My 63 Galaxie wheelbase is off.

[gregaba]

Went to replace the car cover on my 63 today. Of course the fitted cover I ordered doesn't fit.
While waiting for a replacement I was just looking at the car and noticed the back of the rear tires didn't look like they were in the right place, to far from the rear of the lower quarter panel.
I measured the wheelbase on the car and it was 112 inch's. All my books show 119 inch's for a 2 door sedan.
The car has been a race car since new and has 22,000 miles on it. The speedometer has not turned over. I know this car from when I was a teen.
I bought the car because it only had 2 little rust spots on it, one where he drilled a hole for the battery hold down in the trunk and another opposite where he drilled a hole for a fuel line?
I removed the roll bar and trunk mount battery hold down and Lakewood traction bars. I did notice the rear was narrowed and you can get a 12 inch tire in the rear .I did leave the drive shaft loop in and some other non visible items.
The car was ordered without a heater and no options but a AM radio.
I have to decide if I leave the rear mount as it is or return it to stock.
Any advice is welcome.
Greg

[allrightmike]

No advice but could the PO have been a very clever bender of the rule book?

[gregaba]

He might have been.
I knew him in High school. He was an older guy from a small town south of us -Rush Springs,Okla.- and went to the races every week including the world finals etc. I don't know what engine he had in it but it was loud and nothing could beet him in our area when he street raced and won a lot of money all most every weekend.
The wheelbase is not noticeable unless you happen to look at it just at the right angle.
I have had the car for over a year and never noticed it before.
Greg

[WConley]

That is super cool!  You should paint "AWB" in your quarter windows 

[gregaba]

That is an ideal.
I might keep it like it is because I can get a very big rear tire in the wheel well.
I will know more when I can get it on the lift and see how he did it.
I will get it going next year when I get my machine work finished.  The block has been in the machine shop for a few months now waiting for its turn.
Suppose to have the finished block out about the end of the month so I can order pistons and get it assembled and in the car.
Greg

[machoneman]

7" seems to be an awful lot. Unless....you find moved spring perches at the back and a relocated front spring eye mount in front.

[FERoadster]

I moved my sons 59 T-Bird rear axle back 1.5" to center it in the wheel well so it could have wider wheels and larger tires.
I just  redrilled the center bolt and put leaf's in that kept the  springs equal to the original configuration. But I did add leaf's to get the Calif. rake a bit.

I also removed the u shaped mounts - bored the frame and put a sleeve in and then fit longer shackles. Square Bird T-Birds are Uni-body so the frames are rectangular tubes with the body welded to them. Quite a bit of work but I didn't have to flip the shackles as they were done on full size cars of the era.
I could have never moved it 7" without a lot of other modifications. Did it look like he moved the fender openings?
Richard >>> FERoadster

[gregaba]

That is a real nice looking square bird.
If the wheel wells have been relocated I can't tell. I ran my hands all over the rear of the car and can't feel any distortion and I think there would be some if they had been cut out and relocated.
I think that is why I finally noticed the difference.
We put some junk 15's on it to move it around and that is when I noticed the narrowed rear end.There is a lot of distance from the rear edge of the tire and rear wheel well. I don't know why I didn't notice it before.
I laid on the ground and ran my hand on the frame and there seems to be quite a bit of welding on the frame.
I won't be able to tell until I get my lift free where I can see what was done.
To tell you the truth I would prefer to have the back in stock configuration but if it is to much work I will leave it like it is.
Greg