Broken lower shock mount

[clamper]

Alright it has been great running around town in the "T", lots of looks and the feeling of the power is great. I just got back from the local weekly car show and on the way I felt something is the rear not feel right. After parking I got out and found that the right lower shock mount was broken. When I started looking closer and found that the lower shock mount was welded to the brake backing plate? I really never notice that they were mounted there. I've traced enough information about the build of this "T" to know it was built sometime around 1969 and welding to the backing plates may have seemed like a good idea. I have attached a before picture. Does anyone have suggestions on how to mount the shocks with out going to the backing plates? The upper mount does not look like it can be modified. I was thinking of attaching something to the rearend housing that would hang down and keep the angle of the shock about the same.

 

[donsrods]

One thought is to run short shocks that have a threaded stud on each end up through the coil springs. Car Craft built a T with coil springs all around years ago and that is how they did it. The lower mount could even be the kind where two bolts hold the bracket that is a permanent part of the shock.

Don

 

[putz]

Mine are mounted through the spring. But you could make plates that mount with the Ubolts and mount directly to the axle. With a stud or a hole for your shock stud to mount to.

 

[Tbucit]

Through the spring is one way,but some will say that it does nothing for how the car handles. But I did it this way and it did fine for me. But If there is a way to come up with a bracket from under the coil cup that extended to the same location you might could use the same shocks.
Need a closer pic of the set up to see if something could be done.
Randall

 

[Youngster]

You deffinately want to get the bottom shock mount off the backing plate. The shocks mounted through the coils would be a great upgrade for you. I would guess the coils are Corvair or an equivilent so you could source the shocks from there. Without seeing the top cup for the shock, it's hard to tell if that will work. The top of the 'vair shock has a stud. Might not be room to go through the top cup. The bottom has a bar type mount like Don mentioned. Here you will have to add a plate a couple inches lower than the bottom cup. Let me know if the top cupis beside the frame rail or under it.

Ron

 

[butch27]

Right through the coils like Total does.

 

[clamper]

I like the idea of going thru the spring cups. With the weight on the car there is 9 inchs between the top of the top cup and the bottom of the bottom spring cup. I have only one inch between the top cup and the gas tank, not sure if that will work. Has anyone had there shock mounts attached to the track arms? I believe I could weld at shock mount that would put the shock somewhere near the original spot. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

 

[Youngster]

You could do that and use a pair of the short shocks from Speedway or Pete and Jakes.

Ron

 

[Ted Brown]

Auto Zone sells a gas filled shock real reasonable, 5/5" eyes at both ends, 14 1/2" long fully open....