LTD II modification questions
Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: Model Specific Forum
Forum Name: 1977-1979 Ford and Mercury
Forum Description: Technical discussion for 1977-1979 Ford and Mercury
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=14577
Printed Date: 26-March-2026 at 5:41PM
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: LTD II modification questions
Posted By: unlovedford
Subject: LTD II modification questions
Date Posted: 18-December-2015 at 2:16AM
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I may be getting an LTD II Sport and have some questions. Info: car has A/C, 351 Windsor, no power windows, locks or seats. Bench seat interior. If I get this car, I want to install a set of springs to lower the front and rear down over the wheels a bit. Wheels will be 17 X 8 front and 18 X 9 rear. 235/55-17 front, 255/55-18 rear. Will install a Lares 841 box and HD CVPI shocks. My typical mods on these cars. Will this combo fit under the fenderwells of this car? They will on a Torino, but these have a different body. Any special issues? What springs and how much to cut to achieve the results I want? Front fenders should come halfway down the tire sidewall top, but no further. Rears should be about the same. I will be tucking the bumpers on it, so how will this affect the value? These are not high-dollar cars, and this will be morphed into a somewhat more mean appearance, but I don't want to ruin the value. Appreciate the advice. ------------- Joe 1972 Mom's Squire Wagon 1972 Torino Wagon 1976 Torino 1968 Cougar XR7-First batch 1972 Torino 460 1989 BroncoII/Jeeps/Titanimous Popeye and Brutus (Rams) |
Replies:
Posted By: fordpower
Date Posted: 18-December-2015 at 6:47AM
| The value is nada or nothing I have asked 3200 for mine and had no responses.As for the one you are looking at it has 76 elete front springs for big motor.Rears are moog self leveling I think. Shocks are gab air on rear and monro on front I believe, again for elete.All bushings are poly .etc. |
Posted By: aquartlow
Date Posted: 18-December-2015 at 8:04AM
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Joe, Not sure if you remember my '79 Ranchero I drove to Dawsonville, it uses the same front fenders as an LTD II. I previously had 255/50/17's on it(20's were on it at Dawsonville) with 17x8's w/ 4.5" back spacing using MOOG 9012 (Lincoln Mark IV)front springs with 1.5 coils cut off and it never rubbed anywhere. The rear springs had about 1 coil cut off with new pigtails formed. I have pics, but Supermotors.net if FUBAR'd right now for some reason. I can't really recommend what spring or how many coils to cut off due to vehicle differences(obviously). KYB gas-a-justs all the way around.
------------- www.supermotors.net/22468 Yeah, It's a Hybrid...It burns gas and tires. No matter how good she looks, somebody, somewhere, is tired of her sh*t. Beauty is skin deep, ugliness goes clear to the bone. |
Posted By: californiajohnny
Date Posted: 18-December-2015 at 12:20PM
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it could depend a lot on the back spacing! how much clearance on the outer edge of the fender at the tire on the torino? and the same regarding the inside edge of the tire? i would imagine the inner fender wells are the same, the outer shouldn't be any more than maybe an inch flatter than a torino fender??? just have to try them and see how they fit, have someone turn the steering and watch the tire clearance all the way around lock to lock both sides  ------------- JOHN 74 GRAN TORINO S&H CLONE 74 VETTE CUSTOM 90 S10 BLAZER 4X4 LIFTED 77 CELICA CUSTOM 75 V8 MONZA SUPERCHARGED 79 COURIER VERT. SLAMMED 75 VEGA V6 5 SPD 70 CHEV C10 P/U 68 MUSTANG FB CONVERSION |
Posted By: n2fordwagons
Date Posted: 18-December-2015 at 1:35PM
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1st off. Congrats and Good Luck! Hope you get it. I love LTD II's. Maybe try cutting the existing front coils, to see if you can get the desired drop? That's what I did with my LTD II wagon. Otherwise, the only place that I know of to purchase drop springs is Eaton. They'll be $500 shipped, and give you a 2" drop from factory height. That's the most Eaton is willing to drop. Then maybe you can cut some more from there. I recently called around looking for drop springs for my '79 Tbird, and Eaton was the cheapest place I could find, with the biggest advertised drop. Or, maybe some kinda bag system?Otherwise, I'd go with Todd's ideas. He got a huge drop with his Ranchero, using off the shelf springs, that he cut. Before:   And Todd's Ranchero:  ------------- Jeff 72 base Torino (modified) 72 Gran Torino Squire |
