Buttercup - My '76 Montego MX Villager

Found out the mid 70's FMC intermediates are actually bigger than the GM down-sized big cars from the late 70's - early 80's.....

................................................Wheelbase.....Overall Length....Width
'76 Montego MX wgn:.................118"...............223.2"..............79.6"
'81 Pontiac Bonneville Safari:......116"...............216.7"..............75.4"

 

Not my choice of wheels, BUT, I really like the stance!!



Beautiful wagon you have, was one 4-sale on my island with a parts wagon posted............... if I only had cash the size of my dreams

 

That wagon is perfect. I love how it looks. All it needs is a more masculine name like MONTY !

 

That's the first thing I thought, and hope that my '79 Chero will have the same stance with similar-sized wheels.

 

really a nice car, indeed!
how much is it lower now in front with the new springs?

 

Thanks! The springs lowered the front about 1 1/4".

 

thanks!
I am thinking about lowering my crownvic too, currently sitting much too high in my opinion. So this gives a good idea how much I should go deeper.

 

Does your '84 Crown Vic have coil springs? I'm not familiar with them. If so, another option is to cut a coil from the existing coil springs. Some folks don't recommend it. But, I've had absolutely no issues with cutting coils on a couple of my cars, as long as you don't go overboard. I wouldn't recommend removing more than 1 coil, maybe a little more. Here are before and after pics of my '77 LTD II wagon after removing 1 coil from the front original springs. It dropped the front a little more than inch.

 

yes, it has coils!
Usually I wouldn´t recommend to cut the springs too.
Maybe with my Ford it will work, but I would loose some pretension, of course, and that´s what I am worrying about. I´d prefer a nonlinear, progressive (is this the correct description??) spring rate. So the length of the spring will stay the same and gives some pretension when the car is lifted.
And of course, coil spring cutting is strictly forbidden in Germany---
So, when it comes to the inspection, it would be better to have springs that look original

 

Springs

https://www.eatondetroitspring.com/products/coil-springs/If you dont want to cut your coils try these guys they can make you new coils what will lower your car.

 

Yep. Eaton is what I used on the front of the Montego wagon, instead of cutting. Side note: I ordered 2" lowering springs, which are supposed to lower it 2" from the factory height. Since the original springs had settled, I experienced a 1 1/4" drop.