<VV> Re: 64 broken leaf

[Frank DuVal]

Yes!

I have three times driven a 64 with a broken leaf. Twice in the Spyder 
conv and once in a Monza sedan. The shower of sparks is amazing and gets 
a lot of attention from other motorists. The sedan failed while car 
pooling to work. 5 people in the car! I-95. It was back when I-95 in 
Richmond was a toll road from Richmond to Petersburg. The springs never 
break for me, the bolt fails. So, the bolt breaks and the car slumps, 
luckily near an exit. Had to pay a toll to exit, toll taker comments on 
the shower of sparks following my car. We stop at the first service 
station with a lift open and I talk the mechanic into removing the rest 
of the leaf. I say rest because the end with the broken bolt is now 
ground off to the bolt hole! So against his better judgement, he removes 
the spring and we go on our way. The car must have ridden on the bottom 
stops the whole way, 10 miles to work and 30 miles back home. Quite an 
exciting day for the carpoolers. When I went to install the replacement 
spring, I found the mechanic's vise grips still clamped to the good bolt.

The Spyder broke a bolt in city traffic so I was able to jack it up and 
remove the spring before severe damage was done. I  replaced the bolt 
with a new one from Clark's. A few years later I was vacationing in 
Virginia Beach and the new bolt failed at the cotter key hole, luckily 
again in city traffic. So I removed the spring and completed the 
vacation and drove back to Richmond before putting another new bolt in. 
I now always carry a bolt assembly in the tool box. I complained to 
Clark's and they said it was me, no other complaints  of broken bolts 
from other buyers.

By the way, the local spring shop in Richmond can re-arch the rear leafs 
to regain ride heigth and correct camber. They do mostly heavy duty 
trucks, so they are used to doing odd things to springs.

Frank DuVal