Technical Ford buggy spring suspension at modern highway speeds

I want to build a mostly traditional 40 ford with a Y block,3 speed with o/d trans and still retain the original suspension but will have a 9 inch and updated front brakes. Since I do not own a trailer and if I would want to drive it 900 plus miles it will be driven on the highway and would like to cruise at 75,so can that suspension be tweeked to handle modern highway speeds or should I just stick with 50s and newer vehicles for my long distance drivers. I did some improvements on my 37 Chevy to make it highway friendly and it does not feel safe going over 65 so I am having doubts that prewar Fords could handle the speeds I want to travel.

 

Seriously?

 

I think there are many many straight axle hot rods that cruise the hi-ways at least at the speed limits.. It's actually a pretty silly question to put it mildly...

 

Plenty of cars running in landspeed racing(Bonneville) still run Old Ford cross spring front ends.

 

A new spring, and good shocks. 200+ okay with you?

 

Drove my '46 "Woodie" from NY to CA and back, over 7000 miles, when we were on the interstates we kept up with traffic at 65 MPH. Dropped front axle with disc brakes, 9" Ford rear. Car has about 40K miles, we go to Louisville every year and dozens of other places. What's the issue? Trailers are for boats!

 

Never driven a old Ford with the buggy spring suspension before so I do not know how they are,most of the highway heading south to Florida now has speed limits at 70 so if they can not handle speeds over 70 I will not even think about building one that has a traditional suspension and go IFS and twin leaf springs in the rear. Since I am not retired I need to get where I am going and back quickly so no back roads unless I want to take them,probably spoiled with the mid 50s and newer that can handle those speeds but just curious if a old Ford could handle those speeds comfortably before I plan the project.

 

ive driven mine 300+ miles one way goin 80 and only stopping for gas and it rode great. Zero complaints

 

I'm thinking if you do some improvements to it to make it highway friendly, it wont be

 

A good functioning and installed buggy sprung suspension should have no issues at that speed.

 

My buggy spring does about 130 in the 1/4.....

-Abone.

 

I agree, a very silly question. Never had a problem on the interstates with my Mod. A sedan at 75-80mph.

 

You could drive that bitch all the way to Cuba .

Come on man, really?
Are you single handedly trying to get all of us Ohio guys a bad name
as long as everything is not slap worn out and put together correctly you'll not have any problems.

Lately judging by the pictures that I've seen here it seems a bit harder to grasp that "correctly" part of this but there's plenty of help.

 

I was going to point out that i have driver in excess of 200 with buggy spring suspension. But everybody else already made the point.

 

My worry is what is acceptable to one is not to another, you describes his 37 Chevy with upgrades as " not feeling safe" ...

You just may be the type that needs power steering did brakes parallel leafs and sway bars ?

The yblock motor choice maybe a bigger problem in this plan unless you carry a water pump , distributor , fuel pump, ect with you in the trunk , I'm guessing a day wait at most auto parts stores if you need something for one.. Id worry more about the motor than suspension leaving you stranded

 

There are no silly questions, only silly answers . Not everyone knows everything, that is how we learn. I learn something new every day.

But to answer Jeff's question, is it going to be like a modern IFS ? No. It can be made better and acceptable, but if anyone says it is exactly the same they are kidding themselves. But modern components, like better springs, shocks, a stabilizer, and better tires do make a lot of difference from the way they came off the assembly line in the 40's.

I'm like everyone else , I say my car rides like a Cadillac. No it doesn't.

Don

 

If you have no experience driving a solid axel car on the highway,you'll be surprised how nice they ride and handle when set up correctly. Just don't expect the same ride you get with modern independent front suspension. If you want to drive a real hotrod,then the buggy spring solid axel is the way to go.

 

Big trucks with beam axles run 80 MPH all day long. I king pins and bushings, spring, spring shackles, and shocks are all good, you have good tires, and it's aligned correctly, you'll be amazed at how well an old Ford front end can handle on good roads.

 

The Model A in my avatar handled 900 miles to and from Minneapolis on the freeway at 75 to 80 just fine. Steered light, tracked perfectly, and swerved if I had to with no drama. Cross spring and axle on the front, coil overs on the back. I'm sure it would do just as well with a cross spring on the back too. Your proposed 40 Ford would work even better due to its added weight. It won't be soft, vague feeling and wallowy like a 50's car, but that's just a bonus.

 

What have you done to your chevy and what do you call unsafe or what do you feel is unsafe about it?. They do feel stable (solid alxe with a transverse spring), but are a little bucky. You can soften the springs and use radial tires but with the short wheel base it won't ride like a new car (or even a 50's car) even with IFS/IRS.

 

this is what I was wondering, whatever it was needs to be corrected and I'm sure there are stacks of people here to help him set up a beam axle properly

 

Even with being lowered my 37 still seems top heavy and not steady on turns,I am used to 50s and up for highway cruisers and never driven a prewar vehicle very long and fast on a highway.

 

My 27 roadster tracks like a go kart, except with a V8. Buggy springs on both ends. It has a 37 lasalle 3 speed trans and goes 64mph in low gear,( with 4.11 gears and 31" rear tires ) past 100mph in second and steers like it is on rails. Gary

 

My old Deuce pickup had transverse "Buggy"spring both front and rear and I drove it hard...

Ask a few guys that followed me down the interstate sometimes exceeding 75 miles per hour..It rode fine.

In fact I think it rode better than my sedan with coil overs on the rear.HRP

 

I drove my droped axle, buggy sprung 40 sedan all over the country at speeds of 80 and more with never a problem I would be more likely to drive a properly prepared 40 at those speeds than your stock suspended 55. I am not saying yours is, but a stock 55 suspension is not up to the task as much as a properly prepared 40. Updated springs, new, properly honed kingpin bushings, sway bars, etc. make for a fine driving car.

 

75 to 80 mph on your roads? What are your speed limits over there? Ours are 100 km or about 66 mph on motorways and most highways. Just wondering!

 

Some of our highways have a 70 speed limit but even if you go the speed limit you are going too slow in some places so you must go at least 80 to go with the flow mainly around Atlanta,I did make good time going to and from Daytona going 75 and 80 most of the way in my 55 but I was alone and did not have the woman with me wanting to make more stops. If I build another prewar vehicle it must be able to go those speeds or I am not going to do it since I want to drive it.

 

Many highways around here are 75 mph limit.

 

I need to move there.

 

I've been 145 mph in this car with buggy springs at both ends. Does just fine.