Topic: 1968 UCA ball joints

[CT428CJ]

 I am just starting the process of restoring the upper & lower control arms in my April 1968 Dearborn built 428CJ Mustang. I originally completed the restoration of my car in the late 1980's using replacement LCA's and refinishing the UCA's.
 My car had 26,500 miles on it when I restored it. Fortunately, I kept the original LCA's plus the upper ball joints. At the time I didn't think too much about the upper ball joints being bolted in although they sure looked original. Tonight, I cleaned off the seals and noticed that they have Ford part numbers on them.
 I'd like to get opinions on whether it is possible that they are original to the car.

[TLea]

They appear to be genuine Ford, whether or not original to your car I cant tell. Cant explain the bolts either. Maybe they were serviced early on.

[J_Speegle]

Remember some aftermarket/replacement ball joints using the Ford boots years ago. Think the ball joints were made by out side vendors using the boots (since they were being installed with their ball joints anyway) its sort of a natural.

IMHO service replacements. If they were/are in good shape you could always reuse them and just have them riveted in to your arms. Doing this on my Boss currently - since I've got to replace two boots that are torn (mine were still the original riveted ones)

[CT428CJ]

Thanks for the input.

I should add a little more information...

I am the second owner and I have documentation that the car had not been on the road since 1970 when I bought it in 1978.

I suspect that it is not likely that anyone had repro ball joints for these cars in the early '70's although it is possible that the uppers could have been serviced using Ford parts.

I replaced them because they were siezed but I suppose I could separate them and try to clean them up.

[CharlesTurner]

Don't think "repro" was inferred, rather "replacement" parts.

The ball joint looks original to me, but with it being bolted on, it doesn't follow the normal pattern of riveted joints.

With a car like a CJ, lots of stuff can get tweaked that normally wouldn't happen on something like a standard 289 or I6.  Really no telling what the story is.  If you have the original upper control arms, maybe there are marks around where the rivets would have been?

[CT428CJ]

I don't recall seeing anything but I will check again.

[J_Speegle]

I suspect that it is not likely that anyone had repro ball joints for these cars in the early '70's.

I purchased them in the late 60's (bolt in replacements from suppliers like Moog) They we're considered "reproductions" back then - just repair parts


Ford also carried them - since not everyone wanted to spend all the money to buy the whole a arm

[TLea]

Are they the original cut back control arms?

[CT428CJ]

Yes, they are the cut back control arms.