that type epupment on the rear but didnt pull the front wheels but still ran 9.60s like i send its in the suspension setup and i was using the lower holes for the caltracs

I've thought about trying the fiberglass springs (only 7lbs each) since others have had good luck with them. They are supposed to be like a giant bow (like in archery) exept for without the string... and are supposed to resist wrapping up better than steel. I was just hesitant about installing them on a car that sees a lot of regular street duty.... especially ones light enough to be effective on the dragstrip.

654212spd...

Rodney, are you saying you tried the fiberglass springs? If so, did you get to compare them against steel leafs? Alex and Steve sure seem sold on them. I'm sure your new setup will be a sure fire bet when it comes to straightening the arms out when the 'loud pedal' gets pushed. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]
[addsig]

I am still not sold on the need for exotic rear leaf spring/traction bar combinations on our early Fords.

Look at Project '67 on this site. Near mid 11's with low 1.5X 60fts, and this is with stock replacement leaf springs, and $79 "Shelby" underide Traction Masters. We've used parts store Monroe shocks or Comp drag shocks.

This is a very effective $200 combination!

I've had a 1.46 60ft launching on nitrous using 26x10 slicks on an 8" wheel, 'GT' 4-leaf springs, stiff KYB rear shocks and slapper bars.... but it's the exception rather than the rule.

After switching to brand new 28x9 slicks, Caltracs, same springs, and Rancho shocks... it pulled a best 60ft of 1.43 This was on a very sticky track, and it only did it once. Usually, my nitroused 60's are anywhere in the 1.5's and no-bottle runs are almost ALWAYS a 1.65 or 1.66

Consistency is what I'm after. The above runs were on really good tracks. Steve indicated his car would cut 1.4 second 60's on Wednesday night test and tunes when the track was crappy... a feat his car woulnd't even think of before.

I just thought I'd share what some others were doing to get their cars to work. Take it for what it's worth to ya'. I'm hesitant to try some of the 'tricks' as my car spends far more time on the street than the strip.

Good Luck!

_________________
Mike Burch, 66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads, 10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?220
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: n2omike on 1/10/04 5:47am ]</font>

67Stang - Regarding that picture. The traction device shown there - is that a Cal-Trac or something else? It appears that I could build something like that and save the 300 bucks for a Slide-A-Link.

I've never actually taken a good look at traction devices like these and I don't really know how the front is designed. I thought the cal-tracs mounted to the stock spring mount and the spring then mounted to the cal-trac.

Can you describe your setup or show a pic of the front of the spring?

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2004-01-09 17:19, 67stang wrote:
I am still not sold on the need for exotic rear leaf spring/traction bar combinations on our early Fords.

Look at Project '67 on this site. Near mid 11's with low 1.5X 60fts, and this is with stock replacement leaf springs, and $79 "Shelby" underide Traction Masters. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

That's the best I've seen anyone do with Traction Masters! Most cars rip their floors out before they 60ft that quick with those things. [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

Isn't that car a stickshift? [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

For those of you unfamiliar with Traction Masters... You can see where they bolt on, then they weld to the car in front of spring eye.

Good Luck!
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I ran 60' timeslips like they were made by a copy machine in the 1.41-1.42 range for 5 consecutive races, and the car never went slower than 1.45 or faster than 1.39 all season long, even in the 110* heat and 90% humidity. Saturday nights were a bit slower, but every car is. They don't prep the track on saturdays AT ALL. Anyway, my set up was home-made adjustable caltrac copies, 28x10 Mickey slicks, stock leaf springs, stock rear shackles, home made Delrin (plastic) spring eye busings and shackle bushings, 4.56 gear behind a 1.76 powerglide. Car weighed 2660 w/o driver. Believe it or not, most of the suspension tuning was on the front end, limiting front suspension travel, changing tire pressures, tire diameters, shock settings, adding/removing ballast, etc. The best 60' came in 80* weather after adding 60# of ballast to the left rear corner of the trunk (an old 460 head and a small ATV battery bolted down in the trunk [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_lol.gif[/img]). Just goes to show that you CAN go fast with stock or near stock stuff, it all takes a lot of tuning and trial and error. BTW I only used the transbrake once, with no change in 60' time.

Where do you get the Flexiform springs?
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