So, earlier this year I finally completed a total rebuild of the front suspension of my '72 V8 car. As I'm sure you know, lower ball joints are impossible to find for these cars. I don't mean "difficult"...I mean "can't be found at any price". Well, not any more! I picked up a rebuild kit from a company called Performance Suspension Technology for the early Pinto that comes with all control arm bushings, strut rod bushings, upper *and* lower ball joints, and tie rod ends...all for about $420. Given that the last time I even *saw* lower ball joints for sale, they were NOS ones being sold for $125 each, I think you can agree that's a pretty damn good deal.
It all fits, and it all works. I couldn't be happier with the results.
Given that all of those parts were still the 50 year old originals, and the rubber had the approximate compressive and tensile strength of pie crust, this was long overdue. The car drives amazingly well now. A deathtrap no more! Ok....it's still a *bit* of a deathtrap, but at least it's no longer because the suspension is completely shot and metal on metal.
Performance Suspension Technology. Check 'em out. Seriously. 'Cause yours is probably pretty thrashed too...