Drag racing Kahunas gasser suspension setup question

[Zeke]

Seeing as I might end up with Roots wagon as a gasser progect what would be the best way to set up the rear suspension. Would running leafs and traction bars be more period correct or should I go with a 4 bar set up. I've never done any drag racing so I'm clueless to the best way to set it up. I plan on building it to be street legal eventually but not right off the bat.

[Unkl Ian]

Didn't they come with leafs from the factory? I would run that until performance dictated something different.

[Zeke]

Seeing that it doesn't seem to have them now is one of the reasons I'm asking. If I'm starting from scratch which would be the best route to go? New springs vs a new 4 bar setup costs are gonna be close anyway right?

[Blownolds]

They didn't run 4-link back then. Typically they ran non-adjustable ladder bars. For my vintage gasser project, I plan on using adjustable ladder bars and calling it close enough. But I did want a little adjustability for the pinion angle.

[AHotRod]

Get replacement leaf springs, with some home-made traction bars...that's period correct!
To install a 4-link (not 4-bar) rear suspension should be done by someone with chassis fabrication experiance, as the "suspension" must be installed squarely into the chassis or the car will not work correctly at all and be very ill handling.
A pair of new leaf springs are considerably less $$ than a 4-link rear suspension.
Glenn

[Roothawg]

You can see a triangulated ladder bar setup in most of the old pictures. Kinda zigzag cross bracing. If you wanna build it, Radshit is a good source of info. I can help you too if ya want.

[Zeke]

Ok that's a start. I'll do some rearch on ladder bars. Running new leafs and traction bars would be fine with me too. And cheaper is always good. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Hot Rod To Hell]

I dunno how much it was done back in the day, but you can run leafs with ladder bars too. You have to use housing floaters so the springs are only for suspension (actually "suspending" the car in the air, instead of coil overs), and the ladder bars are for the transfer of torque and planting the tires.