Hi,

i need new rear coil springs for my olds f-85 of year 62.
Here in germany, i don't find anything.
My question:
Will fit the coil springs of a cutlass year 67?
Which other springs will fit?

Thanx.

 

Hi,

Unfortunately, the 1961-63 F-85 is completely different from the 1964-67 cars and nothing interchanges. Heck, those springs aren't readily available in the U.S., either. The only other car that has interchangeable parts is the 1961-63 Buick Skylark, which is pretty much identical to the F-85 and equally hard to find parts for.

Your best bet for suspension and brake parts is Kanter Auto Parts. They list coil springs for your car, but don't specify if they are front or rear. I'd suggest contacting them.

 

Joe, would that be the Buick Special rather than the Skylark? ( I don't know for sure off the top of my head). Eaton springs list them for the Special, but no Olds selection for 1962. http://www.eatondetroitspring.com/

 

The Special and Skylark are just different trim levels on an otherwise mechanically identical car, just like the F-85 and Cutlass. All four use the same unibody tub and same suspension, springs, and rear axle for 1961-63.

 

I did a quick search right after I posted, just one of those things that I couldn't remember for sure.

 

Hi Helge. I checked all my interchange books, and as Joe mentioned, the only interchange is with the Buick Special of 1961-1963.
If your springs are not broke, but just sagging, you do have some options.
Look at rockauto.com, find your car, look at rear suspension, and click on coil spring insulator. These will restore the lift to the spring and can buy you some time.
You can also search for air shocks or Air-Lift bags for it. They do show up on ebay once in a while. The Air-lifts are bags that go inside the spring and are inflated, the air shocks have a bladder in them that are filled via a hose.
I am installing air shocks with a ride height sensor in my '61 F85. I found them on ebay last year.
Also, Eaton Detroit Spring will make anything you need, even if it is not shown in their catalog, but it will not be a bargain.
You may also be able to find a local spring shop or race care builder (such as S&N Automobilzentrum in Aachen or KW automotive GmbH,Fichtenberg) in Germany that can create a new set for you.
Good luck on your search, let us know if you succeed.

 

Quick note: a year back I asked about air shocks on my 1964 88 and was cautioned by more then one person not to use them, as the contact points may not be able to take the stress. Is this a possible situation with the 62? Just thinking out loud

 

That's a new one to me. Air shocks and bags have been available as factory or aftermarket options since at least the early 50's, with no changes to the mounting points on the suspension. An air shock does not create any more force than a stock shock. I had them on my '64 Starfire for years with no ill effects.

 

I'll disagree. First, the factory air shocks were designed for occasional use, not constant use to carry the weight of the car. I cracked the frame at the shock mounting point in my 1970 Supreme years ago using air shocks when towing. If you are carrying the weight of the car (and trailer tongue weight in my case), you absolutely are putting more load on the shock attach points than without air shocks. Does this happen a lot? Probably not. Still, I would use air bags mounted inside the coil springs for two reasons. First, this puts the load into the spring pocket, where the frame is designed to carry it. Second, there are no air shocks designed for performance handling. By using a separate air bag you increase your shock valving selection by an infinite amount.

 

Hi,

air shocks/ air lifts don't allowed in Germany when I want to have historic license.
I think I speek with some spring coils manufacture in germany and let them create some new ones for me.
the coil spring insulators are only a solution for some month, I think.

Ther're different version of spring coils for the F-85? For example for the station wagon? My wish for new spring is, to lift the rear a little bit up.

Thanks.

 

So how does that work if the car came with air shocks or springs from the factory?

 

when it came with from the factory or you can buy it for 30 year ago as accessory, then it's ok. But I think the F-85 didn't have it from the factory, or I'm wrong?
Some people in Germany build an airride system in their historic car with a historic license, but it's actually not allowed. When you must go (every 2 years) to the TÜV (German Association for Tchnical Inspection), they can take away your historic license!

 

I looked through all my books, and I find no reference to factory air shocks as an option for the little cars in '61-63.

They were certainly available aftermarket, the most popular being Air-Lift, which is a red rubber bag which goes inside the spring and is filled with a air hose. They were popular in their time because they were a major sponsor of stock car racing in the '50's and early 60's. The Air-Lift number was 55-0318P.

The next most common was Monroe Load Leveler, this was a heavy-duty shock with a slim coil spring around it. That number was LL481.

Air-Lift did not raise the car very much, but they could be adjusted a little bit by playing with the air pressure. The Load Levelers did raise the car, and could normally not be adjusted.

Both types do show up on eBay once in a while. They fit '61-'63 F85 and '61-'63 Buick Special only.

You should be able to use either of these and be able to prove they are legitimate for your car to keep your historic license. It is easy to find advertising for each type and I can make you copies of factory catalogs to show they were available.

Good luck on your project.

 

Hi Jetfire88,

wow, it's very interesting. Thank you for your effort!
Would you give me a copy from the parts in the factory catalog?
With these copies, i can talk to my TÜV-guy.

There were lot of accessories for the F85?

 

Are these Oldsmobile catalogs, or the aftermarket supplier catalogs?

 

Hi Helge,

I have scanned pages from the F85 section of the '62 Olds Accessories catalog, and aftermarket catalogs that show the available shocks for the period.

Unfortunately they are too big to attach. I will re-do them over the weekend and try again, but I have to go to a jam with my girlfriend tonight, she's the drummer in a rock-n-roll band.

Perhaps you can also help me. I am looking for German spec headlights for my OCC.

They fit '91-96 Caprice and Impala SS, '91-'96 Buick Roadmaster Estate, and '91-92 Olds Custom Cruiser, and they interchange with all of them.The lenses are quartz instead of the cheap plastic US spec lamps. If you have any friends that like to prowl junkyards, please ask them to keep an eye open for these for me.

 

If you measure your current spring specs and look up the correct type ends you may be able to find a suitable spring in this link.


http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com...il_Springs.asp

 

Your girlfriend is a drummer in a rock-n-roll band? You must be such a lucky guy!

What is the meaning of quartz lenses? Or do you mean clear glass lenses, such those:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Chevrolet-Cap...item1c3b107fcf


Thank you for the link. If I've no other chance do get some in germany, I will check the site!

 

I have given up trying to get the scans to fit the size limits. I have moved them to an accessible area. You should probably download them to your computer in case I need space and have to delete them. Here they are:

http://my.execpc.com/~jmorris/F85-Accessories-1962.pdf
http://my.execpc.com/~jmorris/F85-Shocks-61-63.pdf

Here is what the Air-Lift units look like. They show up on the 'bay frequently.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/91-96-Buick-...38a4cd&vxp=mtr

The headlights in the ebay listing are the style I am looking for, but those listed are ChinaCrap. I am looking for the factory items. They were made of quartz/glass, and they had a good beam pattern in the glass. Here is a factory set, like I want to find, except these are US spec, and I want the German (European) version.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/91-96-Impala...946690&vxp=mtr

Knowing someone in the band does have it's advantages, at least I don't have to pay the cover charge. Here is the band:
http://therockinrobins.com/

Have you posted and pix of your car yet?

 

Thanx for the scans, I've already downloaeded them.
I am curious what the TÜV auditor says. I'll report...

Your headlights, i'll speak at the weekend to some friends. Maybe someone has an idea.

Yet, I don't have posted. I'll do it, when my exhaust system is ready!