Hey Grumpy, Love what you did with your car, looks great. Question on lowing the front. I read from your earlier posts that you went with a 35 axle, reversed eye main leaf, and removed #2 & 3 leafs. Then you said that the tire was hitting the fender bracket. Does that still happen or did you do something else to eliminate that issue? Thanks Paul
Thank you Paul. At the time that I had that tire rub, I had removed 3 leafs (#2,3 & 4). I reinstalled #4 leaf and that solved the rubbing problem.
Thanks Grumpy....One last question, do you need dropped steering arms for this type of drop? Appreciate the help! Thanks.
More than happy to help if I can. No, I didn't need dropped steering arms. I used the '32 steering arms with the '32 spindles.
No, Doctors found a massive Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm when getting me ready for a heart stint. I got lucky....
I hope to get started on my '31 Coupe soon and have been gathering a couple parts. In your post #90 the side view is looking much like I hope to achieve on my coupe. I just bought a 35/36 axle and intend to reverse the front spring eyes and remove a few leaves as you have. Since you went to a non-reversed spring eye Model T rear spring (post #80 and spring looks to have 8 leaves), did you by chance compare it to the Model A spring when they were both out to see what the free height difference is if you stand them up next to one another? I'm wondering if the non-reversed eye T spring gives more drop than a reversed eye Model A spring, or if similar results could be achieved using the reversed eye A spring and removing 3 or 4 leaves? You might have a measurement of the drop you got by just switching to the T spring? Thanks, in advance for your feedback. I don't believe in reinventing the wheel so I ask a lot of questions......sorry. Your car is looking great! Lynn
Thank you Lynn. Don't be sorry for asking questions, that's what this place is all about. Asking questions and sharing ideas is how we learn. I did a lot of thinking on the rear spring, I wasn't sure which way that I wanted to go. I considered using the Model A spring with a reversed eye and a few leaf's removed, a new dearched spring such as Posie's or Eaton's and of course the Model T spring. My first choice was to use my Model A spring with a few less leaf's and a new reversed eye main leaf, this is what I did on the front. Unfortunately, I was only able to find one source for them, a-springs.com, and the cost plus the shipping amounted to a lot more than I could buy a complete T spring for. I also wasn't sure if I could get the Sedan down as low as I wanted without giving up ride quality. I tried to find a spring shop to just make me a new leaf or reverse my original but that turned out to be a dead end. No one was willing to reverse my original leaf and since I live in rural Arkansas, finding someone to make a new one was fruitless. Second choice was to buy a new spring pack from Posie's or Eaton but the cost was, again, more money than I was willing to spend. Using either one of their springs was only going to net me about 2 1/2 - 3 inches so I would have had to remove leafs from them also. Finally, the T spring. It is the "old school" way of lowering it and since I am trying to keep this build true to the era as much as possible, it was the way I chose to go. It took a little longer to find what I was looking for and at a price that I was willing to pay but they are out there! I did sit the A and the T springs side by side and compared them but unfortunately I never thought to measure or take a picture, I did find a picture of the two, however, on the net. The T spring is the one in front. . I hope this helps, Lynn. If there is anything else that you have a question about, feel free to ask, I'll try to help if I can.
Thanks, 1st Grumpy! Sounds like you were in the same quandary as I am now on how to lower the rear end of the A. I guess I'll first get the front end done, much like you did, and then decide how much drop and how to achieve it on the rear. I do have a 20 ton press so I might give it a go at reversing the A main leaf at my shop. I did some more searching here on the HAMB and one post suggested that a T spring gives about the same drop as a reversed-eye A spring with a few (3-4 perhaps?) leaves removed. I'm thinking I'll be happy with about 3" of rear drop. I got a kick out of you saying something like "more money than I wanted to spend" a couple times in your post. That sounds a lot like me. I've lived conservatively for so long I can't think of spending money unnecessarily now. I looked up Clarksville AR and think I might have been through there a few years ago on a motorcycle trip. If I get close again I might try to get in touch with you. I live in a "real" rural area myself, just North of Cape Girardeau MO in Southeast MO. Thanks again for quick the reply and sharing the info. Lynn
Not quite sure what happened with my response to Lynn, click on expand where I quoted his previous comment to read it all.
Thanks again. No StrayKat 500 for me....busy days coming up. Honestly, I'll have to research just what the StrayKat 500 is, since I've not heard of it. If I didn't have so many things already planned I would have liked to have gone to the Pate Swap Meet the last few days near Dallas/Ft. Worth. Regarding the "I can do that" mentality, it does come back to bite a person every so often, but I like the idea that I can still build things rather than just shop and assemble. In one particular circumstance someone asked if the '23 T Roadster I built was a "kit". Before I could even reply a friend of mine jumped in a said "NO, Lynn did that the old fashioned way....he built that whole car from the ground up!" Needless to say, I was pretty proud right about then. Lynn
Ok thanks. I know someone with a stock 35 axle, hub to hub with spring and bones. Asking $400. But I'd need to get an A spring, shackles, perches, and juice brakes.
Model A spring perches are the same spacing as a '35, you would have to use your Model A bones (unless you are splitting) otherwise it will all fit.
I'll have to split the bones since I have a Chevy v8. I don't think the 35 bones and spring will work. The spring is in front of the axle and is longer than the A. But I can probably get it if I strike out at the swap tomorrow. Thanks again. Your help is immeasurable.
Hey Grumpy, How's it going with the car? I've got everything to put my front end together. Painted the axle and cut the bones today. Taking the spring pack apart to remove the 2nd leaf, then paint. Question, is the 2nd leaf the one right above the main leaf or 2nd from the top? Thanks, NRM
NRM... Not much done to it lately, still gathering the stuff to convert to juice brakes. I picked up a couple of new Sacramento Vintage '40 Ford brake drums last month off of Ebay for $75.00 each, that was a smokin' deal! Still need 2 more and a master, got everything else. Sounds like you're making headway on yours, post up some pictures. Did you start a build thread on it yet? Number two would be the second from the top, don't forget to add it back under the main leaf for the spacer. Later...
Add it back under.....ooohhhhh, I didn't know about that. That's good info to have. I never would have guessed. Lol. Thanks Bud. I am slowly making headway. Sometimes it's tough to find important parts...like the correct wishbone. But now that I have it I can get some bungs and tie rod ends and get them done and mount it all up to see where the ride height ends up. I guess I should remove #2 & 3 in order to match yours. Thanks again.
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