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Projects Tommy R Attempts to Build a Hot Rod Model A

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Tommy R, Jun 7, 2010.

  1. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,254

    brady1929
    Member

    well my setup is a sbc with a t5 trans. but i am using a 3 pedal setup and a hyd clutch. a lot of stuff and not much room. went with boxing plates and center crossmember/trans plate from chassis engineering inc.
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    brady, what you've got there is pretty much exactly what I plan to build! Do you have any more pics or a build thread here? I'd love to learn more about what you did and what parts you used. Looks like you used a lower arch rear spring, too.
     
  3. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    I've got a stupid question, but that's never stopped me from asking them before. ;)

    I'm trying to determine my rear spring, perch, and crossmember setup. I was planning on using my '40 front spring with a flat crossmember since Bass used a similar setup on his coupe ('39 front spring). But he recently told me that it was too soft and he had to add several leafs to it. He recommended a '37-'41 rear spring instead. I guess that's what I'll look for unless someone can convince me why I should continue with my original plan with the '40 front spring?

    Also, I'm curious about how to set the rear ride height. It seems there are several variables here.
    - crossmember height
    - spring rate/arch/etc.
    - spring perch design on the axle

    And of course, none of this factors in the weight that will eventually be weighing the car down. So what's the best way to determine where to weld the crossmember? Just burn it in and hope for the best?? :D
     
  4. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,254

    brady1929
    Member

  5. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,254

    brady1929
    Member

  6. brady1929
    Joined: Sep 30, 2006
    Posts: 9,254

    brady1929
    Member

    [​IMG]

    this is not mine but you can do the slave cyclinder like this
     
  7. chopt top kid
    Joined: Oct 13, 2009
    Posts: 959

    chopt top kid
    Member

    I plan to use a '40 front spring on the rear of my coupe. My build is similar to your's and brady1929's. The I've got a 2" round tube crossmember with a spring mount in back and plan to add shock mounts something like the So-Cal rear crossmember. If I was doin' it again, I would get the So-Cal crossmember. The rear spring perches are Pete and Jakes and will be spaced 42 1/2" apart. That's only 4" inside the back edge of the 9" Bronco backing plates but is still 1 1/4" outside the frame rail on each side.
    Talkin' about the '40 front spring. Rusty used a '40 front on Bubbaluv's coupe, and Bass ended up changin' it to lower the ride height but he didn't say how.
    I'm still measurin' and haven't started to weld yet, but you are welcome to check out the "kid's coupe" Albums on my profile page.
     
  8. JERDOG
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 20

    JERDOG
    Member

    nice solid coupe a few inchs outta the roof and duce rails is a nice way to start.
     
  9. billthx138
    Joined: Oct 17, 2009
    Posts: 401

    billthx138
    Member

  10. Pigpopper
    Joined: Oct 9, 2010
    Posts: 2

    Pigpopper
    Member
    from East Texas

    Nice Build. Thanks for taking the time to up load the pictures. What did you think about Jr's pick'n?
     
  11. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    Thanks, brady! That's all very helpful information! :) I forgot if I asked you, but do you have a build thread for your car? Would love to check it out if you do...

    Are you talking about item "C" in this pic from the So-Cal site? Looks decent and the price isn't too bad...
    [​IMG]

    See, this is what's confusing to me about what rear spring to use.... Brian (Bass) told me his '39 front spring was too soft in the rear so he had to add several leafs to it. But apparently, the '40 front would be too stiff since the ride height was too high on Bubbaluv's chassis. I didn't think there was that much of a difference in these springs, but I've been wrong a few billion times before. ;)

    I know that there are Posie's springs out there that'll work for me, but they're awfully pricey and I'm on a pretty tight budget. Meanwhile, I've got feelers out for a '37-'41 Ford rear spring, per Bass' recommendation. But I'm re-reading the Bubbaluv thread to see if I can find how Bass was going to make that '40 front spring work out.
     
  12. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    Thanks! 4" chop is the plan. I think it'll be enough for the right attitude while still giving me (6'1") enough interior room.

    Thanks, Bill! Lovin' your build, too!

    My pleasure. Thanks for watching! But I think you lost me on the Jr comment? :)
     
  13. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    By the way, I found out what Bass did to get the Bubbaluv coupe's altitude adjusted...

    Not much help, unfortunately, since Brian wasn't sure what the spring came from.
     
  14. fiftyv8
    Joined: Mar 11, 2007
    Posts: 5,394

    fiftyv8
    Member
    from CO & WA

    Thanks for sharing, nice work.
     
  15. chopt top kid
    Joined: Oct 13, 2009
    Posts: 959

    chopt top kid
    Member

    Yes... item "C"... You could always look for something on the auction site, use a 2" square tube like brady1929, or fab your own... I'm going to use my '40 front spring on the rear. I was originally going to use a '40 rear spring, but the perch dim is 48" and that puts the spring mounts awfully close to the bearing housings on that early Bronco axle. If the front spring doesn't work out, then I'll do something else... Too many people running front springs on the rear, even Bass... Just take out leaves if too many, add leaves if not enough...

