Ride height

[Stephen Davis]

I hope this is not a silly question.I need to know the ride height of a 1960 Hawk.It is without the engine and sits high.Anyone have an idea of the height.
Thanks

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by Stephen Davis

I hope this is not a silly question.I need to know the ride height of a 1960 Hawk.It is without the engine and sits high.Anyone have an idea of the height.
Thanks

All (front engined) cars will sit quite high in front if the engine is not there. Especially ones sprung for a Stude V8 .

Once you get the engine (and other parts) back in the car and all the fluids in it, let it "settle" for a week or so, then see if you like the ride height. IMHO, it's more important that YOU like how it looks rather than what it looked like in 1960.

At least in the '50s, when Studebaker was photographing a car for an ad, they would put blocks under the tires on the opposite side of the car they were photographing in order to make the car look lower. Even Studebaker wasn't happy with the stock ride height

[Frank Starr]

I hadn't heard that block story before! Might explain why certain models seem to sit differently in different photos, even though they're factory photos.

Nonetheless, the question of original ride height is a good question. Unlike most manufacturers, Stude just doesn't provide that data. Most manufacturers give the chassis height above a level floor front and rear. This info is useful to evaluate suspension spring sag.

The best I've found for Stude is an overall height figure, although you usually have to dig for that. It may be in the shop manual, but more typically not. As I remember, for the 55 it's in the owner's manual. Or, the old Motor's magazine ran an annual show issue with detailed data tables.

Of course, this is just one data point. The assumption that I've decided to make is that the frame is supposed to sit level to the floor, i.e., without a rake front to rear. Assuming that, you can then determine a ride height from the overall height (assuming you have the correct size tires on the car).

The strangest number is in the 64 manual, which gives the dimension from the floor to the bottom of the differential. What the hell good is that - that dimension is controlled entirely by the tire size?

Frank Starr
Seattle

[Alan]

I have found the best way to check for sag is to put a level on the lower A-arm it should be level on the top and the spring should be compressed to a 10" working height.

[Dwain G.]

You might be able to find that information in an old body shop spec manual. The closest I can get is from a Motor Magazine (June '64) for a 1961 Hawk. It says 6 47/64" measured from 'floor to body sill, in line with door seam'. (floor meaning garage floor.

Dwain G.

[klifton1]

Special Interest Autos magazine lists the ground clearance as 6.5 ins.
on most Hawks.
Klif