Here is one example.. These kits are typically for the A-body cars but you get the idea. The double dip serves two purposes. First it adds rigidity where the bolt holes for the rear sway bar goes so the arm can’t be crushed by the sway bar bolt. Second it adds torsional rigidity too. You can make your own kit with plain steel pieces cut to size,and welded in.

Do you plan to run a rear sway bar? Then you definitely want to do this to the lower arms.  
 

I would box the uppers as well to get the torsional ,strength for handling purposes.

 

I am cool if it makes them 4.75 

can get my rear axles redrilled 

still sorting my options 

but I will need to get moving on them as I am now ready to start putting the frame back together 👍

Mine are still 5x5 justa to be clear bro. I had a buddy that offered to redrill mine and make them 4.75. But I didn't trust that he could get them right. I also didn't see the point in changing mine and the only reason he could give was more wheel options. 

5 hours ago, Frosty said:

Here is one example.. These kits are typically for the A-body cars but you get the idea. The double dip serves two purposes. First it adds rigidity where the bolt holes for the rear sway bar goes so the arm can’t be crushed by the sway bar bolt. Second it adds torsional rigidity too. You can make your own kit with plain steel pieces cut to size,and welded in.

Do you plan to run a rear sway bar? Then you definitely want to do this to the lower arms.  
 

I would box the uppers as well to get the torsional ,strength for handling purposes.

 

You know what Frosty , i watched about 5 mins of this guy and said to myself .... nooooooooooo ! 

after you suggested boxing the arms to me , i thought about where do the arms need extra strenght ? middle , yeah  

But i think each end around the bushing is the more important part.

as you can see these arms dont have  alot of meat around the bushing, 

yes its a poor mans fix, a tube with bushes on each end will always be stronger than a box.

soo i do like your idea, i will box them , but ... i will do it kiwi style 

Glad you suggested it before i painted them that pretty black i did on the frame and diff  never even though about it !  

I agree with you too Kiwi. But you did ask about Do-It-Yourself kits. The bottom line is to not accept the simple C-channel stamped control arm as is, but rather reinforce it to withstand the heavy demands of your right foot!

As allows,I am happy to be of service.

11 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I agree with you too Kiwi. But you did ask about Do-It-Yourself kits. The bottom line is to not accept the simple C-channel stamped control arm as is, but rather reinforce it to withstand the heavy demands of your right foot!

As allows,I am happy to be of service.

I need to check that I am aloud to weld my trailing arms ! Nz rules are tough around welding anything suspension related 

 

Interesting. That’s a curious law or rule. But purchasing welded/boxed control arms from outside NZ is legal?

9 hours ago, Frosty said:

Interesting. That’s a curious law or rule. But purchasing welded/boxed control arms from outside NZ is legal?

no ! 

any change to suspension must use known brands that are approved ! 

 

I had a thought whilst reading about your newest resto activity. With Trump's tariffs driving everybody nuts, I have to wonder what's going to happen to Rockauto (and almost everybody else) prices, seeing as the vast majority of their inventory comes from China. Whatever you need to purchase, do it soon!

2 hours ago, Fitzy said:

I had a thought whilst reading about your newest resto activity. With Trump's tariffs driving everybody nuts, I have to wonder what's going to happen to Rockauto (and almost everybody else) prices, seeing as the vast majority of their inventory comes from China. Whatever you need to purchase, do it soon!

It’s the shipping that’s the killer mate ! 
I currently have 2 pair of shocks in my trolly at rock auto costing 300 odd and the shipping is 140 !!!! NZD 

Boxes the four rear trailing arms … thanks frosty ! I really had  not thought about it 

but having the ls engine will certainly push things around so boxing them will help …

my 2 favourite tools … my plasma for nice clean cuts ….

and the new addition to my red team ! The Milwaukee detail sander !!! Worth its weight in gold! 

3mm flat stock cut with the plasma to fit 

then shaped so they fully incase the arms 

Tacked them fully welded 

Cleaned up the front control arms 

press ed in all new bushings 

And painted the lot 

Edited June 15, 2025Jun 15 by 64 kiwi boni

But not without a stuff  up !!!

I have this fantastic little gravity spray gun with a really nice spray pattern that I have owned for a few years now and while painting out side today I dropped the bloody thing !!!

It landed in such a way a stone punched a hole clean through the side !!!

my firsts words where 🤬followed by wtf do I do ???? I had only justA started top coat !!! So I taped the cup up and kept going !!! 

I cant find a replacement cup for this gun so I am thinking like justA !!!! J b weld the sucker !!!

Edited June 15, 2025Jun 15 by 64 kiwi boni

4 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

Boxes the four rear trailing arms … thanks frosty ! I really had  not thought about it 

but having the ls engine will certainly push things around so boxing them will help …

my 2 favourite tools … my plasma for nice clean cuts ….

and the new addition to my red team ! The Milwaukee detail sander !!! Worth its weight in gold! 

3mm flat stock cut with the plasma to fit 

then shaped so they fully incase the arms 

Tacked them fully welded 

Cleaned up the front control arms 

press ed in all new bushings 

And painted the lot 

Never seen em boxed like that that before, NICE JOB!

4 hours ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

But not without a stuff  up !!!

I have this fantastic little gravity spray gun with a really nice spray pattern that I have owned for a few years now and while painting out side today I dropped the bloody thing !!!

It landed in such a way a stone punched a hole clean through the side !!!

my firsts words where 🤬followed by wtf do I do ???? I had only justA started top coat !!! So I taped the cup up and kept going !!! 

I cant find a replacement cup for this gun so I am thinking like justA !!!! J b weld the sucker !!!

OMG....that went through my mind right off the bat, before reading at the bottom. 

