Torsion bar front end for A-Bone?

I saw a Model A Tudor with the top removed car in R&C a year or so ago that was running a very low torsion bar front suspension. Anybody know where a tech article would be on this type of setup? I would love to do one on my project. I wonder how you'd mount to the axle, socks etc? Thanks.

 

Here is a link to an article in street rodder
hope it helps
http://www.streetrodderweb.com/features/0411sr_rippy/

 

Was it on an A frame or a 32 frame. I talked to a local builder that has done them and and he said they can olny been done on the duece frame. I believe the a frame won't work because there is not enough distance from the frame bottom to the top for the rear anchor point. Hope this makes sense.

 

i have been looking for some as well
here's what i came up with
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/84260/

http://www.schroedersteering.com/HomePage.html

 

Thanks for the info. Does anybody have additional poop on the subject?

 

I'll add some info and photos tomorrow. I'm using bars at all 4 corners of my modified.

 

NoCents-

Here are some photos of a torsion front end that were sent to me, as I'm considering the same type of deal (Well, sort of. I want to run my bar(s) "dragster-style" - parallel to the axle, instead of the frame). These aren't top quality shots, I know, but could be of some value.

 

Shit! I gotta start paying more attention - this is the second time in a row I've sent a reply without the attatchments. Hope this works.

 

Socks?! Why do you want to run socks? (Yeah, I know, whudda dick)

Are you talking about the tan or cream colored sedan turned tub*? That car was bitchin' too! I am definately thinking on a similar setup for my frame as well. That RnC story is very helpful, I'm with you NoCentsRacing, I want MORE INFO! Bar lengths, spring rates, torsion bar sources, part numbers etc.. Any help would be TOTALLY appreciated!!

*Anyone have pics of this car?

 

You can get an idea on mounting from the black & white photos I pirated from the Rod & Custom page linked above. Also, Stan292's photos give some good info.

I've attached a couple of pics of my stuff. One shot shows the assembly and the other shows the individual components. They are :

1 1/2" O.D. X .095" wall DOM tubing housing....27" long.

1 1/8" bore bronze flanged bushings that Speedway sells.

29" Torsion bar with 1 1/8" dia. shoulders that ride in the bushings.

Long arm to axle or wishbone (in my case....will be reshaped some)

Adjustable stop to adjust height.

I also attached the top view of my CAD drawing that shows (look close) the location of the T-bar assemblies. The rear bars are the ones at an angle. The bar that's straight across just forward of the rearend is my adjustable roll stabilizer that's covered in another thread.

 

if its the off white / grey color tub ......it was the ex lee osborne (the other shop) and i guess its still belongs to david wilder.....had steelies on it whe osborne owned it.....now has 10 spokes and 5 spokes.....super bitchin car......the torsion bar setup is sorta his trademark.....he was into sprints .....brandon

 

Thanks again. Where did you purchase the torsion bars, tubes, stops, etc.? Is there a reference that helps you size the torsion bars for the anticipated weight on the axle?

 

brandon.....I was into sprints too. I have a large pile of stuff left over. That's why I'm using T-bars on my ride. Also, they're much better than springs.....

 

The housings are just plain DOM tubing. The bars, stops, bushings, etc. are available from any of the sprint car manufacturers, speed shops such as Kears or Speedway. Schroeder sells it too (link above). Here's a link to calculate bar/arm rates :

http://www.proshocks.com/calcs/torsionrate.htm

I have a sizable pile of bars to choose from. I won't sell any 'til I determine what I'm gonna use.

One problem you'll run into is the modern stuff ain't great (IMO) for street use. Try to find solid (not hollow) T-bars and steel arms and stops. All the new stuff is aluminum or titanium. They come with 1 1/8" splines these days. My vintage stuff has 1" splines but I've been lucky to find most of what I need for arms and stops on eBay.

 

That's the one.

 

Great post!! I'd like to know what size bars to use too. I'm in grand central station for sprint cars. I can get all kinds of stuff if i know what to look for.
Clark

 

Clark,
Talk to Scary Larry and get Lee's phone number.
He's done many torsion bar front's for hot rod's, including one for Dat Dirty Rat's A-bone.
The design is kick ass, and get's the front very low without sacrificing ride..
I'm sure he'd be willing to give you some input.
Or you could wait til next year at the showdown, he'll be there again. He was there last year running the snot out of his 3 window.

Originally, Lee was out in Indiana with a partner building hot rod's before he came back home to NY, i'd olmost bet the guy mentioned earlier in this thread doing them there is his old partner...i could be wrong though...

In fact, his old partner in In. is the guy who Lee get's the 'cams' from that go on the end of the bar's to the split bone's. He has a press that cut's the spline's in them.

Tony

 

Torsion-bar HotRods ride and handle excellant when done correctly.

 

BTTT

Hoping for more info....

 

Some probably irrelevant bits: In the distant past, there was an article on the Duffy Livingstone road race car being converted to torsio in an old Hop Up or Honk--this was I think not very successful , and I think was done with just mild steel bars, but has a lot of interesting ideas in it.
There were a couple of late fifties/early sixties Model A's in the old Petersen Model A book with torsion bars...one actually used a '56 Packard setup with bars running full length and suspending both ends of car!

 

Charles Mayenschein's '30 Phaeton had the Packard torsion bar setup, and a lot of other amazing work. Wish I could find pics, but so far all I've got is http://www.wirthscustomauto.com/slides/slides/w_00281.htm
and the interior,
http://www.wirthscustomauto.com/slides/slides/w_00280.htm

 

That's the one--amazing car, lots of well done and highly unusual modifications. The Petersen Model A book also had a more stock appearing '29 phaeton done by a guy with a Japanese name with yet another TB conversion--both strike me as very nice rods probaly built by totally non-rodder people unhindered by any preconceptions of what a Model A rod should be! Both of these cars would be deeply disturbing to those whose imaginary 1950's and 1960's are filled with flat black channeled cars...

 

Ack! This post is bringing back nightmares of trying to adjust the rear end ride height of my VW Bus. Ever notice how most old Busses have that sagging ass?

I wish those things came with the adjusters on the T-Bars pictured.

 

Torsion bar Packard adjusts its own ass--really!

 

If you want used torsion bars 30" long, $15.00 each plus ship. Just PM

 

I did.

 

I'm gonna need some 29" bars with 1 1/8" splines. I already cut the tubes....

 

The grey tub talked about is a friend of mine, He bought it from Lee and has since then had a vicky built with the same front end. It was built by a guy that was friends with lee, his shop is in jamestown in. He is still doing these. He is a very good person to deal with can get number if needed.

 

Steve Panaritis (i know i spelled his name wrong..i can't remember it) Is the guy's name in indiana. He was basically parters with Lee, and very good friends..
Still are for that matter.

If need be i can get Steve's contact info from Lee.

 

Wkends and Tony, YES, please PM me with the info. I've left a message at Lee's as well.

Thanks