I'm building a 31 five window A. Using the original frame, I installed a 32 front cross and a two inch kick up rear cross, that is commonly sold. Running without fenders. My chassis now looks exactly like a Pete and Jake's or the chassis Speedway sells. Channeled the body four inches. Have a four inch front drop axle and reverse eye front spring. Using hair pin front, four bar back. Have it all mocked up and the car has nice rack, but sits too high. A friend that has a lot of experience says it looks like a four wheel drive. LOL He says the only way to get the car any lower is to Z the frame. Both front and back. I hate this idea because, the hump would have to be bigger and taller in the interior and I guess you would have to lower the radiator to now be higher than the body. Is it worth the sacrifice? Please be kind, I am a newbie. And I'm also Dyslexic. Got hammered my last post about my spelling. But is there any other ideas?
A picture would be nice to give us an idea what it really looks like. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
remove a few front and rear springs and put the motor and trans in .. with the channel it should be a good look
Yes, pics. Actually a stock model A front crossmember is flatter than the '32 on by an inch. Is the rear spring over the axle or behind it, makes a difference.
You need to use the model A front & rear cross members if I am reading what you did correctly. Pictures would help us from guessing.
Y’all ever wonder where the term high boy comes from? Put a 32 frame underneath it and get 6” closer to the ground. That’s what and why they do it for. Tardle Z makes it better
With a 4 inch drop front axle,and reversed eye spring the front should look good.I have that on my 32 PU,and it sits just right.If the rear is a cross spring pull a leaf,or two just to see how much it settles.If your are running the 32 rear crossmember I have seen guys slice it in several places on each side which flattens it out dropping the back.The 32 crossmember has quite a "valley" in the center,and will drop a lot if flattened,and rewelded.As for spelling I get hammered all over the internet.I simply tell guys spelling is for people who have to work for a living.I get 4 different retirement checks a month even if I cant spell.That usually frosts them so bad they don't want to bring it up again.
Pretty smart buddy is dyslectic but I would never know it as he is a ton better on the computer than I ever will be... says he just has to remember to proof read every word before he hits send.
Jay Leno has done fairly well being Dyslectic, so have many others. We don't know the tire size on the Coupe project. Bob
You said its mocked up but didn't say if the engine and trans are in or if the equivalent weight is on the chassis. Like has already been said pics will be a big help.
About 250 pounds weight on front. Back is set at ride height with 29 inch tires and 4 inches clearance in suspension. Will have four link with coil overs. Measures 13.5 at front corner of body and 16.5 back corner of body. Again this is an original frame built to the Pete and Jake's Model A frame. I'm sure someone out there has used this type frame. Will I have to Z front and back to get a lower ride height? Hot Rod buddy with experience says it's too high. I think so too, but car still looks good to me. Are my measurements the same as others.
So that's what a big block engine looks like... I would try a lower front spring before Z ing, a 30" rear tire will fill the wheel well nice and give more rake. Sent from my SM-G900P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
First, those front tires are too tall and give a poor example of the finished car height. Second, they make flatter front springs. You could probably get a really flat one and lower it three inches right there. Might need to notch the side rails if you get a flatter spring.
As mentioned previously photo's help, and we all make grammatical errors, some members delight in point out other peoples mistakes, I suppose it makes them feel superior but from my point of view it just distracts from the thread. Keep on posting and ignore the spelling zealots. HRP
Really need to get the tires and rims on the car that you intend to use (or borrow a set if you can) to get the right perspective. Hope you are not running those big front tires as your scrub line angle is way off.
Go with a Model A front cross member. Someone makes a spring for the front that will lower it also. I can't remember who. Unchopped tops always look top heavy to me. It wont change how it sits on the frame but it will change the way it looks.
The t The spring came in a front suspension kit from Speedway. I'm now loooking at 5801002L tires on front are 25 inches tall and used for mock up. Should I run shorter tires? I plan on running a 5 inch wide rim in front with narrow tires. Didn't know you could get a lower front spring. If possible that might eliminate Zing the front. Where could I buy one and does it effect ride? Does anyone have height measurements of their A using a Pete and Jakes' Model A frame?
if you Z it in the front, you're going to lose another 4-5 inches of radiator height unless you like the look of your shell above the cowl.
They ride high. About 1/2 the tire diameter or more so (your 28” tire ) you will have 14” of distance from ground to body. That’s more than any 4x4 you’re going to find in a dealer showroom floor.
Posies makes a super low that would make that car about 3 inches lower in front. Not to sound like an echo but get the correct size tires front and back ~ personall preference is 26 ish tall in front 31 ish in back~ change the front spring and you should be there. You’d be surprised how high a lot of these cars measure, but they look right. No ones walking around with a tape measure comparing who’s lower. If it looks right, it is right. You’ll get it
Your other option for getting it low is a mono-leaf front spring. I got one from TCI and used it on my old '32 , and lowered it a full 2 inches. Being only one leaf, it mounts way up inside your crossmember which lowers the car. The spring comes with shims/spacers so you can adjust the ride height. I used 2 spacers on top of the spring because any lower and the spring would hit the frame side rails
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