Features Let's see Model A's lowered without dropped axles

This is a killer car I love it

And I will do this. I'm going for basically a high school war era build. Some kid that built this in the early 40's. I like the t spring and reversed eye from spring. That may be the way to go.

Thanks again guys

 

Yes I'll find the link for you

 

Check Speedway catalog for a reversed eye spring that's made flatter to start with that's the right length from Posies, then round and taper the ends. Good price, service, and product.

 

Thank you, liked it then, like it now. But lost track at some point.

Looking forward to link!! ️

 

Dropped axle and mechanical brakes. It's really not that difficult to do. You can make perch extensions as we did or use '32 perches and axle ($$$$). Also another book that's very useful is Mike Bishop-Vern Tardell "How To Build A Traditional Ford Hot Rod."

 

Man this threads taking off. Thanks for all the info and great cars guys. Keep em coming.

 

This is exactly what I was looking for. Awesome car. What drums are those?

 

They are '35 mechanicals, 12" diameter with 1.75" shoes, just like later juice brakes.

 

"Most cars prior to WWII (1941 for us here in the States) used the 32-6 axle, 32-4 perches, reverse eye springs, and mechanical brakes. Dropped axles and juice brakes started showing up (together) just prior to the war. Honestly don't think I've ever seen a period photo of a "dropped axle" AND mechanical brakes..."

If you check out the Don Ferrara collection on the AHRF site there is a photo of his roadster with a dropped axle and mechanical brakes. Photo number 96. I dont know how to copy the photo and add it here.

 

Speedway crossmember and spring

 

[QUOTE="62pan, post: 10839932,
Honestly don't think I've ever seen a period photo of a "dropped axle" AND mechanical brakes..."

If you check out the Don Ferrara collection on the AHRF site there is a photo of his roadster with a dropped axle and mechanical brakes. Photo number 96. I dont know how to copy the photo and add it here.[/QUOTE]

Good sleuthing, 62pan. I can't see the axle too good on my iPhone but the perches look like '32-'34. That's a very nice way to do it but you have to drop the axle exactly the right amount. We matched perch extensions to an already dropped axle...... much easier to marry together.

 

Complete 32 front end with a reversed eye A spring. Rear spring is A with 7 leaves.

 

I believe this is the pic you're referring to;


If memory serves, that picture was taken between 1945 and 1946, after Don upgraded to a V8. I've seen a couple others from the same time period (1945-48) with mechanicals and dropped axles; I meant to say that I don't recall ever seeing a picture of a car with a dropped axle & mechanicals before the war.

 

Here's another; Bob Wenz - 1946

 

Rear shot of car, heated spring until it touched the rear! If I were to do again I would take a few leaves out of spring. It took me some time to figure out how to post some more photos on here, I'm a car guy not so much a computer guy!

 

Thanks Gary that is the photo I was talking about. I did a lot of research before starting my own prewar project so I knew drop axles and mechanical brakes were used together. I do believe you are correct in saying most are used around 1946 and not before WWII. Its hard to find a car with mechanical brakes after 1946.

 

What a gorgeous roadster Pat!

 

Here's my 1928 Roadster which has a 8 leaf Model T rear spring and a reversed eye front spring.
Also a picture of my former 1929 tudor that has the same combo but shows the results on a car with fenders. Both use 16 x 7.50 and 16 by 6.00 tires.

 

You know we're "brothers from other mothers" (or whatever the kids say), right? I did the same thing, and aside from the hand-me-down jalopy, I agree 100%. It's amazing how slow some technology (the V8) was to be adopted, while others ("aircraft shocks" & juice brakes) came on pretty quickly.

I think the strangest combo I've ever seen is this 1947 photo from Don Montgomery's Old Hot Rods Scrapbook - dropped axle, mechanicals, and "aircraft" shocks. Bizarre!

 

Looks like the old pictures on the thread were lost when Ryan converted the Hamb. But here it is.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/pat-pryors-av8-a-class-roadster-build-thread.738995/

 

Tha

Thanks!!

 

Posies reversed eye springs front and rear with 1 or 2 springs removed from each (cant remember) and it ended up lowering it 3".
I have a 36 axel that will be going into it as well, not sure yet how I am going to get the rear down another 2" to match the front axel.

 

So if I was to have a model a axle dropped so that I could use 32-34 perches without extensions and have everything line up what amount of drop would I be shooting for.

 

just starting a project like this myself , in regards to removing leaves from the rear spring how man did you remove, which ones , ( the top ones ?) and how much did it lower the rear ...any problems thanks in advance

 

Model A, drop axle with mechanical brakes

 

sorry, it has fenders but no drop axle...


lowered by @A Rodder and photo credit CrcooperPhotography

 

This is exactly what I was looking for. Awesome car. What drums are those?

I believe that the vented brake drums are referred to as "Mountain Brakes". They had the openings so as to help cool the drums when you were dealing with a lot of elevation changes. I have a set that I use to mock up my frames so they'll roll around prior to adding backing plates and brakes.

 

'32 axle with reversed eye spring. A leaf or two was removed. A lot of the work was done by our own Zach Suhr!