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1965 Griggs GR350 front suspension install

28K views 104 replies 12 participants last post by  SVThuh 
#1 ·
It's finally happening! After a decade of dreaming, and several years of waiting for just the right opportunity, I'll be installing a Griggs GR350 front suspension to match the rear! Started the process this weekend by pulling the motor, transmission, and front suspension. It was time for the suspension to come out. The upper control arms were beginning to fail, the ball joint boots were ripped, and the steering had felt loose for a while. The spring and shock rates just weren't matched well to each other, or to the rear, so handling was a bit wonky. Constant understeer and tire rub, too.

But now I'll be getting rack and pinion steering, 13" brakes, tubular control arms, much more room in the engine bay, and a tilt steering column! I'm still debating what to do for shock towers, but the main thing is that they have to go. I need the engine bay space, and the bases of them are rusted out and filled with patches that I forgot about.

I'm hoping to have all the original stuff out here this week, and maybe even have the new crossmember and shock towers mocked up by the weekend!
 

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#2 ·
Mocked up the shock tower, and the old patch job is all on the inside, where the Griggs tower locates. So yeah, the old shock tower will have to be removed entirely.
 

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#3 ·
Bodywork is off. Next step is to strip the engine bay. I'm going to replace the headlight and gauge feed harnesses, and convert to a single-wire alternator when it all comes back together. Also, looking at the battery tray area, it may need to get cleaned up again. There's lots of old rust repairs that I did back when I first got the car 13 years ago. The apron to firewall patches look like they'll need to be cleaned up and welded back into place again, for instance.
 

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#5 ·
Awesome project! I love the GR40 package on my 98 Cobra. These kits move the cars to the next level.
 
#6 ·
Thanks! There's a lot of projects that are going to be happening at the same time as the rest of this, such as a new posi, driveshaft, roller cam conversion, exhaust, maybe even some rust repair. I'm really happy with the rear suspension so far, but it's just highlighted how deficient the factory front suspension is. Once it's done, it's gonna be a whole new car! Though I'm sure it'll take at least two months to get anywhere near finishing all of it.
 
#7 ·
Spent the weekend trying to get the engine bay clean, and also played around with my new spot weld cutter. Got a sway bar bracket removed, anyways. But man, there was so much grease and grime and gunk all over the front chassis! I think I got most of it, though the rest seems to mostly be hiding in the brackets, but I'm removing those anyways. Also sold the old brakes, so I'm gonna reinvest that money in a roller cam and lifters!
 
#8 ·
Removing the brackets is pretty tough, though the spot weld cutter definitely helps! Got the driver side strut rod and sway bar brackets removed, and halfway through removing the passenger side. It's a Blair spot weld cutter, if anyone's curious. It's a bit tough to know exactly how deep I need to cut, and I don't want to go too aggressive and punch through on accident. Also, my air compressor apparently isn't big enough to power an air chisel, or I need a more powerful air chisel. The air compressor is tiny, though, so whatever. I'll just have a workout with a hammer and hand chisel.

Still deciding what I want to do for shock tower covers. I might be able to do a simple piece of sheet metal between the mini-tower and the fender apron with cut-outs for the coilover and control arms, or I could go fancy and make a wooden buck to form a cover around the mini-tower. Mostly depends on where the mini-tower ends up.
 
#9 ·
Got enough removed to do a quick and dirty mockup. I have a feeling that there's gonna be some rust in the frame rail underneath the shock towers, but that could be an excuse to beef up the frame rail, though I'd rather not tear apart everything. I am planning on bracing the top of the mini-tower and making a new export brace, as well as running a brace from the mini-tower to the outside ends of the cowl. Shock towers will come out probably next weekend. For now, I'll try to locate the mini towers as best as I can, considering the previous patches.
 

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#11 ·
Looking good! Did you end up just patching the frame rail?

Tonight, I got started on fitting the mini tower by cutting into the frame rail flange and removing the patches, in addition to hammering things into place. But it's that much closer, and I'm hoping to put in about an hour a day. Little milestones like mocking up a corner help keep things moving.
 

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#12 ·
Yep, I ended up welding in a patch. In addition, just to be on the safe side, I partially boxed in the mini towers where they jut back over the frame rail. They felt strong enough but just looked like they really needed support in that are so I went down to Lowes and bought some 1/8 inch steel and cut to fit.
 
#13 ·
I definitely plan on boxing them in, maybe with some curved sheet metal at the front and back to blend into the frame rail. But yeah, gonna try to tie all the structure together as best as I can.
 
#15 ·
The Watts does complicate exhaust fitment. I had been dumping in front of the axle, but I do want to get it to exit at the back. I'll be visiting a local custom shop to see if they can contort the exhaust around everything. I may have to go underneath the axle, then over a link. Will need some limiting straps to keep it from resting on the exhaust at full droop.
 
