Weird. As soon as you release the ball joint the spring pressure should push your lower control arm down until the spring is completely uncompressed. Can you post a video?

Possible binding in the control arm? Try loosening the two bolts holding it to the frame

 

Hmm, that's a good point. I'll try loosening the lower control arm.

 

Did remove the shock?

If you are not changing the bushings or springs, place the jack stands under the lower contol arms, leaving the springs and shocks in place. Let the weight of the car sit on them. Then lift the upper control arm so the spindle comes off the ball joint. Pop out the old one, install the new one, done.

 

Forgot to mention, I'm pulling the springs to cut a tiny amount off to lower the front. It sits too high in the front. Shock is removed.

 

Is the spring loose already? Or does it still have pressure on it?

it could be a short spring with high spring rate thus keeping it high in the front end.

You may just have to now lift up the spindle and upper arm and push down on the lower arm To separate them.

 

The spring still has pressure on it. I'm not sure what springs they are, but they look old. They've been in the car since I've had it. The front sits too high since I put my new motor in, it has aluminum heads, my old motor had iron heads. The front is about 1-2 inches higher now.

 

My stock springs wouldn’t come out either with the lower arm all the way down. The outside of the spring should be off the arm with the back stuck on the LCA center boss. Almost all of the spring tension has been released at this point so put a BIG pry bar behind the spring and it will pop out

 

is the sway bar disconnected?

 

Yes its disconnected

 

My junk is a GP but with the tallest jack stands I have I can only drop the lower arms far enough to aaalmost relieve all spring tension. A light kick with heel liberates the spring gently at that point.

But your lower arm doesn't drop, hmm. Is there any rusty powder like around the bolts? I am thinking when you loosen the bolts, which seems obvious to do... the cause will become more evident.

Because y'know how you have to wait to tighten control arm bolts with car back on the ground? If those were long ago tightened with weight not on the suspension, a possibility exists that a situation developed where the bushing sleeve is now binding in the frame. That may also explain the high ride height because the oh say eighty lbs of lightening shouldn't raise the nose an inch or two.

Suspecting a groove or burr at a bushing sleeve end has developed and that evidence will be visible only with arm removed. Thats my only theory at this point. I'd want to replace LCA bushings anyway due to age. But I am betting theres a bushing sleeve or bolt sleeve issue if the issue persists with bolts loose. Take them good and loose then maybe wiggle a pry bar between frame and bushing, see if you get more movement. It might be that you've only ever driven it with binding control arms.

 

Oh and if the bolt and bolt sleeve have become one due to corrosion, you'll probably need a reciprocating saw.

Taking another direction... I know a guy who lowered his 69 Bonneville by simply torching the springs in place with car on the ground. It worked. Might be wise to have the shocks out if you are gonna try that. It ain't the right way but it's a way.

 

My 67 set way high when I got it. I think the previous owner was going for the gasser look. Anyway, the spring on the passenger side didn't want to come out due to the control arm resting on the header. Removed the header and the control arm dropped far enough for the spring to fall out. Replaced the springs with stock springs and normal ride height was restored. Something to look at if you hadn't already.