Jim, thanks for your response. It offers a very practical solution to the
real problem I am facing trying to get the shock mounting plate in the right
place. There is only one problem with your suggestion for my situation. My
engine and transmission are out of the car. I just finished rebuilding
them and now I am working on the body, etc. getting it ready for painting.
The problem is that with the engine out of the car there is not enough
weight in the front of the car to compress the springs. I discovered this
when I took the suspension apart. I tried the usual trick of compressing
the spring with a jack under the lower spring plate between the "A" arms and
all it did was lift the car body off the support stands holding the car. If
I reinstall the A arms (new bushes etc.) and spring and shock as you suggest
I will not be able to get the wheel to lift against the spring to a normal
driving position. Do you think I can leave the spring out of the system for
the purpose of aligning the shock mounting plate as you suggested? Do you
think that if the lower A arms are installed with the shock at the top the
system will move up and down normally without the spring?
Ron Fine
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