Getting a 41' Ford S/D Coupe to drag its a$$???

[Chopped50Ford]

Need help, can someone give me the low down to get a stock Ford 41' coupe to tail drag? I want the whole car low to the ground...Its just too high!!!!

Its got the stock motor/trans/rearend in it. I have been scoping Speedway, but, not too much stuff in there.

They carry the drop crossmember, but it says you can use it w/ a flattie. Its a 3" drop right there.

Your help is greatly appreciated. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Rocky]

Loooooooong, homemade shackles usta be the answer.

[Chopped50Ford]

Here is a pict. I want to get this somewhat hovering the ground. Do I split the bones? change the axle, change the crossmember in the front. As for the rear? Do I get a reverse eye spring...im at a loss on this one. The car is a closed (original) driveshaft.

Speedway has some parts (like crossmember) mentioned above. Im going to keep the flatty in it and Speedway indicates this crossmember (3" drop) cant be used w/ flattie.

Help?

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/image_uploads/502213-41ford_2.jpg

[four-thirteen]

De-arch the springs and reverese the eyes. get longer shackles, and drop the axle. that ought to be enough, and the best part its none of it is hard to do, and it's all bolt on stuff. David

[Chopped50Ford]

thanks.

With the longer shackles, will this let the spring drop down lower from the front axle and rear end spring pivot points?

What about the crossmembers?

[53burb]

Why don't ya just drop it on a S10 chassis? There's a thought!!!!!! What's up bud? Just seeeing if you are around on this site. I like the '41. Memories of the one that I had waaaaayyyyyyyyyyy back in the '80's.

[Tony Bones]

Do everything they said up front and bag the rear. That'll make er' drag tail (and ride nice too).

[av8]

That's a very tidy-looking '41, and it warrants some good solutions for dropping it as much as you want.

Like Rocky says, long -- 6- , 8-inch shackles were popular in the way-back for creating a tail-dragger, and best of all, you could do it on the cheap. A panhard bar is absolutely essential with this scheeme, however, to keep the car from swaying wildly from side to side on the long shackles. Even then, ride quality and handling are likely to be very poor. Also, it may be necessary to "C" the frame for axle clearance at full jounce (compression).

You might use long shackles as a temporary measure, sort of on-the-road mockup that will let you see if it's what you want as well as pointing out potential clearance problems. In the end, you'd be much better of with parallel leaf springs, coil-overs, or air bags in the rear.

Using a flat front crossmember to drop the front sounds like an easy and inexpensive solution, but it creates more problems than it solves -- frame-to-wishbone clearance, tierod and drag-link clearance, crankshaft pulley/oil pan to crossmember clearance, and on and on.

If you're going to run a solid axle, a 5-inch-drop Magnum tube axle will give the greatest amount of reliable and safe drop, Have the original spring de-arched or better still, have Betts Spring make you a fresh one, with normal eyes and a safety leaf, with less arch than the original to pick up another couple of inches of drop. You'll have to split the wishbone, but you won't have the bring the aft ends outward more than a few inches which minimizes the twisting of the bones.

The front end shown is like the setup described and one I did for a '46 Ford coupe about 15 years ago. You can see that the dropped center in the original crossmember is esssential for good oil pan and crank pulley clearance. This suspension scheme also provides enough room for an anti-roll bar.

[Chopped50Ford]

Is it okay to split the bones on a car like this? Bring the bones to the frame rails?

[phat rat]

As Mike said the ride won't be that great with the long shackles on the rear. I got mine down in the rear with Chassis Engineering low ride springs plus 2" blocks. I'm no help at all on the front as mines subbed.

[Wellsville]

I lowered my old 47 Merc w "tricks" from a 50´s small size mag..cut notch(es) in rear crossmember,,let it sink to where I wanted it,,and welded + reinforced the crossmember,,up front I reversed the eyes and lost,,1 or2? leafs,,and possibly a tad longer shackles up front also. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gifIf I remember right,,I do remember cutting out a piece in the trunk to get access to let it sink in the rear. Well?? It was a very backyard lowbudget-style,,but it worked,,"ok"! Ok That´s just my 2 cents! Good Luck http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Roothawg]

They make a kit that splits the bones just enough to get the tranny(late models) to clear. Is it stock? I may have missed that part. If so, there is no need to split the bones.

[ESnacky6]

Hey Roothawg,
who makes that bone-splitting kit you mentioned..?

Thanks, Snacks....