I guess we can all agree…this truly was a bush fix! 
 

What’s wrong with duct tape and J B Weld?

This is my last weekend on the 63 for a little while ( watch for a reason why soon ! )

so i wanted to get her on her wheels !!!

frame in and onto the hoist .......... you will note that the bfg's that are holding up the rear are off my 72 camaro... they are 20 years old... not a crack or blemish , but i decided it was safer to replace them... the old black round things are now justA hold up tires now ....... why does that feel like my life ? ...... yeah yah fitzy... i should have smoked them!!!

rolled the diff in under and hooked up

new ball joints in to match with all the new bushings

front end parts justA loosly installed so i could get wheels back on . the sutb axles need to be striped down and ready for the brake upgrade which i am going to get from auto city, but thats a couple of months away. and i have heaps i can do before then, all the plumbing needs to be made and installed for the brakes and fuel.

shes a roller !!!

Edited June 29, 2025Jun 29 by 64 kiwi boni

Springs will head to archers auto spring shop in Rotorua to be retempered and set 30mm lower

The front sway bar will also go to the archers auto spring shop to be used as a pattern to make a 25mm version like I did on my 64 bonni ( currently only 20mm -3/4 )

And this will justA make the whole car that much tighter in the corners 🍻

The Saginaw will be sent to pg hydraulics in Auckland as they will be doing a upgrade to the ratio and a rebuild, nothing worse than steering a ship when you can go to a awayyy quicker ratio !... but no change out of a k to do this work ... i feel it will change the whole feel of the car in a good way :)

Edited June 29, 2025Jun 29 by 64 kiwi boni

The tie rod ends are all in good condition

But the 2 ball joints on the drag link need a birthday

So they will go to Bricon engineering in Auckland and be rebuilt !!! These guys are brilliant!! And they can rebuild any ball joint !!! Way cheaper than buying new ! And as I found some vendors want crazy money for steering components!!!

35 minutes ago, 64 kiwi boni said:

Springs will head to archers auto spring shop in Rotorua to be retempered and set 30mm lower

The front sway bar will also go to the archers auto spring shop to be used as a pattern to make a 25mm version like I did on my 64 bonni ( currently only 20mm -3/4 )

And this will justA make the whole car that much tighter in the corners 🍻

The Saginaw will be sent to pg hydraulics in Auckland as they will be doing a upgrade to the ratio and a rebuild, nothing worse than steering a ship when you can go to a awayyy quicker ratio !... but no change out of a k to do this work ... i feel it will change the whole feel of the car in a good way :)

Had a 27mm one made for my '61 Bonneville, & it has made a lot of difference to both cornering and high speed stabilty👍

1 minute ago, Bonne61 said:

Had a 27mm one made for my '61 Bonneville, & it has made a lot of difference to both cornering and high speed stabilty👍

i figured i was pushing at 25 mm Paul with my factory saddles and bushings i had ... but yes !!! bigger is better !!!!

i scored a set of ridler 695 today !!! i hope they fit as they are a sexy wheel ! pcd is 127mm but its how they fit room wise that i wont know till i try them on the frame !!

Edited August 5, 2025Aug 5 by 64 kiwi boni

Awesome score Kiwi.

On 8/5/2025 at 3:50 PM, 64 kiwi boni said:

i scored a set of ridler 695 today !!! i hope they fit as they are a sexy wheel ! pcd is 127mm but its how they fit room wise that i wont know till i try them on the frame !!

On 8/5/2025 at 3:50 PM, 64 kiwi boni said:

i scored a set of ridler 695 today !!! i hope they fit as they are a sexy wheel ! pcd is 127mm but its how they fit room wise that i wont know till i try them on the frame !!

They are gorgeous! Hope they fit 🤞🏼

10 hours ago, Bonne61 said:

They are gorgeous! Hope they fit 🤞🏼

me tooooooooo !!! i didnt pay very much for them, so that helps !!!

Nice looking wheel Chris.

Due to the "cost of living crisis" that everyone is running around with their hands in the air about including my boss! my car fund has been temporarly emptied to pay bills! tax, rates, insurances, power, blah blah blah

which sucks !!! because nothing more important than our cars right !!!!!

Well, until one of my cars to be flipped can be sold, i am on zero budget work... PFFFFT ... as if thats going to stop me !!!

sooooooo.

its the last weekend of winter and spring is here next week !...its raining and frezzing cold here down under !!!

what better way to keep warm than to get into some panelbeating and using a nice warm welder !! tig and mig for me !

first job rust in the passenger side fender ....

chopped out and new section in ...

welded and looking good

next was driverside and the same section of rust, the inner section was still ok , justA the outer needed surgery

my new best friend !!!! the milwaukee sander is a super cool tool to help get these jobs done easy as !!!

The trick is to tack then check... you make less work for your self by ensuring everything is straight and true.

i am using my tig welder as it uses the same mild steel filler rod as the metal you are working with , which inturn means its malable after you weld and you can shape the panel.

Dont use mig, it is a hi tensile weld which you can not shape after welding.

i so enjoy doing this stuff , my welds are not perfect , but i get good penitration and thats all any one would ever want !!!!hehehe

each fender had dents that needed dressing

this is where a body file helps to show you the high and low spots

another thing i love about our old girls is the fact its very mallable steel !

this curve was easy as to put back to straight with bugger all effort !

both fenders done and ready for paint prep with less than 1mm of filler required.

next was the radiator support member , that was bent and had a litle bit of rot..

with any good panel job , you use what tools you need.... and if they dont work .... get bigger tools !!!

a super enjoyable weekend in the shed doing what i love !!! building cars !!!!!

Edited August 31, 2025Aug 31 by 64 kiwi boni