Had new tires and an alignment on my 66 yesterday. The mechanic couldn't align the front end (have F-body front disc w/Global West upper control arms, installed about 4 years ago). He said the 427 has taken its toll on the frame... frame spread. Asked him should I install the Moog offset upper control arm shafts. He recommended to have the frame straighten. His logic was for a car as nice as mine, "Why put a bandaid on it?”.

There is a good body shop it town I trust to do the work. I tend to agree with the alignment guy but need advice from other A-body owners. What do y'all think? (Hey, I'm in Arkansas. Gotta throw in some southern drawl!)


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Get the frame straightened... It's better than any bandaid that can be applied and you'll appreciate it more. Besides, the bandaid will only buy you a little time and you'll have to do it later anyways.


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The proud owner of a Canadian 64-SS. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif
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[This message has been edited by Canuck64ss (edited 06-20-99).]

I haven't finished my restoration yet, but I put the Moog offset shafts on right away with my tall spindles as I seem toi remember reading that this was required anyway.
did the mechanic say the frame was sagging based on not being able to align it, or did he actually make measurements?

I thought with F body spindles, you ended up with alot of shims, and that it would take ALOT ( as in : an impossable amount)of frame sag to get to the point to where the crossbar was up against the frame mount. Is it possible your mechanic saw so many shims, and not knowing it was the results of an F body spindle in an A body, assumed that there is frame problems without actually trying to align it? The fact that he called it "frame spread" instead of "frame sag" kinda tells me that he is looking at it as if the frame mounts have moves out, requiring "all of those shims", rather than moving in, requiring the removal of shims, which is what generally happens.

[This message has been edited by Gene McGill (edited 06-20-99).]

The offset shafts aren’t required if you use the aftermarket upper a-arms. Yes, the mechanic did put it on the alignment machine. Sorry Gene, my car has NO shims!

Been traveling lately (only in town on the weekends). A friend is going to carry the car to the body shop Friday. Thanks everyone for the advice.


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We had a shop pull the frame on our '69 Chevelle. We were out of shim and still needed more adjustment. It costs a few bucks but everything looks original, alignment is right and there are some shims for further adjustment if it is ever needed. The cost wasn't too bad either.