Hi Everyone, Here's my new project. Got the flathead running after a decade a few days ago. My plan is to lower the car ( as much as possible ) . I'll be using a Magnum axle and will be doing the common spring mods/Shocks in the front. Regarding the rearend. I'd like to retain the stock banjo rear and I wonder what would be the best way to lower it. Can it be lowered using the stock single spring ? Dual spring ? Thanks for any help ( and pics if possible )
I brought this up in a different thread yesterday https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/46-48-ford-stance.1150828/#post-13089244 Someone said that they removed leafs, and put in different shackles to get it sitting lower.
Stock 41 Rear end can be lowered several ways. The fastest way is longer shackles but since the 41 does not have a rear end panhard bar you can get body sway. I have seen some Very long rear shackles on some of the older builds. You can also lower it by removing the plate on the bottom side of the rear cross member the the top of the spring sets against. The spring goes up into the cross member this way. You will need to reinforce that area if you do this. You can also remove the rear cross member and replace it with a fabricated flat one. What you do depends on how much of a drop you want. Torchie
Thanks guys. Im actually even thinking about gping 4 link with coilovers. Not traditional at all but practical.
You couldn't be further off base if you tried. If you actually think it's "Practical" you have not done any of your homework as to what else is needed after you get that part alone done. You've gotten some pretty good advice so far. Most of all should you actually do the 4 link you can NOT use the stock closed rear Axle. There starts the undoing of your Old School ride. Not to mention what's going to happen to your Wallet. You might want to rethink things.
I know, Im a bit lost. Gonna have to make up my mind soon. I want this one to be a great ride, so I dont mind going not so traditional. And being a 41 fat fender It's not that big of a deal, is it ? Frontend will remain traditional anyway.
There are no written rules however, Traditional means one thing when talking Old Cars. Figure that out before you start carving up your project. 4 bar isn't it. If that's all you think of the car sell it off and build yourself a Street Rod. The Flathead makes a statement on it's own just like the Stock body and I Beam. You don't need to change what isn't broke just to get a low stance. Guys like us have been doing the Tail dragger stance with stock stuff long before 4 link and coil overs, most of us with pocket change and hand tools never taking the rear axle out of the car. A lot of them didn't even have a Torch much less a Welder. I was one of the lucky few. Once you change to 4 link you move that 41 into a Misfit era that isn't anything. Something to be aware of, Advice is Easy to come by just like Opinions. Good advice, Not so much.
You can get it down between 2-3 inches with a de-arched spring and reversed eyes on the main leaf. Long shackles will work, but you'll have side sway unless you install a panhard bar. If you want to install that 9 inch rear, you'll have to convert trans for open drive using p'up truck parts.
Never had any dealigs with a '41 other than riding in a couple, years ago, but since post #3 in this thread said a '41 didn't have a panhard bar. I assumed they didn't. Now who's correct?
When in doubt Google is your friend. Or, you could ask the O.P. to just look under his car to verify. I don't have a 41 here to take a photo of one in place.
Cant check for the panhard bar till next weekend. Car is at a friend's storage miles away from here. Now. Could I do the spring work plus the longer shackles on the rear ? Im looking for a 4 to 5 inches drop. If there's no factory panhard bar I guess we can install one. Right ?
Joe; do you have some basic welding and fab skills? If so just look at the rear spring crossmember and think " how would I just raise the channel that spring sit's in?" up 4" or 6" at that point lowers the car exactly that. No floor pan work done at all. Food for thought.
If longer shackles are used to lower the rear of a 42-8 ford, will the panhard/ track bare need adjustment?
Stands to reason the length required from frame to an axle which is centered to the frame will change as the angle from one mount to the other changes. And lowering or raising the frame in relation to the axle will change that angle. So yes the panhard bar's required length to hold frame centered to axle will change somewhat. Think it was late 60's full size Chevys, if you follopwed one across a railroad crossing or similar bump, you could atually see the body move left and right in relation to the tires as the distance between axle and frame changed due to the bump. This was from not having the bar mounted as near parallel to the axle when body was at it's normal at rest height.
To your knowledge, are there aftermarket, adjustable panhard bars available for 42-8 ford cars with lowered suspension. My car has a Posies lowering spring in the rear with stock panhard bar. I need to check and see if it is parallel to axel while in a level, static height position. I need to lower it a tad more. That is why I am considering longer shackles! Thanks for the info and insight!
Joe... The '41 thru '48 passenger cars have a decided 'hoop' in the front and rear spring packs, so de-arching and eye reversal should account for this: When flattening the main leaf, length is going to increase, about 1/2"-3/4" eye-to-eye. So, a spring company should trim and re-roll the eyes or fabricate a new, shorter main leaf. Then flatten the rest accordingly, (not 'flat', but...'flattER'.) Shackles should settle at 35*-45*, not straight up and down... Long shackles were an age-old idea that has thankfully been abandoned for the most part, in the interest of no side-sway...
Wouldn't be my choice,but a 4- link can work just fine with a torque-tube rear!Your 4 -link brackets need to pivot or swivel on the rear housing letting the torque tube still control rear axle rotation.Look underneath any modern circle track modified or late model to see how it works-only difference is they use a torque arm instead of a torque tube to control wrap up
You might be able to cut the factory panhard bar and use a tie rod sleeve for length adjustment if the bar is the correct OD and you thread it. Somone may sell one but if not maybe you can modify as above or fab one up from old tie rods or drag links.
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