[hurryinhoosier62]

Spent a very informative 20 minutes with Mark @ PMT Fabrication in Ft. Wayne, IN this afternoon. These control arms aren't cheap ($3100), but they'll definitely answer the frt control arms questions I have about my Cat.

www.pmtfabrication.com

[Stuart]

Do they replicate the original suspension geometry, or has that been improved for better handling?

[hurryinhoosier62]

You can get them either way, Stuart. Mark suggested that I go with a coil over set-up with a 550 lb spring rating. According to our conversation, these control arms are a "bolt on" proposition. All stock steering components will be direct bolt-ons.

[Goatracer1]

How can you justify $3100 for control arms? I could change the whole front end way cheaper than that.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Simple. My Cat's front end took enough of an impact to bend the forged steel right steering arm. The previous owner "heat and beat" the steering arm back into shape, but annealed it in the process. It broke sending the car into an enbankment. The impact that bent forged steel had to been tranfered into all the components of the front steering and suspension. By the time I clean, NDT, reinforce and assemble the current control arms, I'll already have a good deal of the $3100 invested in 50+ year old parts that were a compromise to begin with.

[63gpman]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1961-1964-PO...BWNjeQ&vxp=mtr

[hurryinhoosier62]

Looks like someone's old stock to me. RARE doesn't list those in their catalog.

[rexs73gto]

But still they are a lot less then the $ 3100.00 you've been quoted.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by rexs73gto

But still they are a lot less then the $ 3100.00 you've been quoted.

Question, Rex: What is your life worth? I've looked at the pictures of these control arms. I have some SERIOUS questions about the design AND quality control. Additionally, this is for upper arms ONLY. Does it make sense to have tubular arms on the upper, but stock on the lower? I'd rather spend more and have a QUALITY product than economize with a questionable product. Go over to PMT website and look at the difference in the design and the welding on their product verse these Ebay control arms.

[amcmike]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

You can get them either way, Stuart. Mark suggested that I go with a coil over set-up with a 550 lb spring rating. According to our conversation, these control arms are a "bolt on" proposition. All stock steering components will be direct bolt-ons.

His question was about suspension geometry. Does it add caster? Improve camber gain?

Coil overs only allow the height to be easily adjusted.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by amcmike

His question was about suspension geometry. Does it add caster? Improve camber gain?

Coil overs only allow the height to be easily adjusted.

PMT can build the control arms to improve camber gain and add caster. They can also build them to allow for stock settings. You pretty much tell PMT what you want, then they fabricate it.

[Teej]

I still believe the e-bay link is Ram Air Restorations. I actually looked at the other items for sale and a lot of them are what you find on the site but just some added garage stuff and limited run items (9 available). My Bonneville is a '66 though, so I was interested to see a set of tubular A-arms for 65-70 B-bodies. $1455

His picture shows all four (two upper and two lower) but in the text it says "price for one set of upper and lower arms".

Should I read that as "one set" meaning an upper and a lower? Or "one set of uppers and one set of lowers". If it's the former, that puts the price close to PMTs. Just for comparison.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-1970-PO...AAAOSwYHxWNjlE

[63gpman]

These are sold by Ram Air Restorations. I have spoke with them about their arms. They include new bushings and ball joints. The price is for the complete set on the 65-70 cars. There is some additional positive caster built into them. As far as construction, they look good to me. If you look in the 67 section on the forum, there is a 67 Grand prix build that has both the ram air front setup and the rear setup. Looks nice!

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by 63gpman

These are sold by Ram Air Restorations. I have spoke with them about their arms. They include new bushings and ball joints. The price is for the complete set on the 65-70 cars. There is some additional positive caster built into them. As far as construction, they look good to me. If you look in the 67 section on the forum, there is a 67 Grand prix build that has both the ram air front setup and the rear setup. Looks nice!

As a journeyman welder, the welds are NOT up to the quality I've seen in other control arms. It's also my understanding the ball joints for the '64 "B" bodies are unique to the '64 ONLY. That's why they're nearly $300 per set of 4 from RARE. Do what you want, but I'm saving my pennies for a set from PMT.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Teej

I still believe the e-bay link is Ram Air Restorations. I actually looked at the other items for sale and a lot of them are what you find on the site but just some added garage stuff and limited run items (9 available). My Bonneville is a '66 though, so I was interested to see a set of tubular A-arms for 65-70 B-bodies. $1455

His picture shows all four (two upper and two lower) but in the text it says "price for one set of upper and lower arms".

Should I read that as "one set" meaning an upper and a lower? Or "one set of uppers and one set of lowers". If it's the former, that puts the price close to PMTs. Just for comparison.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-1970-PO...AAAOSwYHxWNjlE

From what I understand, '64 and '65 were that transition years in frt suspension design at PMD. Many components swap between '64s and '65s but NOT to sucessive years. The add says uppers and lowers, so I would have to assume it's a complete set. Personally, I'd like to know if they were MIG'd or TIG'd and what tensil strength material they're constructed out of before I would purchase them.