49 chevy rear suspension!!!

[SLAMIT]

HAMBers please help me. I want my 49 fleetline to sit real low in the rear. I was planning on mounting new leafs in the rear and use blocks, and after I ripped all the old suspension out and set the car down on just the tires and had the bumper on the ground I dont think I can settle for a rigged up suspension. If you guys could fill me in on how you have done or seen them done to get em low nuff. I dont have a ton of cash for this but If I have to I will sell stuff to get this car right.
Thanks for the help guys.
If you have some pictures that would be good too

SLAMIT

[JSM56]

i will post pics next week, but my 56 is nutty low. instead of leaf springs i built a triangulated four link with heavy duty hiem joints. this locates the axle and lets it swing. then i built onto the stock frame rails so they would go 6 inches highr above the axle. then built bag mounts and mounted airbags above the axle. i get almost 9 inches of lift, and lay shackle mounts on the ground in full dropped position.

[JSM56]

we could do this for you if you were more local(northern cali)

[springer]

If you do not want to spend to much the best option would be to dearch the aprings. As long as the old ones are in decent shape and you have a spring/suspension shop nearby it should't cost much for them to lower the arch. I work in a spring shop in Michigan and we do this all the time. While the springs are out you could have them install new bushings. If the old springs will not work there are shops like mine all over the country that can make up a new set. We make springs for old cars and trucks all the time and the price is usually not that bad.

[Fat Hack]

Fill the trunk up with shit! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[JSM56]

you could just get a few fat chicks and let them ride in back, but then what would your friends think? plus fat chicks smell worse than fat hacks shit idea. forget i ever said any of this

[Ryan]

Slam, sorry for the responses you've gotten thus far. Let us know exactly how low you want this car to get (example pics are great) and we can give ya a path to get there... I have a '51 that I am about to tackle, so I'm as interested as you...

[Radshit]

Fonzi is the fella to talk to.......his 51 sits really low and is constructed soundly. He uses two trailing arms and airbags....

he has posted pics of it in the past....maybe he'll see this post and respond...

I used to be a " pull a couple leafs out" type of man....but now a days, that just a waste of time for ill gains.....

[53_210]

my '53 has got 3 leafs on each side, 3" blocks and airbags. When it's sitting down i believe the frame sits on the axle. it's not as low as i'd like it, but i'm not about to step the frame or anything. also, if it's the original drivetrain, i've heard lowering it more than 3 inches isn't good for one of the torque tube bearings.

Fonzi's car is sweet. I'd love mine to sit like that.

Derrick

[JSM56]

on a really clean car, i wouldn't step the frame, but i had rust in the trunk floor, so i started cutting and now instead of the frame hitting the axle, the frame hits the ground. i would definitly suggest a four link setup and bags if you want to go as low as possible. like i said, i will post pics soon.

[SLAMIT]

I will send example pics in a day or two. I left the picture disc at work. I was kinda thinking of building a setup similar to the 60's chevy trucks.I have the original spring mounts taken off the car already and I am using a ford 8" rear out of a 65 mustang.I would use two lower trailing arms and a panhard rod. I have seen it done and it looks pretty simple. But I would also like to see some reference pics or advise before I cut the shit out of my frame and then get totaly discouraged. Again. I once saw pics of a similar setup on the Orange County Kustoms website but I think they took down the website cause I cant acsess it any more. Thanks for the imput so far guys keep it coming
SLAMIT

[SLAMIT]

anyone else.

[lulabelle]

mine had blocks(2" i think) and de-arched springs.I've since built a new frame.This is it's new stance....

[Roothawg]

I am afraid that if you want it to drag the ground you will have to convert to airbags. There used to be a guy that posted on here some, Robert Rolling, I believe. He had his sitting down right but he ended up having to build a tunnel for the driveshaft etc.

I have a Camaro rear in line for mine but I am just opting to use the 3" blocks and maybe pull a leaf or 2. Just for now. We'll see what it looks like.

[lulabelle]

by the way,mine will be bagged eventually.I don't think it would be possible to go anywhere like that! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[JamesG]

I have a 51 with air over leaf by Airride. Its not low enough for me. Do what I'm going to do and C-notch the rear of your frame then run a 2 or 4 link rear suspension.

[JamesG]

[ QUOTE ]
I am afraid that if you want it to drag the ground you will have to convert to airbags. There used to be a guy that posted on here some, Robert Rolling, I believe. He had his sitting down right but he ended up having to build a tunnel for the driveshaft etc.

I have a Camaro rear in line for mine but I am just opting to use the 3" blocks and maybe pull a leaf or 2. Just for now. We'll see what it looks like.

[/ QUOTE ]


I know Robert. Talked to him about 3 weeks ago. His car stays that low all the time. His frames kicked WAY up in the rear and ofcourse his trunks raised. If anyone has it Rod & Custom did a feature on his car in the March 98' issue. Anyway, hope this helped ya. Oh yea, Robert runs skid plate on the bottem of his car. Its his daily driver and about every few month he has to make new plates becouse the old ones get wore down.

[SLAMIT]

I am realizing that to go low the right way I have to use bags. I'm not too worried about that so much but I just cant decide on making my own suspension or buying a universal 4 link kit and making it fit. I think that a full bolt on kit is out of the question with the cost of em. I have seen universal kits as low as $100 and the bolt in kit are like $800. Like all of you I want to do this the cheapest way possible but get the ultimate results. By the way anyone want to buy a bunch of junk so I can afford this. Ha Ha.Lulabelle. I dig the way your car sits. That is how mine looked when I set it on the tires.
SLAMIT

[james]

This guy seems to be one of the cheapest on 4 links, and they look alot heavier than most- www.suicidedoors.com (http://www.suicidedoors.com)