Inliners International Forums General Discussion Drive Train Lowering a '65 Falcon Ranchero?

Has anyone successfully lowered a '64-'65 Falcon?

I feel like I'm gonna get nose bleed from the altitude, every time I get in my Ranchero.......it looks like a 4WD sitting in my driveway!

Because of changes that would occur in the front end geometry, I've been told that it's almost impossible to lower a Falcon
and keep it aligned.

What about lowering spindles?

Wouldn't that be a viable way to lower the front end, while not making the vehicle rough on tires, or being unsafe?? I haven't been able to find a company who has them, however.

I'd like to chat with anyone, who has any experience with lowering A Falcon.

I have a friend who would like to hear about this also!!! I OL REDNECK

Darrell, I found this site for spindles...haven't called them yet, tho.

http://dearbornclassics.com/catalog/search?year=65&model=X&super=lowering+spindles

Here's an interesting site, that shows some modifications Shelby did for Falcons, that entails moving the upper control arm it lowers the front end some and makes the car handle better in turns, but the way I read it, it says that tire wear becomes an issue, then.

The 4th chapter explains Shelby's modifications.

http://www.joesfalcon.com/news.html

Hope this helps.

As an interesting note; I read that Shelby built 3 '64, or '65 Falcon Ranchero's. Two are supposed to be in the hands of collectors and one is up for auction....I think the bidding is a little high, though....If I remember right, they're starting at about $200,000! You might say that's a LITTLE high, but it's got very few miles on it!

Dang! I've lived in towns that didn't cost that much!

IIRC the falcon has the same front suspension as the mustangs of that year. If that is the case, the upper control arm relocation mod is a MUST. It will transform the car. The only tire wear issue I had was that it quit wearing just the outside edges of the tires. Then put in a drop spring, usually they are just 1" drop, but you dont want any more than that with the relocation. These two mods dropped my ride height 2 1/4". Now put a front & rear swaybar and good shocks on it, some sticky tires, and start hunting vettes!

I still live in a town that wouldn't cost that much!! Thank I'll pass that on. He has a 64 falcon wagon WITH THE RANCH INTERIOR. 1 OL REDNECK

I have never owned a Falcon, but was looking real hard at a '64 hard top (the one with no post, not a retractable roof, different critter entirely).

I noticed the need for the altitude adjustment and started doing research (not the only work the car needed, so I didn't buy it).

I found Global West (yes I know it says 68-71 Tomato on the top of the page, but check the chart below).

Neat stuff.

I also rediscovered PST I've used their bushings, good stuff.

An old Mustang driver ('65 IIRC) told me it wasn't worth doing anything to the suspension without Urethane bushings at least, and these (PST) don't squeak.

He also told me the suspension was the same under those year Mustangs (till '67 or '68) as the Falcon.

OK, here's what I've learned, so far:

I found the modification, that Rick mentioned, on the Internet.

(See Chapter 4 in this article: http://www.joesfalcon.com/page14.html)

The article says this will lower the front 1" and put the suspension in a better handling mode. A lower front spring will lower it further, but to be safe, cut a little off at a time, or buy a lowering spring.

Apparently, Shelby figured this out and was the first to do the upper arm repositioning, that Rick mentioned. I read that he built 3 Shelby Rancheros, in '65. One is supposedly up for auction with a reserve price of over $200,000!

Looks like I got a real deal when I bought mine!