Features Dropped Axles and Aesthetics...

As the title states, this is about aesthetics ONLY. The issues of strength and cost have been discussed at length.

I am probably an axle snob, but I know a few others feel the same way, so here goes.

This post was sparked by a couple of things that came up recently. One was a statement made by my friend Sam...

Yes, a dropped 32 heavy can look near perfect...



...but I actually prefer the thinner 32-36 axles. It doesn't get much better than this:



Here's some pictures of the other dropped early Ford axles from Roadsters.com...

Dropped Model A axle:



Dropped 32-36 axle:



Dropped 37-41 axle:



Now, do these all look like "ass"? I sure don't think so!

Look here for some more excellent examples.

http://www.roadsters.com/axles/#1

The second thing that got me were these statements in the latest TRJ...

"He researched and then tracked down every last part and detail he'd need to turn the car into a '58-era hot rod Ford."

"The chassis under this car is period perfect as well." Now I will be the first to say that the guys at Iona did a remarkable job on the chassis, BUT the catalog front axle, shock mounts and shackles just kill it for me.



How can you say that front end is period perfect?

Here is the Parts is Parts page from TRJ showing examples of different axles...



Look at how all of the aftermarket axles are shaped. Kinda bulky at the spring perch and too thin at the king pin boss. They can't be passed off as a dropped FORD axle. Period.

Not that an aftermarket axle can't look good in a period car, as seen by this painted Superbell (even though the specs say '33 I-beam axle, dropped 4 inches...Arghhh)..



Here's my rusty old Mor-Drop that I have had for 25 years.



I know some could care less, but I treasure this kind of stuff.

Neal

 

Thanks for the info. Good pics.

O/T: That maroon 32 roadster; how are the front of the framerails done? I can't see too well, but are they pinched & tucked behind the rad shell? Any details on how it's done? I've been looking for pics like that style. How would that look as a highboy?

 

Have to agree with you, and the first photo of the heavy '32 does look good, but where are the shocks? Will it still look as good when it's finished?

 

I love old dropped axles...

This is my axle I think its a "dago" (sp?) axle...Dago's were know for there sloppy taffy drops and this one is not perfect..but its perfect in my eyes..
my plans were to have a axle dropped, filled and then chromed...but I came
across this one..I also scored the original chrome backing plates to compleate period correct front end...
I don't like the look of the new axles...there just too nice..

 

neal,
nice post. to me dropped axles should be smooth flowing no matter what type. getting back to the 3-w deuce in the rodders journal the biggest flaw for me is the aftermarket steel wheels.
Al.

 

Yea, no kidding!?!? I was really confused there, but wheels are a whole other topic in themself...

Now back to REAL dropped axles.

Evil, thanks for adding those pics. That is the kinda axle I like to see.

Neal

 

Here's mine - a dropped 32 axle, done by Gary Page out here.

 

Not very pretty but it's a gennie.



A little prettier but not as deep of a drop.



Not a nice picture but it's an old one that was dropped, filled and chromed many many years ago. Forgive me for being lazy. It has the street rod perches, lower shock mounts and shackles.

brother Tommy a semi-loyal follower of the church. Front axles are a big deal to me also.

 

Nice post Neal.

I've been looking at my 31 project and making some changes.
An axle would be a major deal, but the ones you show sure make it tempting.
Not sure how they'd work with disc brakes.
Got the brakes and I like how they work, lotsa fun to drag it down from 60 or so in very few feet.

Along those lines I unwrapped the 39 Lincoln steering wheel today.
A touch crumbly on the plastic rim and I'll try to post some pics tomorrow.

The maroon Deuce roadster looks good with that axle.
I'm guessing it has a 3" drop.
That would work with my 31 just fine.
It's not all about dragging on the speed bumps and driveways.

One nice aspect of your Mor-Drop axle is the shock gets up away from the road and the scrub line is improved.

 

Just want to know.
How do you use a stock front wishbone and an original dropped front axle on a 32 Ford?
What spindles do you suggest? Original 32 spindles would get you closer to the ground if you use original (ugly) king pins considering the location of the bearing on top of the axle.
If using round back, do you have to heat steering arms for clearance?
If using square back, do you have to heat too?
Seems like I used some other method 40 years ago, like maybe tapering steering from top rather than top, or something like that.
Thanks
Jack

 

On a fendered car, I don't think it matters much. On a fat-fendered car, I don't think it matters at all. But on a fenderless rod, I think you're dead on, Neal.

 

Talk about crazy dropped axles!!


