‘61 Newport that is new to me- sorting her out and trying to identify some parts….

[Nellie Newport]

Not all oil pans have numbers stamped into them.
I think this is the same as yours. It measures about 5.5” deep at the deepest point by the drain plug.
I can get more measurements off of it if needed and it is available for sale.
I think the pick up goes with it. Both came with a ‘66 Imperial parts car that did not have an engine or trans when I got it.
View attachment 674381View attachment 674382View attachment 674383

Hi detmatt,

Here’s the pic of the dimension I need. Thank you!

 

[detmatt]

Hi detmatt,

Here’s the pic of the dimension I need. Thank you!
View attachment 674897

I’ll get that for you in the morning.

 

[Nellie Newport]

I spoke with Roger at AAJ brakes today- they looked at the pics and confirmed that it was their conversion. The 11” Rotors are 1976 Dodge Dart. Roger was great to deal with, and was extremely helpful.

 

[fury fan]

Please pull those spindle bearing adapters off and inspect their ID, and the OD of the mating area on the spindle journal, to see if any wear.

IMO those bearing adapters are a poor method to make a disc brake retrofit, as they create an additional interface surface that is never used in an OEM design.
They would need to be super-precisely machined on hte ID and OD (on the order .005 or less?). Not easy to do on such a thin-wall, multi-diameter item.
If those adapters have any movement vs the spindles (like ratcheting slightly with every brake application) they could be wearing.

If they are press-fit or Lock-Tited, perhaps it's OK.
But if it's metal on metal with a slipfit (like the ID of a bearing race) and the components don't have the right hardnesses, it could be ugly.

I've mentioned this in various forums over the last 20 years, and have never gotten a response from anyone that defended (or could explain) the engineering and/or installation of these adapters.
As you've gotten a car that had the kit installed, you can provide some valuable info.

I have some info on your other questions:
A 3/4" front bar made a noticeable downgrade on my 65 Chrysler when I removed it to repair bushings. So a 3/4" bar with good bushings will help your car noticeably.
If Firmfeel has one that will fit yours, the 1-1/8" size will be even better. (I have one on my 68 Fury)

The PS pump you have involves a rubber bumper down in the bracketry. The bracket at the top has been added by someone.
See this thread, esp post #14, for a good explanation of that engineered bracket setup:
66 New Yorker 440 info

 

[Nellie Newport]

Please pull those spindle bearing adapters off and inspect their ID, and the OD of the mating area on the spindle journal, to see if any wear.

IMO those bearing adapters are a poor method to make a disc brake retrofit, as they create an additional interface surface that is never used in an OEM design.
They would need to be super-precisely machined on hte ID and OD (on the order .005 or less?). Not easy to do on such a thin-wall, multi-diameter item.
If those adapters have any movement vs the spindles (like ratcheting slightly with every brake application) they could be wearing.

If they are press-fit or Lock-Tited, perhaps it's OK.
But if it's metal on metal with a slipfit (like the ID of a bearing race) and the components don't have the right hardnesses, it could be ugly.

I've mentioned this in various forums over the last 20 years, and have never gotten a response from anyone that defended (or could explain) the engineering and/or installation of these adapters.
As you've gotten a car that had the kit installed, you can provide some valuable info.

I have some info on your other questions:
A 3/4" front bar made a noticeable downgrade on my 65 Chrysler when I removed it to repair bushings. So a 3/4" bar with good bushings will help your car noticeably.
If Firmfeel has one that will fit yours, the 1-1/8" size will be even better. (I have one on my 68 Fury)

The PS pump you have involves a rubber bumper down in the bracketry. The bracket at the top has been added by someone.
See this thread, esp post #14, for a good explanation of that engineered bracket setup:
66 New Yorker 440 info

Thanks for the info on the power steering pump. That is now on my long list of squawks to deal with….

Regarding the spindle adapters, I agree that there is cause for concern- I have used this design before in other kits- sometimes they performed flawlessly and sometimes they didnt…..the last time I installed a set from CPP on a ‘50 Chevy, they were not a very close tolerance fit and I was left using the Loctite bearing retainer product to fill the margin. It is still in service, but I pull the wheels every 10k miles or so to check them. So far, so good. I have also seen other cars with adapters that have rotated- not good.

The adapters on my spindles have apparently been on there for about ten years- they have not moved/rotated/cracked/scored/shown any signs of any kind of wear, and they still look brand new. Based upon my inspection, I am going to leave them alone. I presume the reason that these are performing as intended is because this particular kit had good tolerances and good quality control. So, I will keep these.

Used anti-sway bars are quite expensive- I appreciate your review, and if after driving the car again, the body roll is excessive, it is good to know that the 3/4 bar actually makes a difference. I am still searching for an aftermarket bar that will fit…

The entire front end suspension and steering was removed, blasted, inspected, and then painted with SPI epoxy. All my bushings/ball joints/toe rods just showed up, so I’ll be going to town on the front end this weekend.

I’m picking up rear axle today. It’ll have 3.23 gears now, with new bearings, seals, studs (all RH threads!) New bushings are in the leaf springs now, and after I paint the rear axle it’ll go in probably on Monday, then I’ll be fabricating new brake lines. Then oil pan gets replaced.. lots to do.

