First off, it's great to be back on here. I've been off for a while....LIFE! Anyway, I just picked up a nice, cherry '53 Bel Air. It' a 235 w/powerglide and stock torque tube rear. I'm on a budget but need to get her lowered. My plan is to do dropped uprights and coils up front for a 5" drop and then 4" leafs in back with a 2" block. I'll notch the frame and use air shocks in back for when there are passengers or when there is stuff in the trunk. My question is... Can I run this setup with the stock trans and rear end? I know I can' go any lower so any input would be great. I'l save up to bag it over the next few years. I just want it low to cruise till then! I'll also run a 6" wide rim instead of the 8" ones on it now. Tires are 205/70R15
Not sure about a '53, but on my '49 a 3" drop front and rear is very low. I'm less than 7" ground clearance! Haven't road-tested the car yet, but I went with lowering coils up front, and lowering blocks in the rear.
I'd have to wonder about a 6 inch drop in the back without a notch. I think if you were to put the car up on a rack where the weight was sitting on the tires you probably won't have a full six inches of space between the axle and the frame. That means you will need to notch the frame and raise the hump over the axle a bit to clear, Not as much of either as a bagged to lay it out setup but enough that the rear end doesn't beat on the axle or floor. That is a big drop on the front too as far as running down the road at static height. I'm not saying it can't be done but will you able to drive it around after it is finished and get in and out of driveways and what not?
I'm remembering to back to 1963 when I was a senior in high school and bought a 53 Bel Air Hardtop. I wanted it lowered so I [proceeded to heat the front coil springs and put jack stands under the rear springs and heated them until they bent over the stands. All a country boy knew how to do with no money. Didn't ride worth a dam but it looked cool. We've come a long way.
Here is my car 3 inch blocks in the back, doesn’t bottom out. With dropped uprights and 1 1/2 coils out of the front. I think you could go 4 inches in back but I wanted a bit of a rake. This seems to be the right amount without tunneling and bottoming out. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Lowering cars is COOL no matter what era or decade. Thank God we have companies to make correct components to do it right. Safety and comfort (as much as can be had) is what I'm after. I will notch it and tunnel it as well. I'l do these things because I will bag it in a few years. That is a beautiful car inliner54! I'm really going for more of a taildragger style but not extreme. I'e had lowered rigs all my life so I can get where I need to go no problem. I'm just hoping that the stock trans and torque tube rear end will be ok!
Man I’m not sure I did it all at once but if I were to guess it would be around 4 inches or so Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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