Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
Moderator: ABQTBird
Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
Does anyone have a "ballpark" estimate for a complete front suspension rebuild for a 1963 Landau hardtop? Springs, shocks, upper & lower ball joints, labor, etc, etc, etc. Want to have an idea before I go to my local mechanics. Thanks!
- Alan H. Tast
- Posts: 4225
- Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2003 10:52 pm
- Location: Omaha, NE
Re: Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
You can tally up the cost of parts from the T-bird vendors that help support this forum and VTCI, then plan on needing 24 to 40 hours of shop time depending on how experienced and well-equipped they are (presses, specialty heavy-duty spring compressors, alignment rack, etc.), plus add in cost for front end alignment. My gut feel is around $2000 if you pay someone to do all the work and source the parts.
You especially will want to have a specialist take out and replace the coil springs - search this Forum for all kinds of posts about how difficult and dangerous it can be without the proper tools.
You especially will want to have a specialist take out and replace the coil springs - search this Forum for all kinds of posts about how difficult and dangerous it can be without the proper tools.
Alan H. Tast, AIA
Technical Director/Past President,
Vintage Thunderbird Club Int'l.
Author, "Thunderbird 1955-1966" & "Thunderbird 50 Years"
1963 Hardtop & 1963 Sports Roadster
Technical Director/Past President,
Vintage Thunderbird Club Int'l.
Author, "Thunderbird 1955-1966" & "Thunderbird 50 Years"
1963 Hardtop & 1963 Sports Roadster
Re: Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
Most mechanics aren't familiar with our old cars (although they wont admit it) so if you ask for an estimate, it may be very high.
Scott
Scott
1964 Coupe Wimbledon white/Rangoon Red w/black int. Owned for 42 years. It was my folks car before that (second owners). VTCI # 12013.
Re: Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
Thanks for the input! That was about the "ballpark" that I was expecting. Have had the car a little over 3 weeks, and have learned a LOT about the latest and greatest "technology" used then. When I drove it, I knew that there was some work needed in the front end, and "kinda" factored that in. After driving and purchasing, I found out why the previous owner had already driven it before I got there (COM trans issues). The expertise of any shop is always my utmost concern.
Re: Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
Funny you should ask, My bird is going in for a full front end rebuild later next month. It's been about 4 years in the making by acquiring all the parts, wrecking a '63, replacing it with a '61, re-buying all the parts which are different between years, etc.
Have a shop here near Seattle, WA that is a family owned suspension and alignment shop. Real old-school bunch of guys who all cut their teeth on older cars. Between providing all the shop manuals, them having all the old tools, experience and complete customer-supplied parts, they have book time at 10 hours and expect my out-of-pocket labor costs to be about $1,000-$1,500.
Parts included:
- Quikor garage heavy duty front sway bar
- 2" lowering springs and blocks
- new upper/lower ball joints
- Bilstein shocks front/rear
- tie rod end links
- all bushings
- '64 idler arm & Bushing
- alignment
- Saddle bushings & brackets
Have a shop here near Seattle, WA that is a family owned suspension and alignment shop. Real old-school bunch of guys who all cut their teeth on older cars. Between providing all the shop manuals, them having all the old tools, experience and complete customer-supplied parts, they have book time at 10 hours and expect my out-of-pocket labor costs to be about $1,000-$1,500.
Parts included:
- Quikor garage heavy duty front sway bar
- 2" lowering springs and blocks
- new upper/lower ball joints
- Bilstein shocks front/rear
- tie rod end links
- all bushings
- '64 idler arm & Bushing
- alignment
- Saddle bushings & brackets
Stirling Moss once said “There are two things no man will admit he cannot do well: drive and make love.”
But then Albert Einstein replied, “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
But then Albert Einstein replied, “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
Re: Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
El Leon; Labor costs seem a tad high; they estimate 10 hours labor (you're providing all parts??) at a cost of $1,000 - 1,500. What new parts do you have that are 63 specific? Thanks!
Re: Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
Time also involves the rear suspension (shocks, lowering blocks), alignment and E-brake adjustment (the darn adjustment bolt itself has bent so the nut won't thread very well).
At this point the '63 parts I have which won't work on the '61 are a set of BNIB Bilstein front shocks. Somehow the '63 lowering springs have been lost. Then just some duplicate dust boots on ball joints as I went with the upgraded Energy Suspension units (http://www.tbirdgarage.com/Site_2/Resto ... Boots.html)
Ball joints were on-order at the time of the accident, so they let me swap across years.
Stirling Moss once said “There are two things no man will admit he cannot do well: drive and make love.”
But then Albert Einstein replied, “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
But then Albert Einstein replied, “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
Re: Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
Thanks!! Will keep you in mind as I go forward in prioritizing "new ownership" issues.
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- Posts: 18
- Joined: Sat Jun 24, 2023 3:29 pm
Re: Front Suspension Rebuild Costs???
So how much did you end up spending and what all did you replace?
Quoting out my 62 this week for a front end rebuild. At min I want to do the front suspension as it’s developed a bad squeak as it slow rolls down the road from the front end.
Quoting out my 62 this week for a front end rebuild. At min I want to do the front suspension as it’s developed a bad squeak as it slow rolls down the road from the front end.