#16 ·
I think for exhaust, on the driver's side, I'll be able to snake a pipe above the Watt's cradle brace, though that'll be a tight fit and may require some creative bends. And it won't be a straight shot with the coilover in the way. I won't be able to use anything larger than 2 1/2" exhaust. Not that I need to with a 289. Passenger side will be easier, as I can just drop below the link. That may still require a tight bend, but we'll see.

If all else fails, I'll just go with side dumps and some nice, long glasspacks. Or Magnaflow offers some same-side exit mufflers. To save on ground clearance, I may use some oval tubing under the torque arm crossmember and subframes.
 

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#17 ·
Got the patch on the driver's side shock tower fully removed, and yeah. Those are rust holes. Looks like I'm gonna have to decide how to patch it, if it includes reinforcing the frame at the same time, and all that fun stuff.
 

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#18 ·
Got the steering rack this weekend, and decided to remove the shock towers and do as full as possible a mockup of one corner. Still need the upper ball joints, but that camber is pretty intense. Haven't tried putting it at ride height yet, but I'm sure it'll need some adjustment. Should have plenty of room for that in the upper arms.
 

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#19 ·
This is gonna need some help. I'll have to do some serious patching on this after cutting out the really bad stuff. Then I'll bend up some thicker sheet metal to weld over the frame rail. That'll go from the toeboard to just in front of the shock tower.

Also, I think I'll do a MII style shock tower cover. Basically flat with beads rolled into it, and behind the shock tower, so that the shock tower is inside the engine bay. I'm not too worried about dirt and road grime sneaking in through the holes in the shock tower or by the control arms, and I'll have the maximum amount of room in the engine bay.
 

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#21 ·
I'm planning on adding some vents to the hood to help with that. Cruising through the midwest at 80-85 mph, the hood was definitely bulging. The middle rose probably 1/8" or so. I'll get a new hood to add the vents to, but the current one will just get some spacers to put between the hood and the hinges, raise the back a half inch or so.

This is all the progress I've made lately. Bought a Hazard Fraught 30" sheet metal brake so that I can start working on patches. Once I know for sure that the chassis is level and straight, and I have a fresh bottle of argon, I'll start welding the patches. But the inside of the frame looks pretty good. There's still red oxide primer in there, and it's smooth, so I think that the rest of the frame should be alright.
 
#22 ·
Did a full mockup last night to check tire clearance, and just to see what it'll be like. Gonna have plenty of clearance to the fender lip, full range of steering without hitting the frame or control arms, and a decent amount of upward travel even at full lock. Fender apron/shock tower plans are coming together as well. Gonna run a piece of sheet metal between the fender apron and the shock tower so that the shock tower is inside the engine bay. Not super concerned about dust and road grime getting inside. I'll just have to clean it more often is all.
 
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#23 ·
Been a while! I've been hard at work getting my Ranchero running properly, so the Mustang's been kinda ignored of late. But I do have a bead roller and a cheapo Harbor Freight metal brake, so I'll be able to finally make my reinforcement patches and shock tower panels.
 
#25 ·
I just used a '98 or so Mustang 8.8 housing with Fox width axles. So it was about 1/2" wider per side than stock. So it would only take a 1/2" spacer to fit modern wheels. I wish I had gone with 9" Torino housing ends, because it has some pretty bad brake pad knockback with the Wilwood calipers. So, either go with floating calipers or bolt-in axles. Also, I wish I had added some exhaust cutouts to the torque arm crossmember so I could tuck the exhaust up more. Aside from those, I've been very happy with the system!
 
#26 ·
Got going on the engine bay metal work, and got in some practice with the bead roller. Got one fender apron fill panel and one frame rail reinforcement patch panel halfway done. Should have them finished and ready to weld in this weekend. On the fill panel, I had to beat the top of the inner bead out so I can redo it to be parallel to the top and the outer bead. I used the flanging mandrel on the bead roller to achieve the look, since there's a gap to the shock tower that needs to be filled in.

 
#27 ·
Much better! Might have to weld some extra metal in to close in some gaps at the bottom, but it's nearly done. Though I really should focus more on the frame reinforcements, since those kinda have to go in before the shock tower can get welded in place.
 
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#28 ·
The passenger side reinforcement went much faster than the driver's side. Just need to drill some holes in the panels for plug welding and prep the frame rails, then I can start welding!
 
#30 ·
Might have something to do with sharing settings on Google Photos. Here's the important one:


Spending this week getting the frame rails prepped for welding. Sanded the paint and rust off, still gotta remove the rusty part of the driver's side frame, paint with weld through primer, and punch holes in the frame rail reinforcements for plug welds. Hoping to have them welded in this weekend.
 
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