Topic: Front Coil Spring ID

[MWM]

I have chance to get a set of springs for free from a donor '65 mustang. Are there any markings to determine originality? Car is supposedly an A code San Jose.
Thanks!

[rocket289k]

I have chance to get a set of springs for free from a donor '65 mustang. Are there any markings to determine originality? Car is supposedly an A code San Jose.
Thanks!

Hi There,

In many cases you will be able to find a painted stripe on the coils.  However, you'll need to soak them in Evapo-Rust first.  That stuff works great and isn't toxic. 

Pete Bush has a very good blog dedicated primarily to the Mustang Sprint package that documents a ton of information including the various springs installed on early Mustangs.

http://mustangcodex.blogspot.ca/

Regards,

Ron

[Brian Conway]

If your looking for a number stamped on the spring ain't gonna happen.  The color code stripe is your only sure thing.  If you can find any trace of a stripe/color you just got lucky.  The Mustang Restoration Guide indicates for cars from 4/1/65;
 65 HT/FB,  GT, Auto trans, 1 Red Stripe.  1413 load range.  C5ZZ 5310-F
 65 HT/FB,  GT, 3/4 speed & Auto, Manual/Power, 1 Brown Stripe.  1491 load range.  C5ZZ 5310-E

The Spring Load range on all the 289 cars, in this date range, is from 1413 up to 1491.  If you need to be more exact than this you will need to know all the spec's and acc.'s from the donor car.   Then, there is the rear leafs to deal with.   Brian
 

[MWM]

Thanks for the info everyone! Haven't found a stripe yet. Does anyone know what the wire is supposed to mic to? By the way, I already pulled the rear spring and am in the process of stripping. I believe the rears are just black?

[Bob Gaines]

Thanks for the info everyone! Haven't found a stripe yet. Does anyone know what the wire is supposed to mic to? By the way, I already pulled the rear spring and am in the process of stripping. I believe the rears are just black?

No, the rears are just zinc phosphate which is a dark gray.

[J_Speegle]

Thanks for the info everyone! Haven't found a stripe yet. Does anyone know what the wire is supposed to mic to? By the way, I already pulled the rear spring and am in the process of stripping. I believe the rears are just black?

You didn't include enough information  (when the car was built - trans, AC/no AC, PS or no PS, and body type) Without these were kind of in the dark. The Mustang Restoration Guide is simply a reprint of the 72 or 75 version of the MPC that often shows replacement parts and markings rather than original markings IMHO.

As mentioned the rear springs were not painted black (though allot of NOS ones were) not sure that they were originally phosphate and oil (thing it was just darkened metal from the quenching process when forming the springs) though phosphate will reproduce the look well - just don't get them too hot during the process

Believe you will find the resting height to be more of a clue to their past than the wire dia since rust, paint and such can make them slightly different from where they started.

[cobraboy]

Thanks for the info everyone! Haven't found a stripe yet. Does anyone know what the wire is supposed to mic to?

Here you are