Features Let's see Model A's lowered without dropped axles

If this passage doesn't win a Hammy I don't know what will.

 

Thank you. I had a rough day, and I needed that. I love that guy.

"Take a welding class. Find a way to get back into the building when no one is there....."

I need to get more in this mindset, I spend way too much time taking bullshit from the universe.

 

How come no ones talking about Z'ed frames and channeling like me in 1953?

 

This stance was achieved by using a '35/'36 front axle with a 2" drop front spring and notching the front crossmember to get another inch. I actually raised it 1/2" after this picture was taken to keep the tires from rubbing the front fenders as much. The rear was achieved by lengthening the frame 7 1/2" and using a '40 rear axle with a reverse eye Model A spring. The tires are 5.50x16 Front and 7.00x16 rear.

 

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Orginal front axle,reverse eye spring..rear t spring with 3 leaves removed


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How many leaves is that left Bangerbob? I just scored this spring with the small leaves missing. It has 5 including the main. I was going to run it with 2 short leaves from the A spring. Sound about right? Sorry about the hijack.

 

I'm watching this one my axle doesn't have a lot of drop.

 

I have a model t spring with every "other" spring removed. Top is the a spring to keep it centered in frame



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What is the body color? Washington Blue or?
Thanks George

 

I'm pretty sure you can get a nice rear drop by using an A Roadster pickup rear spring which is very similar to the T spring in shape and style. That was an old hot rod change too.

 

Are you running a panhard bar with the shackles like that or is it ok to run them like that. I am under the impression that the rear shackles have to be at 90 degrees. OR, is that more for when the bones have been split.

Great cars and pics guys. Thanks for keeping this thread going.


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What do you mean by heating the spring?

 

I put a droped axle under my A with mechanical brakes, 16 inch wires and 550/16s onthe front..

It was fendered, I stood back took a look and ripped it out again.. the combination of the dropped axle and the deep set backplates on the mechanical brakes pulled the wheels to far in reducing the track width a fair bit . Upshot was it kinda had the look of a VW with a narrowed beam ..
Taking spring leafs out the front spring made it so the spring hit the frame, not to good .. best solution seemed to be to run a 36 axle for a tiny drop of around an inch, reverse eye spring for another inch, and fit 600s to fill the fender gap and give it the look of being dropped more than it really is ..

 

What did you to drop the rear?

 

I heated the spring right by the shackle area slowly with a torch, the car started to lower under its own weight. The key is go slow, move the torch back and forth about 2-3, nice and hot and when done just let it cool on it's own. A good idea is to wrap the shackles in wet leather or maybe a welding blanket, the grease will melt out some. If you have the book Muroc When The Hot Rods Ran on pg 39 is a good shot of this type of work on the front end of a car, cir. 1938, I did it on my car both front and back.

 

I heated mine, too. I disagree with the guy that said heating and letting it cool will make it brittle. Heating and slow cooling anneals steel, which makes it more ductile, less brittle, but also less "springy". Heating it and quenching it will harden it, which will make it brittle. Hardened steel has to be carefully re-heated to temper it, which is what I assume they did to the springs. I don't think the annealed ends of Model A springs are going to break or bend, though, at least on a lightweight application like a speedster. That's a substantial piece of metal. They did it a lot back then, from what I've learned.



So, that's front and rear heated and bent, about 3 or 4 leaves out on each end. I didn't bend mine until they hit the axles, used the C-clamp to gauge how far to go and keep it fairly even, side to side.

 

You need to use a stretch drop with mechanicals, the aftermarkets are too narrow.

 

Removed 3 leafs from the rear spring and stepped up to 750s ( fendered car )

 

Is that a stretch dropped A axle on yours, ?

I just never got around to having the original axle dropped, I have 3 waiting to go but something else always comes along demanding funding

I took care of the brake shaft support the same way as you with a welded bracket. More than ample for the job it does. These old Ford parts are quality steel, easy to weld and blend to make the mods look factory.

 

Hm. So I have stock springs front and rear in my sport coupe. I have a Tudor rear spring. Could I get away with removing 4 leafs from the rear, and heating the front to where it's 1.5 inches from the axle?

 

Yes Model A axle. That's an old picture. I have since reversed the spring and added shocks.

 

Here is an update on mine since it has been on the road a few years

 

I absolutely love this car! Please tell me where I can find more info and pictures of it.

 

Chris the photographer is a hamb member.
@CrcooperPhotography

 

four inch drop axle reverse eye front spring, t spring rear