Frame / Springs: 56 J rear springs-now with pics

[starliner62]

I'm replacing the rear springs on a 56 Golden Hawk. This looks like an older restoration and was done very well......except for one thing. There is no access hole to remove the front spring bolts. I'm guessing that the inner rockers were replaced at some point, with no access holes.
Am I missing something? I hope someone can tell me a little secret to get these bolts out. I have done Larks and coupes, but this is my first hardtop.
HELP!!!

[JoeHall]

I went out and looked at my 56J earlier this eve. On the outboard side, there is a hole plenty big enough to get a socket onto the bolt head. The nut comes out next to the frame, but plenty of room to get a wrench onto. If yours is missing the access hole for the bolt head, "there's something rotten in Denmark".

[starliner62]

Thanks for looking Joe. It looks like someone over built the inner rocker boxes on this car. I'll have to take some pictures. It looks like I will have to cut an access door in the rocker box to be able to cut a hole big enough to get the bolt out. No big deal, just one of the challenges of working on an almost 60 year old car.

[starliner62]

Just looked at the car again and I think I'm going to have to cut a flap in the inner rocker to get my 90 degree drill to where the spring hole should be and drill away.

[JoeHall]

Looks like someone beefed it up like a tank under there, but it is gonna take some cutting and drilling to get to the spring bolt. Overall, it looks pretty good under that car. Why are you changing the springs? Or are you just going to install new bushings? If its the bushings you are gonna have to get at it somehow. But if its just the springs, you can do a lot by beefing it up with a "helper leaf" from an old Stude spring. There have been a couple of good threads on doing that here recently.

[r1lark]

Jamie, are you sure those aren't tanks.........as in 'shine tanks????? Those look awful big, would probably hold a lot of squeezin's.

[starliner62]

The springs are so weak, the car almost sits on the rebound bumpers. I think a little overkill was used on the rocker boxes. I'll figure something out. Paul, the car came from Puerto Rico. There is no telling what's in those tanks!!

[ROADRACELARK]

Jamie, You might consider using a 1 1/4 or 1 1/2" hole saw to make it some what easier as well as a neater job. That would also allow you to insert a rubber plug to "seal" it up. Am I missing something, or is that body mount bolt missing?? Hope this helps.

Dan Miller
Auburn, GA

[Roscomacaw]

MAYBE - those "tanks" are holdin' vintage squeezin's - thus the springs almost on the rebound bumpers!

[starliner62]

I took the body bolt out to gain access to the bolt head. I will cut a flap in the bottom of the box, large enough to get my angle drill in there with a hole saw and the cut a hole to access the bolt. I will get a plug for the hole.