Posted By: Dan the ranchero man
Date Posted: 18-December-2015 at 2:03PM
| My take on this would be anything that has worked for your torino will work on your LTD II. Both cars sit on the exact same chassis platform. The body will actually give you a little more play room in the back. The same in the front. Having both the 74 and 79 rancheros and doing frame offs on both has taught me this. Hope this helps Take care Dan |
Posted By: fordpower
Date Posted: 18-December-2015 at 2:49PM
| Here's hoping you can work something out.I also love those ltd2 and would love to see one with bumpers done right. |
Posted By: Big Bird
Date Posted: 18-December-2015 at 3:00PM
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Wheel wells (flared area) are bigger in the rear than torino, front inner fenders are the same, on the same chassis, so anything that fits torino will work. Rear bumpers are the same as 74-76, but fit the look of the later cars better (designed for big bumpers, not tacked on). Front is just a rework of the Elite clip. ------------- "What we do in full frontal view, is more honest than your cleaned-up mind." Randy 1979 T-Bird 2005 F-150 STX RCSB 4.6, 3.55 LSD How the Heck does a REGULAR CAB SHORTBED weigh over 5200 pounds? |
Posted By: kychevyguy
Date Posted: 19-December-2015 at 2:19AM
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Good luck on this, I love the deuces. But I thought you were trying to get rid of a bunch to make some room? ------------- JT, USAF Ret./Architect 1971 Ford F100 "Lizzy" 1971 Cougar XR7 "Kitty" 1984 Chevy Silverado "Sylvia" 2009 Smart Fortwo Cabrio "Lil Dude" 2015 Volvo XC60 R-Design "Sven" |
Posted By: aquartlow
Date Posted: 19-December-2015 at 2:39AM
Here's a few pics'    I have 2 sets of coil springs that have been cut. Both sets are about 14" total length1) Moog 9012, originally were 17.63" tall and the Moog 6446 were 16.73" tall. These only leave around 1" of space between the lower control arm bumper and the upper coil spring "bucket", this is with BB/C6 and all accessories. I actually cut the bumper in half to lower a bit more when I installed the current HD F150 springs(Moog 80100). ------------- www.supermotors.net/22468 Yeah, It's a Hybrid...It burns gas and tires. No matter how good she looks, somebody, somewhere, is tired of her sh*t. Beauty is skin deep, ugliness goes clear to the bone. |
Posted By: jmen22
Date Posted: 22-February-2016 at 4:11PM
n2fordwagons, do you still have this one? An identical twin (or this one if you no longer have it) live just around the corner from me. Small world.. |
n2fordwagons wrote:Posted By: ssregal39
Date Posted: 24-April-2016 at 3:42PM
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Posted By: lynchster
Date Posted: 24-April-2016 at 4:27PM
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I wouldn't concern myself with NADA. They are always going to be niche cars and will be worth what someone is willing to pay for them. On the other hand, none of the changes you propose are irreversible with sockets and wrenches. Have at it! ------------- Chuck 72 Gran Torino Sport 13 Taurus SHO "Mr Pig" |
Posted By: aquartlow
Date Posted: 25-April-2016 at 5:42AM
Sorry not to get back to you sooner. It is just an LTD II hood with a '69 Cougar Eliminator scoop attached, the hood is cut through with a fabricated ram-air/fresh-air ducting. The engine pulls very little to no air from under the hood. ------------- www.supermotors.net/22468 Yeah, It's a Hybrid...It burns gas and tires. No matter how good she looks, somebody, somewhere, is tired of her sh*t. Beauty is skin deep, ugliness goes clear to the bone. |
Posted By: Regul8r 2
Date Posted: 12-June-2016 at 11:31AM
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77-79 Ranchero and LTDII are the same front ends. They also share the same HOOD from the 74-76 Elite. the fender flare is the same on the all the cars except the 72's with the lower front edge. Tires and rims on the front fit the same on all our models. Rear is where the Torino is different, the Torino has a straight side rear quarter where all the others have a much wider flared wheel well. The same rims and tires that were getting DESTROYED on the Torino, barely touch on the Elite! ------------- Carl, Member/Admin since 07. Still the same admin/moderator REGUL8R just needed a 2nd account for more picture space. Owner- www.CaNDeCustoms.com |