This is my first time installing screw-in ball joints. Removal was impossible without the special socket, cleaning the exposed threads, soaking in penetrant and then using an impact driver.

Question:
Anyone have any advice/tips for installing the new ones? I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to coat the threads with Loctite bearing retainer before installation- the threads in the arms appear a little bit “flattened”, and I assume that this is somewhat normal?

The used torsion bar bolts & pivots cleaned up very nicely, so that is ready to go. Had to find some new heavy duty washers (McMaster Carr) for the lower arm shaft bushing nuts as mine were pretty messed up (curled). High strength washers I ordered fit perfectly.

 

[CBODY67]

The "somewhat flattened" threads are probably intentional, making them "prevailing torque" rather than not. Chevrolet did that on some years of exhaust manifold to exhaust pipe studs/nuts. For some reason, it seemed they varied from normal thread depths using prevailing torque lock nuts to studs with flattened threads and normal nuts. Seemed that every time one of our techs removed an exhaust manifold, we always sold them 2 studs/nuts per manifold in the 1990s.

Keep up the good work,
CBODY67

 

[Torky]

In your "spare" time, I would appreciate pix of Fender and VIN tags for your '61 NP. I'm expanding my decoder to '60 & '61 Chryslers and need more examples. Newport data is helpful as all options are shown. The same request is made to other owners of '60-'61 Chryslers, DeSoto's or Imperials.

 

[fury fan]

...
Used anti-sway bars are quite expensive- I appreciate your review, and if after driving the car again, the body roll is excessive, it is good to know that the 3/4 bar actually makes a difference. I am still searching for an aftermarket bar that will fit…


Question:
Anyone have any advice/tips for installing the new ones? I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to coat the threads with Loctite bearing retainer before installation- the threads in the arms appear a little bit “flattened”, and I assume that this is somewhat normal?

Did your car have a factory swaybar, does it have frame brackets?

If not, now is the time to do it, while it is partially disassembled. My 68 Fury had no factory swaybar, so I made/welded frame frame brackets on while the radiator support, grille and bumper were out for other repairs. Even then, there wasn't a lot of space to get a welding helmet in the right area.

If you could provide some measurements of your car's layout of strut bar angles/distances, I can assist you to see if a C-body bar will fit. If so, you ought to be able to score one of those on a budget.
Frame brackets can be made from angle-cut box tubing without too much fuss.



Those BJ threads look fairly normal to me. Some guys put a few tackwelds between BJ and control arm, but I've never seen the need for it on any of my stuff.

 

[Nellie Newport]

In your "spare" time, I would appreciate pix of Fender and VIN tags for your '61 NP. I'm expanding my decoder to '60 & '61 Chryslers and need more examples. Newport data is helpful as all options are shown. The same request is made to other owners of '60-'61 Chryslers, DeSoto's or Imperials.

View attachment 676319

I’ll get this for you this weekend

 

[Nellie Newport]

Did your car have a factory swaybar, does it have frame brackets?

If not, now is the time to do it, while it is partially disassembled. My 68 Fury had no factory swaybar, so I made/welded frame frame brackets on while the radiator support, grille and bumper were out for other repairs. Even then, there wasn't a lot of space to get a welding helmet in the right area.

If you could provide some measurements of your car's layout of strut bar angles/distances, I can assist you to see if a C-body bar will fit. If so, you ought to be able to score one of those on a budget.
Frame brackets can be made from angle-cut box tubing without too much fuss.



Those BJ threads look fairly normal to me. Some guys put a few tackwelds between BJ and control arm, but I've never seen the need for it on any of my stuff.

The car has no sway bar brackets. I have no doubt that the sway bar will improve the driving experience, but I’m getting a little heat about turning the car into a “my project”…..so I need to get the car back on the road for at least a little while, even if it means more work for me in he long run.

I very much appreciate the offer to help find a bar that will work. I need to study up on exactly how the factory bar mounts- I have seen a pic of a used bar with the brackets, but haven’t seen a drawling or pic of it installed on the car yet. Not sure where to measure from for dimensions yet.

Interesting about some guys tacking the ball joints in- I was standing there looking at them wondering what I would do if they didn’t install securely, and tack welds looked like a viable option, although no fun for the next guy to deal with!

we have a wildfire burning close by, so priorities have shifted for the weekend…

 

[Nellie Newport]

Here’s two pics of a ‘61 Newport sway bar I was/am considering that comes with all brackets and linkages…

 

[fury fan]

That is roughly the shape of a C-body swaybar, IMO you should grab that while it's available.
Then later you could see how it measures up to a C-body bar, for spread-and-reach of the ends

C-bodies front bars came in 7/8" and 15/16" diameters.

 

[Nellie Newport]

That is roughly the shape of a C-body swaybar, IMO you should grab that while it's available.
Then later you could see how it measures up to a C-body bar, for spread-and-reach of the ends

C-bodies front bars came in 7/8" and 15/16" diameters.

The one pictured is supposedly 3/4" dia... but that might be incorrect. Thanks for the info.
Dave

 

[fury fan]

For a late 50s/early 60s car, 3/4" wouldn't surprise me.