[pumpford]

I bought a really cool 1929 Mercedes SSK built using a 302 V8 engine and C4 transmission from a '74 Ford Maverick. The front end and chassis are from a '73 or '74 Pinto. The car came with these cheesy plastic fakey looking wire wheel basket over a 14" chrome reverse. I found some direct bolt 15"x7" wire spoke wheels for it and proceeded to have the new wheels and tires mounted at my local Goodyear. During the process I requested they do an alignment and was told they did not have the specs to do it on their database.

One of the front wheels is obviously cambered wrong and I need to get the alignment done so I won't ruin the new tires and wheels. Can someone out there provide these specs?? This is a really great car and rides much better than with the 14"x5" tires and wheels it came with. Plus, it's really fast with that 302 up front since the car only weighs 2200 lbs!!

Thank you in advance.

 

[toolguy]

For that suspension set up, I've had good luck with camber @ 0* to -.5*, toe in 1/8" and dial as much caster in as is available, generally 2-3* with the right side caster .3* -.5* more than the left.

 

[DanH]

anyone think to use the Pinto spec's ?

 

[pumpford]

Thank you, toolguy. I guess Goodyear and others think there is no possibility anyone would have a car this old.

DanH, not sure what you meant by 'anyone think to use the Pinto specs' since that was exactly what Goodyear, Midas, Townfair Tire and others did not have in their databases.

So, who is anyone and where are they supposed to get the 'Pinto specs' to use??? Didn't really read the post, did you!

 

[thekingofazle]

Thank you, toolguy. I guess Goodyear and others think there is no possibility anyone would have a car this old.

DanH, not sure what you meant by 'anyone think to use the Pinto specs' since that was exactly what Goodyear, Midas, Townfair Tire and others did not have in their databases.

So, who is anyone and where are they supposed to get the 'Pinto specs' to use??? Didn't really read the post, did you!

Even if they did have the specs, it's likely they wouldn't know how to align it.

We took my sister's '68 Mustang into NTB, where they told us they couldn't align it because it needed new ball joints. The same ball joints that came out of a box and drove 10 miles to the NTB, along with every other suspension component under the car...in reality they just had no idea how to adjust it.

I'd find a guy who's been around a while, and take it to him. He should be able to suggest specs, or you can go with toolguys suggestion, they'll at least get you in the ballpark and driveable without undue tire wear.

 

[DanH]

Thank you, toolguy. I guess Goodyear and others think there is no possibility anyone would have a car this old.

DanH, not sure what you meant by 'anyone think to use the Pinto specs' since that was exactly what Goodyear, Midas, Townfair Tire and others did not have in their databases.

So, who is anyone and where are they supposed to get the 'Pinto specs' to use??? Didn't really read the post, did you!

i READ IT , THOUGHT A BUNCH OF FOOLS LOOKING UP 1929 SPECS. OP , now post where you said what specs they were looking for , the ones I "didn't read"

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

The Folks at the goddamn alignment shop are the FOOLS!

Any good old boy that's been using alignment equipment for more than 5 or 10 years KNOWS what a car needs to keep tracking well adn keep the tires from wearing out.

I've rebuilt entire front ends of car's and sent them to the Alignment shop to come back with less than 1/4" of adjusting needing to have been done!

IT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE, just find a shop without a bunch of Morons working there!!!

 

[DanH]

FE you should know by now if the screen doesnt have it , their lost today

 

[FEandGoingBroke]

That's so true Dan!

 

[thekingofazle]

Exactly. I bet most of them couldn't even tell you what camber, caster, and toe actually do for you anyways, they just change the things the computer says to until the numbers are within tolerance.

 

[pumpford]

I came back and read everything everyone said in their responses. I agree completely. If they can't find it on an automated screen they're completely lost. I was fortunate though. While talking to one of my friends at a neighborhood cookout I found out her dad and brother used to race quite a bit. They live in a town about 20 miles from me and she hooked me up with them and I took it over to their garage later that week.

It took them about 2 hours or so with me sitting in the car holding the brakes for them. I got off pretty good since they settled for a case of Bud a piece!

Thank you to everyone here for your input. The car is running great and feels really good with the wider tires on the wire spoke wheels. At only 2200 lbs. that 302 really is fast!!