BDK_Tinman
10-24-2008, 08:30 PM
Could use some advise on building an early style torsion bar dragster front-end. I really like the clean look of the tube axle and torsion bar front ends of these early 60's dragsters.
Have been doing some digging and see that shortened VW fronts seem to be the place to start (fortunately I have a 2 cluttering up the shed)
"The torsion bar was made from a junkyard VW torsion bar that came laminated by using stacks of 1/8" X 3/8" steel bars, but the normal was to use the correct number to make a 3/4" square bar and then use 3/4" drive sockets welded to the arms bolted to the axle. The trick was to locate and weld the sockets on to get both sides built with the same setting on each arm...."
Would be great to get a few tips or pointers from anyone who's tried this or has worked on one.
And I promise, if I can make it work, I'll post a full step-by-step with lots of detailed pictures for anyone else silly enough like me....
Have been doing some digging and see that shortened VW fronts seem to be the place to start (fortunately I have a 2 cluttering up the shed)
"The torsion bar was made from a junkyard VW torsion bar that came laminated by using stacks of 1/8" X 3/8" steel bars, but the normal was to use the correct number to make a 3/4" square bar and then use 3/4" drive sockets welded to the arms bolted to the axle. The trick was to locate and weld the sockets on to get both sides built with the same setting on each arm...."
Would be great to get a few tips or pointers from anyone who's tried this or has worked on one.
And I promise, if I can make it work, I'll post a full step-by-step with lots of detailed pictures for anyone else silly enough like me....