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Hot Rods HAIRPINS!!!!!!!!!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by porknbeaner, Mar 10, 2021.

  1. So today I got these hair pins in the mail (along with the bat wings and this bulldog mount). I have kind of had a thing for hairpins since I was a little kid. We don't seem to use 'em much here on the HAMB but they are a definite part of our history.

    lets see what ya got. Pics on cars or hangin on your shop wall or?????

    [​IMG]

    These are a little gritty and raw, my kind of parts. I think they were made by a fellow HAMBer at some point.


    bones.jpg
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2021
  2. Blues4U
    Joined: Oct 1, 2015
    Posts: 7,589

    Blues4U
    Member
    from So Cal

  3. chop&drop
    Joined: Oct 11, 2006
    Posts: 668

    chop&drop
    Member

    Mine. Both SoCal. BF94CE6A-84DE-45A9-9ED4-4FE0F54DE142.jpeg EF65F79D-570E-4777-ACF4-E744D7EA011A.jpeg
     
  4. krylon32
    Joined: Jan 29, 2006
    Posts: 9,396

    krylon32
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Nebraska
    1. Central Nebraska H.A.M.B.

    I've used 100's of pairs of hairpins on the customer chassis I build. Mostly from P&J with a few stainless sets from So-Cal. I currently have several chassis on the board to do and all but one have hairpins with one set of split bones. I like hairpins because of the look and also being able to run stock early spindles without modifying the steering arms. I haven't done a 4 bar in 7-8 years but do several chassis a year with bones. Hairpins have been around for a lot of years.
     

  5. been around since the '50s that I have personal knowledge of (I really don't remember much before about '58 or '59).
    They are a good way to locate an axle even have a little adjustment (if only a degree or so).
     
    dana barlow and Atwater Mike like this.
  6. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,522

    Roothawg
    Member

    I make my own. Easy enough to do. The hardest part is tapping the tubing.
     
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  7. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,136

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    One-off hairpins made using aero tubing for bridge material, same as my rear ladder bars.
    DSCN1626.JPG Nickel Plating.jpg
     
  8. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I've built and used 'em since '56, (used to gas weld 'em, never had any complaints or critique')
    I used to cut and fab the 'Batwings' from 1/2" plate, then ream the holes 7* for Ford tie rod ends, and countersink the holes for the hanger bolts, all early Ford hardware.
    Then around '68 I changed to 3/8" plate for batwings, and used clevises up front. (always for the adjustment of caster!)
    I'd notice other guys with the adjuster 'way out on the lower ones, hairpins' legs same length??? (did 'one size fit all'???)
    Not mine...I'd set chassis and axle up at ride height, select lengths so both adjusting clevises had somewhat near same number of threads left...
    My chassis jig was set up for 'A' rails and '32, so in the initial setup stage, the frame rails went on upside down. One main leaf and the axle, jig the caster angle, THEN tack the chrome moly for hairpins.
    Split bones also set upside down.

    Lovely running gear jewelry, @DDDenny...
     
  9. I have made a bunch of bat wings from 3/8" plate and radius rod yolks over the years. Seems like radius rod yolks are like 283 chebbies. I have normally had some laying around. :D
     
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  10. denis4x4
    Joined: Apr 23, 2005
    Posts: 4,198

    denis4x4
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Colorado

  11. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    ^^^ @denis4x4... That's the style...Mmmm!
     
    dana barlow likes this.
  12. COCONUTS
    Joined: May 5, 2015
    Posts: 1,161

    COCONUTS

    Back in the 70s there was a theory going around that hairpins and tube axles was not a good combination. I believe it was started by a company that manufactured 4 link front suspensions.
     
    Dean Lowe and dana barlow like this.
  13. Beano, your picture didn't show up.

    Alex is putting together a gasser inspired Deuce and using hairpins. HRP

    [​IMG]
     
    Desoto291Hemi and dana barlow like this.
  14. Jimmy's Deuce has them, this car has been on the road for about 15 years. HRP

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. tubman
    Joined: May 16, 2007
    Posts: 6,913

    tubman
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    To me, "split bones" say basic Hot Rod. "Hairpins" say advanced Hot Rod. "Four bars" say street rod.
     
  16. 38174816822_2bedcef74d_k.jpg

    My hairpins are peaking out on my 33 pickup, I prefer hairpins as a good in-between split bones and a 4 bar.
     
    rc57, KoolKat-57, LOST ANGEL and 7 others like this.
  17. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Helping my Son ,build his 23 "T" "Pandora",we had 2 pair of used Hairpins in the shop,nether were the right sizes.
    He saw the cost of new,an asked if I could make them the right size?
    Sure chop chop,weld weld an prestO.
    Even added a step for good, in n out.
    ShowCoolingIt.jpg
     
  18. Pete1
    Joined: Aug 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,253

    Pete1
    Member
    from Wa.

    Hot rod wishbone.png If you want to be like almost everyone else and look cool sitting around the drive-in, use some sort of frame attached radius rods.

    If you want a good comfortable ride with excellent handling, keep a stock wishbone type configuration.

    You won’t read much about stock type wishbones on street hot rods. That is because split radius rods originated and were a necessary item on CIRCLE TRACK race cars. They evolved to street rods because someone converted a track roadster to the street and someone else thought it looked cool.
     
    Texas Webb and warbird1 like this.
  19. Dave G in Gansevoort
    Joined: Mar 28, 2019
    Posts: 2,598

    Dave G in Gansevoort
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    The "Whatever" has hairpins 1 on the front one on the rear. The trick to making them, from my experience, is to lay out where the curve will be, then cut the tubing slightly long and chuck it in a lathe with a big enough thru hole to drill and tap for the clevis or rod end. Carefully bend the tube, it should end up very close to the correct length, but if you make an error, make it slightly long as you can cut the tube to the correct length after they are welded up.

    I made a fixture out of mdf to hold the pieces for welding, and did the welds in the exact same order on both. Here's the result IMG_0175.JPG I was going to use both on the front but then came across this car: THF91311.jpg It's a Bobby Unser Pikes Peak Multi-time winner from the late 50s into the 80s. What you don't see in this picture is the left side. It has hairpins on front and back on the left and single rods on the right, which takes the bind out, and makes for a lighter, simpler suspension. Check out the rest of the car by googling it at the Henry Ford Museum.

    Fortunately I tend to over build stuff, so 1 per axle will take the torque and brake forces. Made mine from very heavy wall DOM, and still need to add braces midspan on both.
     
    rpm56 and thintin like this.
  20. Let me see if I can fix that. But just in case try this here.

    bones.jpg
     
  21. Here's my hairpins.
    tapatalk_1605453413350.jpeg
     
    KoolKat-57 and j3harleys like this.
  22. I don't see anything wrong with them, they are more old school than the ones shown but they should work just fine. HRP
     
  23. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,286

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  24. chevyfordman
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 1,354

    chevyfordman
    Member

    Do these classify as hair pins? F120317B-C49B-420A-AFB3-EA040A9741C8.jpeg
     
  25. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    I made my hair pins and front axle and related pieces, and chassis.

    C1.jpeg



    C2.jpeg

    C3.jpeg
     
  26. wackdaddy
    Joined: Nov 11, 2015
    Posts: 214

    wackdaddy
    Member

  27. fleetside66
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 3,003

    fleetside66
    Member

  28. philly the greek
    Joined: Feb 15, 2009
    Posts: 1,863

    philly the greek
    Member
    from so . cal.

  29. My hairpins peeking out under the fenders. CF966621-FF3B-4DCC-9D39-CCDB9F4F67F5_1_201_a.jpeg
     

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