1968 GTX original springs/shackles

[PEIwoman]

Need some advice, please

I replaced my sagging springs with new Mopar springs and shackles.

Now what do I do with the originals? Should I keep them to go with the original numbers matching car, or just sell them?

I have been keeping everything I replace and it is taking up a lot of space now. But thought that if I were to sell the car, a collector might want all of the original pieces.

(alternator, P/S gear box, exhaust manifolds, intake manifold, copper lines, all A/C parts that I took off, etc)

What do you experts think is my wisest option?

Thank you for your input !

PEI

 

[wannadrag]

Give em a pitch into the junk pile.

 

[roadrunnerman]

In my opinion i would sell them. If the springs were bad enuf to replace would they be good for somebody else? Sell what you can to get some money back on what you've bought so far. Some people want all original and some want good parts on a car when they go to buy one.

 

[Basket case]

you can get sprigs rearched. don't know what it costs, so someone may want them. sell'm or pitch'm

 

[PEIwoman]

Yes, they have sagged approx. 2.5 inches so I needed new ones. (I could barely see over the steering wheel!)
My mechanic and I could not find a shop here in Salt Lake to re-arch them.

I didn't know how picky the 'purists' are, so that's why I needed input. They have almost no rust on them!

Thanks a bunch!

- - - Updated - - -

For those purists who want all original, what would a good price to post them at be for nearly rust free, sagged, 1968 GTX rear springs/shackles ?

I haven't a clue....

 

[wannadrag]

The bad part is they would cost more to ship then what there worth.

 

[skyman51]

Give em a pitch into the junk pile.

You will be sorry you did. Those original springs can be re-arched and totally restored and put back together. Check that out before you toss what you can not replace.

 

[MoparMitch]

You will be sorry you did. Those original springs can be re-arched and totally restored and put back together. Check that out before you toss what you can not replace.

X2

 

[wannadrag]

You will be sorry you did. Those original springs can be re-arched and totally restored and put back together. Check that out before you toss what you can not replace.

Maybe for some original numbers type guy or gal but dont you think that 40+ year old spring steel has fatiged some.I am betting they would never hold the arch.Thats why they make new ones so the old can be replaced.Pesonally i would still pitch em.

 

[MoparMitch]

There are litterally hundreds of spring shops across this country that re-arch (and build new springs) for the trucking world. Most of these truckers opt for the re-arch because it is less expensive. Then they proceed to put hundreds of thousands of miles on them without failing. I personally have had several sets re-arched , and yes , it is usually because of an original car, but I have never had a problem with fatiuge or loss of arch. JMHO

 

[Bear R.-]

keep'em.you've kept all the other stuff.id keep these too.restorable or not.if you plan on selling the car some day and you seem to have thought this out,keep all the orig.stuff only because you have been...God Bless Bear R.-

 

[moparmarks]

I get calls all the time for origianl HP springs. If they are clean rust wise sell them or keep them with the car. They can be rearched. If they were from a 318 car then no but they are from a 440hp car.

 

[Propwash]

I'm with Jay on the Leaf springs.....I would also toss the alternator as well, but space is pretty limited in my garage. I wouldn't keep a set of rusty old leaf springs taking up space in my garage in the hopes to score 50 bucks off them someday and it's not like we see a whole lot of guys are here reporting about their re-arch job on their old springs. The most you see about leaf springs is "do I go with the Mopar XHD or SS springs for my ride??"....So demands not really there. Now the exhaust manifolds, intake and A/C stuff you see folks looking for, I would hang on to that.

As far as your shackles...Make sure you don't have any corrosion on the metal sleeving that is under the rubber bushings. Rust/pitting can tear up the bushing from the inside. If they clean up nice, I'd re-use them.

Just my opinion/preference guys.....Not saying anyone is right/wrong. If you got the space or motivation to do so, go for it. Your car-Your parts.

 

[PEIwoman]

Actually, these springs are not rusty much. And they are very clean. This car was born in Los Angeles and has lived in California it's whole life until Labor Day, 2011. Now she is resting, covered, in the garage on top of layers of tarps. There is very little rust on her at all.

The springs were definitely tired though. When I put the new Mopar springs on, the car stood up 2.5 inches!

The bushings do not look good. But the shackles and springs themselves are in good shape. And, yes they do have a tapered sorta look to them on the end.

The numbers on on the springs are:

2539965 & 2539765

Thank you to everyone for your input on this...

If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would want all my original parts, and I would put her together with everything original made new again, where possible, after a rotisserie resto. aaahh, to dream....