Technical Model A vs 40 rear spring

Other than ascetics is there a reason to choose an A rear spring vs a 40 front spring for the rear of a hotrod. (Obviously the crossmember is different) trying to decide between the two setups for a '31 on '32 rails chassis set up for an early nine inch with spring behind.

Thanks,

--louis

 

Aesthetics even.

 

A springs were only used to clear a quickchange. It was a practical reason. Nowadays a lot of folk seem to think you have to have an A spring to be a hot rod. No so.

 

I plan to run a flattened '40 rear crossmenber in the '32 chassis under my '31 Roadster if that helps. Bob

 

I didn't know that about the quick change but it makes since.

--louis

 

First I was leaning towards the A spring because of the Bishop book but a quick change is not in the budget for this build. Seems the 40 crossmember would get the rear a little lower.

--louis

 

I didn't know they had Quick-Change rear ends in 1928 and the Model T had a very similar rear spring.
On my 26 RPU I have a 39 rear and spring (still room for a Q-C) that give a nice lower profile. JW

 

Running a T spring on my A, gets the car lower than an A spring does and personally I think they look way better..


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Mike Bishop's A roadster was built on a stock model A frame with a little kick at the rear rails to lower the rear a tad. It has a stock wheel base and the rear spring was kept in it's original location directly over the rear axle. In that set-up, a model A crossmember is a needed to clear the differential no mater what rear axle you use.

With your plans of an A body on '32 frame, there are many other options like placing the rear spring behind the axle like Ford started doing in 1932. Lots of info here if you dig around some.

 

One of the biggest reasons guys use a 40 ford front spring out back is because of its narrow Spring hanger center to center requirement. That comes in real handy when using a rear end that is a bit narrower. It has less to do with ride height because the crossmember can be adjusted to get there. If you are making your own axle spring hangers you can also play with the ride height some there too. Just remember its much easier to adjust final ride height up by shimming than it is adjust down.

Also the 40 spring is straight and so is the rear crossmember vs the curved rear springs and 32 crossmember. (Curved when viewed from above)