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By 55vickey - 16 Years Ago
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Went thru 3 yards this week, can't find any Granadas, I imagine if I keep looking they'll pop up, also some bolt-0n aftermarket kits. Is there a list of which spindle units will work, or is it just Granada and some Lincolns. Thanx, Gary
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By GREENBIRD56 - 16 Years Ago
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Are you looking for lowering as well as disc brakes? or does it matter? The Grananda / Versailles set-up lowers the car (and helps get the upper ball joint away from the tire sidewall) - but other "rear steer" big car parts will go on there. There is another thread running on here with some info about using a later model "Cougar" upright - and the year is late enough that they must be the Torino sized parts - not the Mustang size. The typical (maybe standard) inward inclination angle of all of the Ford uprights is right at 8° (axis through the ball joints) - and basic "pin" size of the ball joint taper is 5/8 upper and 5/8-7/8 lower. Tapers are all 1-1/2 inches per foot (just slighly over 7°). Some of the "Country Squire" wagons and later "big" thunderbirds had huge Kelsey-Hayes disc brakes that could stop a dump truck.
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By 55vickey - 16 Years Ago
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Lowering isn't essential as I'm thinking of doing the Aerostar coils...unless it gives me to much of a drop. I've already got the coils whacked one coil so the Granada would be about ideal....just lining up ideas for the winter.
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By oldcarmark - 16 Years Ago
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Gary! Maverick and Comet 75-77 with V-8 are the same.The yard guy should have an interchange book to tell what else will interchange.I don't know if the Merc Monarch was sold in the US but its the same.Lincoln Versaille is a direct fit with no mods because they used a bigger balljoint.They wont work on a Mustang for that reason.As I pointed out these spindles are very popular with the Mustang crowd for the same reason we want them.Easy to upgrade to disc brakes.
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By GREENBIRD56 - 16 Years Ago
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This is the old "lower the spring pan" technique - where the spring is simply dropped relative to the A-arm and no coils are cut. 
Those one inch square bar spacers are sandwiched in - held there by replacing the factory rivets with Grade 8 capscrews. This will definitely put her down there a bit. You can order the square bars (preferably aluminum) from someone like http://www.onlinemetals.com/ , drill your own holes, and you won't even have to leave the house.....
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By Glen Henderson - 16 Years Ago
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Gary, I have a set of Granada stuff in good condition that I don't have any plans for. I went with Torino. $150, but shipping will be high and a pain in the butt. Maybe you can find something local, but if not and you are interested let me know and I'll see what we can work out.
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By Bob's 55 - 16 Years Ago
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Steve, I also have those lowering bars on my '55, work great with Granada spindles, lowers front ~3". I had to trim the 'rubber snubbers' to have clearance.
Just curious though, what year car is your picture of, looks pre-ball joint??? And is the sway bar a stock item.
Oh, and thanks for the link to On Line Metals. I used to have a scrap metal place just down the street but like so many places these days they have closed their doors.
Thanks,
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By GREENBIRD56 - 16 Years Ago
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A guy sent me the picture as an illustration - didn't ID the year - the spring pans just happened to look like the '56 and fit the same way. It has to be an earlier chassis though, like maybe a '49 / '50 / '51 or something like that.
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By 55vickey - 16 Years Ago
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Glen, what do you mean by Granada STUFF, what all is entailed. Gary
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By Jeffs54Merc - 16 Years Ago
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Like I said in one of my post on here. I was having a hard time locating a set of Granada spindles, but I later found a set from a Maverick. When I got back to my shop I desided not to use them because they have a small caliper so I went back to the bone yard and found a 1975 Cougar set with calipers and new brakes. I made a set of sleeves at a 7 deg. taper to slide over the lower ball joint. It dropped the front end 1" and with the front already dropped 3", it made it 4" overall. I don't get any rub from the tires in forward or reverse, even when I turned it as far as it would go. This setup works great and with the larger calipers, I am pleased with the stopping power.