I got this axle with an old project that was a lakes car in the late 40..and boy
this is some scary stuff...They cut the ends and added a piece of steel the rewelded it up...and voilla...Dropped Axle...hahahahaha

 

They should have carved a skull and cross bones in it when they were done. Death waiting to happen. The sad thing is, someone is building a car and doing that somewhere today and thinks it's cool.

 

Ya no kidding....

its now wall art..(see it in the back ground in my first pic)

 

Nice post Neal.
Axles is a fun subject. ...I'm very fond of dropped Heavy Beams.
Saving up one just in case.
I'll contribute with some pics in a cuple of days.

Those shock mounts that go on the end of the pearch may be practical.....but I just hate them.

I would take a dropped Ford axle over a catalogue part any day for any project. Fenders or not.

earlyV8
I'll try to take a few pics that might help you out.
I got a Deuce frame. an old dropped axle, 37-41 Spindles, lowered 32 front member, Stock 32 wishbone, dropped steering rod.

Paul

 

heres my car (for the 32 question)
A front crossmember, stock spring, dropped 32 axle, stock wishbone, 37-41 spindles, with the eyes welded on upside down and then bent a bit

and heres my other car with the axle that was on it...
this thing twisted like crazy so i replaced it with a stock 32 axle and reversed and de-arched the spring to give me the same ride height

Zach

 

The steering arm eyes???
I have a pair of '37-'41 spindles that were on a '32 axle that has the pitman arm from the '32 spindle welded to the top instead of a bolt on......done waaaaay back when it was converted to hyd brakes. Everyone says to cut it off.
In the same pile of parts I had an original dropped axle, but it was twisted/wavy and the camber was not the same from side to side. I should have kept it, as I coulda been saved.
My roadster project will have a dropped FORD axle....

 

yeah, i cut the ends off the spindles and welded them back on the other way...(beveled deep and tig welded to build it up) then polished the welds off some and hammered them down with an old rusty hammer to sort of peen them???, you cant even tell they're welded...
didnt really think twice about it when i did it, but then i welded me-oh'sS&c's spindles for him the same way...he put gussets on his to be safe....

 

This frontend consists of a 32-36 dropped axle, stock 32 wishbone, 32-34 spindles with 37-41 kingpins (using a torrington needle bearing), 41 Lincoln brakes and a Model A front crossmember.

The spindle arms were heated an bent down to clear the drop in the axle, but kept high enough to run the tie-rod over the top of the wishbone, as 32-34 spindles are tapered from the top.

Here's a pic from the bottom side...



Hope that helps.

Now back to axles...

Neal

 

This is a Bell axle before SuperBell existed.
Running on the "missing" 32 roadster.
I still prefer the looks of the stock dropped axles.
There just something about the look of a forged I beam

 

Neal, that is friggin work of art. I truely love reworked ford parts over what is available new. That is a picture of why.

 

5 years ago I would have never noticed. Now, the axle is almost always the first thing I notice.

This '33-'36 was dropped & drilled by LoudPedal & is going under my Deuce Fordor Highboy.

JH

 

harrison...i wouldnt trust that top one!
sometimes things can be too light...thats near invisible!!

the bottom one sure is nice though!!

 

I agree!

Nice.

And congrats on the Oct Hop-Up ink.

I used the aftermarket dropped axle from Magnum on my coupe from The Hot Rod Company. I spent some time cleaning it up and painting it so I think it looks ok. Not as nice as an og dropped axle though.

 

Neal:

Beautiful frame work.

Maybe I'm confused on your intent or statement. All this talk about making sure the front end is "trad.", but seems like a lot going on the underneath of that frame that is are modern improvement to an old design. Open drive shaft & the rear panard bar for example. Much like an aftermarket axle.

Bottom line is if it gets the car on the road quicker, does it really matter in the end? Can't see anything for sure at 65 mph.

 

I agree with the Henry vs. new axle vibe, but I also have a peeve about bolt-on steering arms. Absolutely hate them.

Anybody who bitches about the originality of axles and then bolts on new steering arms just to avoid a little torch-time should be shot.

And Zach, you could have just re-tapered the eyes halfway from the top and been done in five minutes with no welding.

 

Very sexy looking chassis; I want to do something similar for the RPU...gotta build a Titus-style axle dropping jig.

 

The open drive came out of a 42-47 Ford pickup and the torque-arm is made out of a Model T axle and a Model A wishbone. Yes, modern idea, but still old parts...and definately not from a catalog.

It probably doesn't matter to 98% of the hot rodding population, but there are 19 of us that care...

Neal

 

yeah i sorta realized that after the fact....
i havent had any problems yet...(knock on wood) so i'll know better for next time

thanks though!!