Projects Good combo for a low cab?

I want to see a dead on side shot.
That front hanger and radiator are way out front

Short springs get stiff and then ride like shit.
Here's a 30s poncho and the springs are huge and at least the tire's radius out front of the grill.

 

The only thing I woud do different,is making the bed taller and lower..or fab a skirt that matches the profile of the cab..like the picture of the black one i posted in my second post.

 

I'm betting the truck pictured above is Zeed on both ends under the cab. The lowered truck also has the radiator at about the same location as the axle, and the motor is sitting back behind the axle. In all fairness, I would be concerned about this truck passing the scrub line, the assumed to be trans crossmember hanging under the front of the cab will surely be on the pavement if a tire blows out.

A few things of note on the black flamed truck 31 Vicky showed are that the radiator is sitting ahead of the wheels and the motor sitting above the axle, so its sitting much higher on the frame. The frame also extends forward of the spring end, and the frame is much thicker above the front spring mount. If the goal of this truck was to get as low as possible, it was poorly executed, but I suspect the primary goal of this particular truck was to have a quick hot rod driver.

How to accomplish the low truck with 4 leaf springs?
Mount the motor behind the front axle, so just the heads are above the frame. Mount the rad just in front of the axle so the grill can cover the front of the axle. Either Zee the frame under the cab on both ends, or channel the cab over the frame. End the rear frame behind the rear spring mount. Trim the front of the frame just ahead of the front leaf spring mount, and tapper the top to just above the spring mount and box the ends.
If your not concerned about scrub line, you can mount all 4 springs on the outside of the frame rails and raise them up on the frame sides until you just have enough clearance between the axles and bottoming out on whatever. Technically, you can drop a 4 leaf frame about as low as you want to go, you just have to modify the frame to clear the axles, and shift the motor to clear the front axle and have enough room in the cab for the driveshaft tunnel to pass through.

Whenever you want something as low as it will go, compromises will be made. The number and severity of those compromises will depend on how low you want to go. Gene

 

You could get really low with parallel leafs by going to undersprung setup. I don't have a pic handy, but the leafs are on top of the frame. You have to completely reverse the springs to make this work; reverse meaning changing the position of the leafs except main to be on the opposite side of the main spring than it is for typical spring under the frame. It also needs the spring hangers to be relocated of course.

No dropped axle needed with undersprung, but will likely be close or under the scrub line.

 

Thanks for all the responses and ideas guys.
I dont want to go extremely low and i dont mind highboy hotrods either..
BUT,i havent seen a low cab that looks good with stock height,fenderless and chopped.
A high cab like cactus1 looks great but its a different cab.
I want to buid this right and have the proportions squared up..
Remember that I'm running a jimmy 6,wich is tall!

 

I agree, that black/flamed truck in the pic above looks like crap. Everything is wrong.
The bare metal truck is done much better.
Just gotta think it through.....good proportions are a must regardless of what front end you use.

 

Chevy trucks of this era had the front spring mount beyond the end of the frame rail. There is a bracket that was riveted onto the front of the frame rail that the spring and bumper mount to so the front mount is about 1-2" beyond the front edge of the frame.

 

your cab has a fuel filler hole in the passenger cab corner and it has a flat windshield. that makes it a '38.
the doors have holes over the window for the rear view mirror, i believe that is 40 only. the earlier cabs had the mirror on the hinge. they will work fine
the black truck with the flames is on a '49-54 frame, i am guessing, and the axle sit in the wrong plane as 31vicky noted.

 

Thanks for all the answers!
Can u guys tell if this chop was done cutting the roof and adding a strip as needed?
I dont see the pillars leaned back.

 

It would have to be with that much chop. You can see the fill piece in the window frame in the side shot you posted in #35

 

Haha this is amusing it makes me laugh.
I need it to be a roller in order to get i on a trailer.

 

there was an early chevy like that running around on a CJ frame. looked about the same.........kinda cool.

 

Hey guys.
Are the 1935 springs srong enough to hold 800# of inline?

 

Yes

 

Bought a 1958 rear end!
Im looking to buy a 1936 front suspension or a way to modify my mechanical brakes to juice.
If yall can keep yer eyes open..
Thanks

 

I think I see where they added a strip......

 

There is a good video of that truck on u-tube search bare metal 1936.

 

Are the frames the same from 34 to 47?

 

Hello guys...on a side note..im wantig to buy this transmission...
Is this a 4speed saguinaw?

 

...always liked this one...

 

looks lovely but there wont be much neck or leg room left with that chop.those cabs are small stock.im 5-10,5-11.if I was any taller I would not fit in comfortably in my stock 38.

 

Pretty sure it is. Is the case cast iron? It will be on a Saginaw. I can (barely) see the reverse lever, and it's in the right place.

Sent from my SM-G955F using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

That’s also a Plowboy built truck he called it “Seahag” it was literally put together with stuff he had laying around. It’s been gone for several years now so I may be wrong, but I think it ran a ford axle and transverse spring. His Space truck was built with Chevy parallel front spring set up. Johnny Sparkle built a really cool T Sedan with under slung parallel leaf front end.I know he drove the shit out of it so it must have worked pretty well.

 

here . great looking truck!

 

hey guys is the 58 rear end worth rebuiling or should i shit can it and buy something later model?

 

Why are you afraid of the quarter elliptical springs?... I believe quarter eliptics would work great, they could be used as either the top or bottom fore/aft link of a 4 link and your ride height could be fine tuned with wedge shaped caster shims used in straight parallel spring front geometry adjustments....I bleed FORD BLUE but if the low chopped pickup on the drawing board in my head ever rises to the top of to do list I'm using quarter eliptics on all 4 corners.....the only thing any sort of frame rail ahead of the axle needs to do is gold up the radiator and grille....

 

Is this your truck? Who owns this truck? I’ve seen it on a video on YouTube and I’m digging it
Kinda curious as it’s running stock type suspension like I’m doing on mine

 

Kind of a different style to what you want, but since i use parallel leafs...
1928 Chevy frame, axle and springs. Not a low setup by any means, but i channeled the cab (German Ford) up until the seat base, so a good 6-8 inches. In your case since you'll be working on the frame, you could Z it to achieve a similar result.
But getting as low as you want without using a transverse leaf requires some real tinkering like people already said above...

 

Somethings I have learned from driving my '37 Chevy truck ( unchopped ).
Do not recess the firewall if all possible, you will need the leg room.
Do not add a tunnel down the center, you will need the leg room,
The steering column will go between your feet, so plan the pedal arrangement carefully.
The back of the seat sets almost vertical, so long drives wear on you bit, moving it forward just cramps your legs due to limited leg room. I am only 5'-8" 160 lbs, so not overly tall or heavy, just the cabs are really small
I add A/C a couple years back, got really tired of being really hot, you set right next to the doors and glass, so the heat really gets to you.
Door latches work OK, but not really all that secure, I add 3-point seat belts for safety due to the door latches.
Grills cost a lot, I made mine from stainless steel rods. ( will add a picture when I can ).
Cowl vent is your friend, it's the only source of fresh air, not much comes in the windows.
Getting right up to traffic lights makes you lean over to see them, chopping the roof will be even worse.