SPArKy_Dave

If it were me, I'd try and buy the whole Panelvan. An April 99 XH panno, is the cream of the crop IMO. Factory Hybrid OHC, Central Locking, Tubliner, Silver Sunraysia wheels. As new as you'll ever get, in a Falcon panelvan.

I also thought the boxes are all the same internally. I'll ask old Gaz. He used to work at KirbyBishop/TRW/Reliable Rack and Pinion - where these things were made. I always thought the assistance level, would be governed by the pressure valve, in the back of the power steering pump, behind the high pressure line output. XD's and early XE's, ran the C2 pump from factory also. Those may have offered less hydraulic assistance?

A loose copy of Pedders maybe, but definitely not Billies or Koni. I'd lose the Ultima's sooner rather than later, if you can afford it. They may be short stroke, but they're certainly not short body shocks like Koni's are. You really need short body shocks.

I've never experienced Bilsteins, but Koni's ride so sublime, compared to anything in the Monroe/KYB/Ultima ballpark.

Have you thought about fitting Bilsteins, or Koni's, and/or shock tower spacers?

I doubt it will bring it back to low height. Maybe superlow height. I'd be inclined to leave the bumpstops shorter.

The difference is in the rocker arm ratio. EA-EL are 2:1, where as AU rockers are 1.8:1. ie, a 244thou cam lobe, will result in 488thou valve lift in EA-EL, and 439.2thou valve lift in AU. EA and early EB rocker gear used 14mm diameter Hydraulic lash adjusters, EB-AU, used smaller 11mm lash adjusters.

It has a points distributor I assume. What broke? Did it come with the original wheels and hubcaps? (and venetians for the rear window) And a lawn bowls hat? What's the colour - is it Ford Kelly Green?

They probably would, but they'd look mighty damn fat.

Ba9s 2w I think.

Why the oddball tierod end?

Do you have more pics of the stub axle setup, and the side-on ride height?

Don't over think it. Just stamp it with the matching number, with a prefix at the end, like JG41xxxxxKD (or W) (D for Dart block or W for Windsor) That's all that's needed. The stamping letters/numbers are 6 or 8mm from memory. If there's any doubt, take a tracing paper rubbing of the current engine no, and go to an industrial supplies place, to match up the correct size.

What part number are the springs? Amazing how it doesn't even look low, in the side on pics - even with no bumpstop clearance. 3 bolt ball joint wedge kits, are available from the USA.

Might even be worth money!

Around $150 - $200 a corner.

Ultima's from memory, aren't they? You can get still Billies like ESP's had. They just don't have the 82DA part number stamped on the body. You could always get Koni's painted yellow too... I have one NOS proper Ford Billie, but that's no good to anyone.

Around $30 for a new receiver drier. Re-use the TX valve, unless its sticking - put it in the freezer to check. O-rings are as follows - Sanden TR compressors Suction - OR9031 (Jayair part) OUNI104 (Adrad) (OD - 23.85mm, ID - 18.69, 2.58mm thick) Discharge - OR9032 (Jayair part) OUNI105 (Adrad) (OD - 20.35mm, ID - 15.19mm, 2.58mm thick) OR TR90 - OR9852 (Jayair part) - square cut o-ring. TX Valve - x2 5/8 - (15.88mm) x1 3/8 - (9.53mm) x1 1/2 - (12.7mm) TX valve flexible hose to hardline - (Pressure switch block) O-ring x1 3/8 - (9.53mm) Hardline to Receiver Drier x1 3/8 - (9.53mm) Hardline (with Schrader valve) to Condenser core x1 1/2 - (12.7mm) Drier, to Condenser core x1 3/8 - (9.53mm)

Whoopsy! Would not have pictured that happening with 15x7 snowies. Probably need to run more negative camber. My XG ute has 16x7 FTR's, and it's never caught the guard like that... I do run a noticable amount of camber though. Have you got a side on pic, to show where the damage occurred, over the arch radius?

The shock absorber will probably bottom out now, before the control arm hits the 'modified' bump stop.

It sat higher, because you jacked up the car, and the weight was off the suspension. Takes a run around the block to re-settle. Was that shock absorber pic, taken at the normal height, or the higher height? Take another bumpstop clearance pic for us too.

Quite possibly... Never believe what the suspension shop dude says...... the fact they sold you Ultima's for an ESP replica build, is an insult to such an awesome car. I'd be surprised if they have much if any travel left. Have you got a pic showing the top of the shock absorber body, with the car on the ground? Any luck getting the part number off the springs? My XG ute springs are King Springs KFFL59 - ordered from Kings powdercoated black - for the stealth look. (cost me $12 extra from memory) And so I didn't have yellow clashing with my nice red Koni's. Since they're in an XG, they sit lower than XF, as the OHC's and 4spd auto's, are a heavier driveline.

It'll probably run out of shock travel first... What I did with the Koni's, is take them out, fully compress them, then I marked a ring around the shaft with a whiteout pen. Then I refitted and noted how much travel the shock had left. That will show, if you need shock tower spacers or not.

Either/or. Depends if you feel like taking the bumpstop plates out to change the bump stops... or not.