Simple simplicity in cobbling together a few different years of stock Ford parts with a dropped A axle to get a factory-looking drop...
I'll be happy to dispose of any ugly stock or dropped axles you decide to get rid of. I'll even pay shipping.
You have said a mouthful here my friend. I don't think that anyone on this thread including myself has said more with so few words. Rough and tumble. In my mind every hot rod should have that street brawler look to it, smooth but a little rough around the edges. The axle that you use depends on the build, but a little on the rough side has always said, "raisin Hell and putting a brick under it" to me. Tough and ready to scrap.
^^gotta like the Olds bumpers as well, thats an interesting looking truck. Is there somewhere we can see more?
Each to their own but I am of the opinion that the 32 heavy axle is UGLY in any form dropped or not. A dropped standard axle has the look of a swan. The heavy has the look of a plow horse.
The shape of a dropped axle "MAKES ME SMILE" I don't know why, It Just does.. I see a dropped axle, even hanging on a wall, And I smile. Mustang II, not sooo much !!
maybe off topic, but same end of the car, i have a lovely 34 axle dropped by okie joe and i just cant see using that ugly 34 spring. model a's, look better, and the nice tapered leafs of a 35 better yet but they are 1/4" wider. anyone ever grind an 1/8 off each side and go that route?
Use a 34 main spring and the remaining leaf pack from a Model A. Or if you're lucky, find a nice original 32-early 34 spring pack; these were tapered leafs similar to the A, although more in number. A springs were 10 leaf, 32's (and likely 33 & 34) were 12 leaf.
ha ! yes, but its an "aesthetics" thread ! yes, GWHITE, i have A springs here in my pile too. i once ground all the ends of an A spring to try to simulate the 35 taper, and let me tell you that was a lot of work, and did not look like ford made it. i think just taking an 1/8 " off the side would be less grinding, and better results. i did not know the early 32 was a taper leaf, like 35, and early model T ?
Ahhh...my mistake, I meant 'clipped corner' or 3-sided taper. The 32-early 34 spring had the clipped ends just like an A; the late 34's and all service replacements thereafter had square cut ends. Here's an example of the 3-sided taper springs (A-early 34). I reckon you could do a little grinding on these if you wanted a true rounded taper.
The only problem with making a straight cut leaf rounded or three sided on a used spring pack is the leaf below will always show the scars of the leafs former shape.
I'm surprised that lower shock mounts haven't made it into this discussion. I'd take a welded-on stud or bung over those lazy brackets that bolt onto the bottom of the perches any day.
Take a gander at 39-50-ish MoPar front shock studs - these bolt through the upper control arm on those applications and are plenty long enough for you to drill and mount thru your axle or cut & weld onto it...I've got a pair I'll be shortening and arc welding to the perch bosses of my Dago axle.
The Jalopy Journal