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By 55vickey - 16 Years Ago
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I found a guy with some Fords he's parting out, 57 to 71. Can I get some years fot the Torinos or any other possibility. Glen, I'm interested, let me know what it all consists of. Thanx, Gary
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By Glen Henderson - 16 Years Ago
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Gary, it is the spindles, rotors, and calipers from a Granada, don't remember the year, but they are all the same. They are just as pulled . I'll dig them out and send some pictures. I think the Torino's that I have are 72/73 but they are 5X5 lug pattern. I have a set on a 57 Custom that are 5X41/2 lug pattern, I think they are 68/69. As has been stated, if its late 60's/ early 70's ford they will most likely work. The advantage of the Granada is that it allows you to use stock 14" rims, the others require 15" or aftermarket rims.
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By 55vickey - 16 Years Ago
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Glen, will the rotors have to be replaced, if so we won't need to ship them, just whats needed.
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By Glen Henderson - 16 Years Ago
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It's cold, raining, trying to snow (yes I'm still in AL) and they are in the trunk of a parts car in the pasture. Give me a day or two and I will get them out and look everything over and give you a fair report along with pictures. It has been several months since I put them there and to be honest I don't remember what condition the rotors were in. I agree that shipping them if not in good condition would be a waste of money. I'll let you know ASAP.
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By Glen Henderson - 16 Years Ago
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OK Gary the rotors in my opinon are not worth shipping, so I stripped one side down to spindle and caliper. It weighs just under 20lbs, so 40/45 lbs total shipping weight. I can send these through the US mail and just guessing with out a zip code around $30/$40 bucks. If you want them let me know and I will strip the other one, box them and give you a total. I will need your shipping address. If you rather you can call me @ 334-227-3004 or cell 334-799-6577.
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By 55vickey - 16 Years Ago
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Ok Glen, sounds good. Get a total, get back to me, I'll send you a check, once it's cashed mail them to Gary Simmet... 1075 Gessert Rd...St. Germain, Wi., 54558 You could also send some snow up this way, we need all we can get. Gary
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By oldcarmark - 16 Years Ago
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Just wanted to offer a little advice.The calipers are real cheap to buy rebuilt.I doubt there is even a core charge.Before you pay to mail them as part of the deal check out the cost to buy exchange ones.If those have been sitting for long time they are likely no good as is.I bought exchange ones and the core was $2.00 each.Just a thought!
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By GREENBIRD56 - 16 Years Ago
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Not only what Mark said - but take a look around on the net - there are some "how to's" on the Mustang sites that show installing the later Mustang aluminum calipers on there.
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By Glen Henderson - 16 Years Ago
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I boxed them this afternoon, spindles, calipers, old bearings, and old pads, just so you can make sure you have the right stuff. I did this because someone else contacted me and wanted it if you did not, but it is yours. I'll mail it tomorrow and give you a total. No need to wait on the check clearing, if we can't trust the people on this site, who can we trust?
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By 55vickey - 16 Years Ago
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Sounds good, I check shipping from your area to here, not to bad but it's a necessary evil. Will the Aerostar coils be to much of a drop with the Granada spindles or will the original springs with the one round chopped out be good?
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By Glen Henderson - 16 Years Ago
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I don't have know about the Aerostar springs, never used them myself, but I think they will lower it somemore.
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By rexbd - 16 Years Ago
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guys, I bought the Lincoln spindles and calipers to do a conversion on my 55 tbird. lower ball joint seems to big for lincoln spindle but upper joint fits fine. Am I confused about this? Can't really crawl under car until next weekend to take a good look at it.
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By rexbd - 16 Years Ago
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I did a quick measurement and the tbird lower ball joint seat measured about 20.5 mm at widest point but the lincoln only measures about 17 mm at widest point so definately doesn't fit. Do I need a machine shop to ream this out to make work or is there a ball joint I can switch to??????
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By 55vickey - 16 Years Ago
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If you type in granada disc in the search section it will bring up the procedure. As I've learned with my switch the lower has to be reamed out to 7 degrees, then all is fine.
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By oldcarmark - 16 Years Ago
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Sounds like you have Granada spindles not Versailles.The lincoln uses a bigger lower joint like the lower joint on your Bird.Anyway all you need to do is take them to a machine shop and have the lower reamed to correct angle as 55Vicky has stated-7 degrees.
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By Glen Henderson - 16 Years Ago
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Gary, I just dropped them off at the Post Office, you should have them by the end of this week. I will send you a PM with the total and my contact info. Thanks, Glen
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