    Have you seen this thread???
    32 ford frame rear spring question
     
    Last edited: Oct 19, 2010
  16. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    Yeah, the width of the '40 rear spring concerns me, too....especially 'cause I may want to put some wider wheels/slicks on it from time to time. And thanks for the link as I hadn't seen it and it had some good info!

    I'm thinking my best bet now may be to either try my '40 front spring or pony up the bucks for a Posie (AJ40NH). I'd like to try the '40 spring and if it doesn't work, buy the Posie's. The problem is the '40 front spring has 42.5" perches and the Posie's is 44". So I would have to relocate the perches if I swapped down the road.

    Crap. Maybe I should just get the damn Posie's spring and pay for the peace of mind!
     
  17. have you tried a local spring shop. inland trucking i think is pretty much a nation wide company and can pop one out to spec.
     
  18. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    That might work if I knew what the hell I needed like material thickness, arch, eye to eye distance, etc... :)
     
  19. modernbeat
    Joined: Jul 2, 2001
    Posts: 1,296

    modernbeat
    Member
    from Dallas, TX

    Start with the '40. If it doesn't work out, have Inland built a couple leafs for it to beef it up, or soften it out. They should be able to work with a stock spring pack and replace a couple of the leaves with thicker/thinner pieces.
     
  20. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    Thanks, Jason. And timely, too, as I was just about to post here....

    I got a reply from Rusty and he said that the '40 front should work fine, but I could always add some leafs to it, if need be. Jason, I'll take yours and cadillac coffin's idea and just hit up a local spring shop if the '40 front spring is too soft. This'll also save me a few bucks....at least in the short term.

    On another note, I got my buddy's plasma torch working last night and lopped off the perches and shock mounts from the rear axle. I'll grind it smooth this week and another friend just offered to let me use his soda blaster whenever I want. That'll come in handy big time! Oh, and I'm finally picking up an oxy/acetylene rig this week. It's just a peanut rig, but I think it'll be enough for me since I likely won't use it that often.

    Got the frame table leveled this week and also built a dolly for the body to make it easier to move around. It may not sound like much and there certainly isn't much to share pics of, but progress is happening....sloooooowly, but surely!
     
  21. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    Got a simple question for y'all... I'm going to box the frame rails after I get my front and rear cross members welded in. Is it worth it to get the pre-cut boxing rails from Speedway (or wherever) or should I get some 1/8" sheet and cut them myself? Are the pre-cut plates a good fit? I'm running an ASC chassis from Speedway.

    I have access to a plasma cutter, but not sure how cleanly it can cut. But if the boxing plates from Speedway are going to be rough fit anyway, then I might as well make my own using some poster board as a template or something.... Thoughts?
     
  22. Buy Them :)
     
  23. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    Thanks, grits! Did you buy yours? Or maybe you made them and that's why you're telling me to buy them? ;)
     
  24. L-Diablo
    Joined: Sep 11, 2010
    Posts: 75

    L-Diablo
    Member

    i would make them just get some cardboard material paper from the craft store and trace your frame rail cut it out then transfer it to a metal sheet , cut them out ,smooth the edges and weld them suckers in. well that's my opinion if i can build it why buy it??
     
  25. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    I'm definitely not against the idea. I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything while I consider both options. For example, if the pre-cut plates fit perfectly or not could make a big difference. Similarly, maybe there's a reason cutting my own plates would be a bigger PITA than I think it would be. :) So maybe instead of just asking which way I should go, I should ask why should I choose to buy or make my own?
     
  26. if you have acess to a waterjet or laser or plasma table do it that way if it saves you money. but your going to have to buy close to a half 4x8 sheet to get it done and personally even though i have a plasa and could have done that way im glad i didnt. cleaning up the boxing plates after you weld them is a big enough job...... i made my own on a laser straight from a set of 32 prints and they (the plates and the rails) needed to be massaged alittle to fit the rails perfectly. only real advantage i can see in doing it your self you can use thicker stronger stuff. i used 10ga grade 50 but its overkill for my mild 8ba
     
  27. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    So what's the recommended thickness for a Deuce frame that could eventually be pushing close to 450-500 hp? Keep in mind I want to be able to launch it hard at the strip. Looks like the Speedway plates are 10 gauge (just over 1/8"). Seems like it would reasonable to me.
     
  28. SinisterCustom
    Joined: Feb 18, 2004
    Posts: 8,277

    SinisterCustom
    Member

    Are you the same Tommy R on RCC???

    Oh...and coupe looks good....
     
  29. Tommy R
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 717

    Tommy R
    Member

    Oh, snap! Busted!! ;) Yep, that's me.
     
  30. i think 10ga would be fine.... might truss the front rails to keep them from tweeking.
     

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