Topic: Are these upper control arms original?

[dsielke]

I am starting to get together the parts and supplies to cleanup and restore the front suspension on my convertible. I now know the strut rod bushings and lower control arms are aftermarket so it put the uppers in question for me as well. They appear to be over sprayed with the same undercoating I have been cleaning off of the undercarriage, but it could just be road grime. I have owned the car for more than 20 years and never touched any of the suspension components... yet.

[carlite65]

clean them up some more around the ball joint area & repost please. need to see the rivits top & bottom.

[jwc66k]

clean them up some more around the ball joint area & repost please. need to see the rivits top & bottom.

Plus, on the underside, upper right hand corner towards the fender apron, there should be markings - a vendor logo and possibly a date code.
Jim

[J_Speegle]

Agree with the others - going to take some cleaning to confirm details. We at least know that someone has been in there before given the front spring mount/saddle, cotter key and the shocks

[dsielke]

Agree with the others - going to take some cleaning to confirm details. We at least know that someone has been in there before given the front spring mount/saddle, cotter key and the shocks

I replaced the shocks with motorcraft shocks when I did the engine compartment. If the saddle is aftermarket there is a good chance the upper arms are too.

[J_Speegle]

I replaced the shocks with motorcraft shocks when I did the engine compartment. If the saddle is aftermarket there is a good chance the upper arms are too.

Not saying the saddles are aftermarket (Ford sold a version like that- rubber insulator pads)  just they have been changed

Upper A arms appear to have rivets so they may be originals or service replacements but we need a better look and more details to evaluate

[dsielke]

This is the best I could get without lifting the car and taking off the wheel, regrettably don’t have time for right now, sorry.

As is I can enjoy the car ( take it to cars and coffee and local shows ) so I am trying to get the parts found and collected before I take the front suspension completely apart. Just want to make sure I know what I need to still find before I take it apart so it’s down the least time possible.

[carlite65]

imo the rivits look original. replacement ball joints are almost always bolted in.

[ChrisV289]

Clean up around the area that faces out by the ball joint. Should be a two digit code.

[J_Speegle]

Looks like originals or old service replacements only based on the limited amount of things we can see.  Numbering on the boots might provide some important info as to time period

[Bob Gaines]

This is the best I could get without lifting the car and taking off the wheel, regrettably don’t have time for right now, sorry.

As is I can enjoy the car ( take it to cars and coffee and local shows ) so I am trying to get the parts found and collected before I take the front suspension completely apart. Just want to make sure I know what I need to still find before I take it apart so it’s down the least time possible.

The uppers may be original Ford but they are a later 70's  service replacement type version. The lip on the boot indicates it is of the later style boot with a hard embedded ring that holds the boot in place. The assemblyline boot does not have that lip on the top side of the retaining ring but on the bottom side where the ring holds the boot securely in place.