Thanks to everyone who supplied information, I'll follow it up.. And to Steve; very interesting tech work you've done related to your front suspension..unfortunately 55-6 suspension parts don't fit 57-58 cars.. thanks anyway.


Paul

I just bought a set in a complete front end rebuild kit from Performance Suspension Technology(PST) last month.   SKU# 0FEK00541A at $219.  They offer the ball joints seperate, but the kit is a great value, as you may as well change all the parts while you are doing it.

PST phone #800-247-2288.

Pat Fleischman

A few years ago when the '57-'64 ball joints disappeared from shelves, I bought the next series, '65-? since it looked like the '57 one in the catalog pictures.  I found I needed to grind out the large hole in the A-arm a little, grind a little off the ball joint flange, and redrill the three mounting holes, and it worked fine.  The stud fits the '57 spindle.

John in Selma, IN

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Hello there,You might try Special Interest Cars in Toronto.Largest inventory of obsolete parts in Canada.Specialty is Fords 1-905-844-8063.Email sic@bellnet.ca. He also has a very interesting website.Special interest cars in Oakville Ont web search.I just got a complete NORS dual exhaust systen for my 56 Fairlane from him.http://specialinterestcars.ca

  

I've been fooling around with various ideas for building a more "modern" suspension set-up for my T-bird for quite awhile. These are some adapters I designed for the purpose of putting '65 Dodge screw-in upper joints on the 55/56 A-arms. These are a straight bolt in (and the taper pin fits the Ford spindle correctly) - but they cost a bit to make unless you can machine your own. The steel ring is an internally threaded "builder's aid" sold by Speedway for guys (dirt track racers) that like to weld up their own A-arms. The screw-in uppers are also really popular with the people who build custom arms for the Mustang II front ends. These ball joints can be had for about $15 and the rings are $7-$8 each.   

Unfortunately I haven't tried building the lowers yet - but it certainly looks like there is room to construct a bolt in part for that application. I believe there are screw-in (or press-in) lower joints with the proper pin size for that position too. 

 

The other idea I've been looking at, is to build a replacement upper pivot shaft that incorporates a little more suspension science than was designed-in circa 1955. The Mustang II systems have 3° "anti-dive" for braking stability and it would be a worthwhile improvement for the T-bird. A slight forward shift of the attachment holes would net a bit more caster which I believe would be helpful to highway stability. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Apparently lower ball joints ( part # C1AZ- 3050) for 57s, were discontinued many years ago. I've checked NAPA (Canada) & another local large parts outfit & they don't even list them anymore. I believe this subject came up on the old forum, but I don't recall the solutions. Dennis Carpenter lists them, but I'm in western Canada, so getting them here is expensive & slow. My last order from them took over 3 weeks, which was o.k then, but I'm having a mechanic take the front end apart for new A arm bushings shortly, & a delay like that could be a problem. Is there a substitute joint that fits without significant mods?.. Further if needed, upper "A" arm shafts (partial part # 3056) are no longer available either. Any help appreciated Thanks..

(from near Vancouver B.C. Canada)

Paul