Technical Lowering my 59 Panel

I'm hearing a dropped axle from Sid's is the way to go for lowering the front of my 59 Ford panel. Also, hear that removing a leaf or two will get even lower, as well as reversing the spring eyes. Pardon my ignorance, but I can't wrap my head around the spring eye reversing process!
Plan to flip rear axle to the top of the leafs. Can this be done without notching the frame? I don't have a bed to take off for ease of installation like a truck does.

 

If you flip the rear you will have to notch the frame. What I did was had all 4 springs rebuilt with a little lighter pack and reverse eye springs. On the front spring hanger, for the rear spring, I removed it, slipped it upside down and reattached it farther up the frame. You must flip the hanger if you reverse the eyes. I also had a dropped axle. It was not super low, but required no frame mods, and rode excellent


This shows springs compressed and how much room between rear ending housing and frame

 

Chris, thanks for the info and photos. In the rear, when you flipped the spring hanger were you able to use the stock bolt holes in the frame? Also, did you remove any of the springs front or rear and how much of a drop is that front axle? I like the forward rake you got. Concerned about the rear since I have more weight back there than a truck would have, (full body, plus those doors).

 

This how she sits now, but it has 16" tires on it

 

The holes will not line up, they are spread father apart at the top vs the bottom. I just redrilled the holes. Was not hard to do. My springs I took to my local spring shop and they removed a couple leaves, but made new ones so it had the same load capacity but rode a lot smoother and lower (like modern pickups that just have 3-4 lead springs in the rear). It was around 300.00 per pair for them to do that and reverse the eyes. The axle is dropped 3” over stock

My truck has 16” wheels on it as well, and a 6.50 16 tire all around

 

Thanks again, this has helped a lot. The cost for the spring work seems reasonable for the end result too. Just gotta find a place in my area that can do it for me.

 

In the 'Carolinas', there should be a multitude of spring shops...Lots of race prep going on back there, and a plethora of racers that are great 'wrenches'!
Ask around, this is a 'standard operation'. (in that there are still trucks with leaf springs)
Chris's methods are same as mine...(my F100 is a '55...but I used a stock '59 front axle, for 13/16" more drop. Every inch counts!)
Also, 15" wheels with the 'right tire sizes' will aid in lowering that panel.
Good Hunting!

 

Also check with some of the trucking companies in your area. They should be able to point you to a competent spring shop.

 

Reversed eye monos and sid's axle up front, flipped rear with a small c and removed 4 leaves.