ESPO looking to reproduce a Fuselage Shackle

[polara71]

Two winters ago I replaced the springs on my Missouri convertible. I usually dont replace the shackles, just the bushings and springs. On this car though my shackle bolts snapped. I called ESPO and Laura was quick to help, or so she thought. The shackle they had been selling as a replacement for Fuselage C bodies was straight like a B body shackle , it had no offset.
Laura at ESPO was very perplexed at the shackle type, hasnt seen one before like this, but these are all I know.
It took a while for me to get her the used bad shackles but last fall she had requested I send her my used shackles as ESPO would like to reproduce these. Of course, expense will be an issue and the determining factor if they do go through with the endeavor. I hope they do

I bought my replacement shackles from Murray. He had to go through several to get me a couple good ones since they all kept snapping snapping as he tried to loosen the nuts.


Please, support ESPO........

 

[Big_John]

An alternate to repoping new shackles could be rebuilding the old ones with new pins.

 

[polara71]

Correct. The long pin however is the key here. It appears that it is unique to our Cs so that is the focal point

 

[Big_John]

The pin is the easier part to have made. I'll bet there's some other application that uses the same long pin too. We just haven't stumbled across it yet.

 

[polara71]

The length of the pin being unique was from ESPO , I presume they have seen some pins.

 

[330dTA]

Forgive me asking, but:

What is so specific about that piece of twisted flat iron that an able metalman cannot reproduce? (Not counting the cost of time, of course.)

 

[Big_John]

Forgive me asking, but:

What is so specific about that piece of twisted piece of flat iron that an able metal man can not reproduce? (Not counting the cost of time, of course.)

There really isn't anything special about it.

The issue is duplicating the shackle in fit, function, and appearance... and doing so at an affordable price.

From what I've experienced, if the long pin could be replicated, the shackle can be rebuilt using a short pin from a B body Mopar shackle and the new long pin.

I also think the long pin could be replaced with a grade 8 bolt with a sleeve.

 

[polara71]

I don't think a simple grade 8 is bolt would be sufficient. The pins have grooves to lock them in place and to keep them from rolling, no?
I'm no engineer but I presume there is a reason for that

 

[Big_John]

I don't think a simple grade 8 is bolt would be sufficient. The pins have grooves to lock them in place and to keep them from rolling, no?
I'm no engineer but I presume there is a reason for that

That's true and I probably over simplified my explanation. There would be a sleeve that would be the diameter of the original pin. The sleeve would be pressed in or welded to one side of the shackle and the bolt would pass through the sleeve. The other side of the shackle would just be bolted against the sleeve and short pin as normal.

The best option is still a replacement pin, but I'm tossing out some options if that isn't possible.

One thing... and this is just my observation.... The shackles I have really need a replacement lower pin. The lower pin going through the leaf spring and maybe getting a little more wear and corrosion. Is this the way they all seem to be? Or was that just how mine happen to have ended up?

 

[polara71]

The pins seem to be soft and yes, corrode easily

 

[Fratzog]

Very good reference info for anyone running into this issue. I didn't realize there was a difference between C's and other body types.

 

[1966newport]

when did that shackle start? my 66 doesnt have it

 

[Big_John]

when did that shackle start? my 66 doesnt have it

Started 1969. I'm not sure what the last year for them is, but definitely 69-71.

 

[cantflip]

Started 1969. I'm not sure what the last year for them is, but definitely 69-71.

Is that the same as the Formal shackle? I have to go make the donuts, but this would interest me if they became available.

 

[tallhair]

I have to go make the donuts

 

[monaco75]

Is that the same as the Formal shackle? I have to go make the donuts, but this would interest me if they became available.

No they are diferent designs. Formals are straight.

 

[polarus]

Started 1969. I'm not sure what the last year for them is, but definitely 69-71.

My 72 uses these so I would think they go to 73 at least.

 

[Samplingman]

A potential solution mentioned on another thread, thanks to BIGBARNEYCARS:

Easier to start ah thread then to find the one I'm lookin' for

 

[Big_John]

Bringing this thread back from the dead...

I'm swapping the rear shackles on my '70 300 vert. I bought a nice pair from out west a few years ago and just getting around to changing the old ones out.

The original shackles on my car were hacked up when the PO took the car to a "good" spring shop. At the time, these were the only ones I could find and came off a friend's '70 300 he was scrapping. This car spent its life in Ohio and you can see the rusty pin. It worked for 10 years, so I can't complain.

But here's the funny thing... Look closely at these 2 pictures. The old appears that the pins aren't parallel, but that's mostly the camera angle. The new has some oversprayed paint on the pins.

See the difference? The replacements have the pins pressed in from the straight side.

I'm thinking that this winter I'll get another straight shackle and see if that shorter rusty pin can be replaced.

One other thing... I was wrong in an above post. These offset shackles didn't get used in 1969. They started being used in 1970.

And some more discussion in this thread, starting at post #46. Rear Shocks and Springs: One Day?