Ok, I've got a 37 front axle with the spring set out front of the axle hung off the wishbone. I'm thinking I will keep this setup to stand out from the crowd, I'd like some pics of one in a fenderless car. Also, has anyone had luck with dropping the hangers on the wishbone down kinda like dropping an axle to lower the car, I'm reversing the spring eyes, oldschool style, stepping the frame by stacking frame on frame and installing a 2" drop front crossmember, and maybe pulling a few springs out for ride, but I don't think it will be low enough. So if anybody has some info/pics on dropping those hangers I'd appreciate it, if not, I guess I may be the first to do something.
Anybody? HELP! I'm gettin ready to cut my frame to step it up front and need this info, already got the cuts laid out and the sawzall ready but don't really don't wanna do it til I know some of this.
There are some good generic pictures on this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=197058 Unless of course you can recognise the specific parts you have being used in the pictures. Good luck.
I have that setup on my '32 fenderless roadster, it works fine. You do lose a couple inches of wheel base if the cross member is in the stock location. I can post pictures tonight when I get home from work.
I think I might have confused you, I'm running a stock 36-37 front axle setup with just a few of my own little touches hopefully. The spring is in front of the axle, everything still under the frame. I want the exact opposite of suicide. Roupe: I was figuring on losing some wheelbase so I'll be moving the crossmember forward when I get my new 2" dropped one to put in place of the stocker. I'm gonnal lose 4-8" when I step my frame because I'll be stacking frame on frame and need some strong weld area as plans call for a rather stout engine later. I'm kinda after the short and squirelly look anyway. I just wanted to see what kind of springs and such other people are running and how their ride heighth/stance turned out, so I would appreciate the pics.
Maybe this is what you're talking about? Mine's still in the mock up phase, but I should have it a little further along in the next couple of weeks. I'm using old springs as the extension down from the wishbone to the spring. It's not shown here, but I'll be flipping the spring over and reversing the stack. The spring will look like a smile rather than a frown, with the longest spring on the bottom. Help ya any?
Moonglow, nope that ain't it although I dig that design. In 36-40? they had spring hangers built into the wishbone that protrude out in front of the axle about 3-4 inches off the front of the wishbone. Hence the spring in front or ahead of the axle/axle trailing behind. You don't see them on too many fenderless cars but alot of the full fendered cars still have them.
Thanks for the compliment on my front end design. I was just thinking you could do something similar, only in front of the spring, rather than behind it as in my case. I haven't personally seen anything like what either one of us has in mind, on the HAMB or anywhere else. I think that makes our design concepts even cooler. I see no reason why your idea won't work like a champ. Keep us posted.
That must be an airplane gas tank. What's it from? Where do you plan to mount it? With the airfoil shape, it begs to be in the wind. Thanks, Kurt
It was common years ago to use a '35-'48 front axle to gain juice brakes and lower the car. A lot of cars were done this way and it is a very traditional modification. I'm about to build a '27 on A rails and use a '48 axle and spring with wishbones which has a lot of drop for real a real old time look. Cheap,traditional and it works!
Check out Tetanus Shot's coupe. He's running a '39 front end and it looks great in my opinion. I'll be doing the same on my A sedan.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=197058 Tons of good info here just ignore the pissing match in the middle....lol
Yeah, that setup is on quite a few fenderless cars I've seen... and looks nice. I don't know about stacking the rails though... seems like there was a nice write up in the tech section about properly zee-ing a frame... where and how, that sort of thing. I'd check it out before you bust out the sawzall. Don't forget, if you shorten the frame, the engine still has to fit in there... unless it's way back under the cowl... Also, I don't think I'd try to bend the spring hangers... seems like they're about as close to the axle as they can be for assembly / dissassembly - if I rememebr correctly. Never seen anybody try it, I guess... Besides, I think your limiting factor will be the axle to frame distance after the 2" crossmember and reversing and removing springs. Next step is a dropped axle.... Kamp
Kamp:If the engine goes in the cowl, then it goes in the cowl, I just want that nice short and squirelly look instead of the long stuff everyone's doing, I can always stretch it back out a little when I Z the back section with tubing. I think you are probably right about the spring hangers though. I think personally that stacking the frame looks nice if you box and gusset it. Who is dropping stock axles anymore that does it right and is reliable?
I used the front end you're talking about on my pickup. When you split your wishbones you're going to have to heat up the ears that the shackle bolts to so they're parallel with the spring ends. What i did was made a jig out of some plywood and 2x8s and set the front end in it, and measured the width where the rears of the wishbones were going to go on the frame, then you can just screw down the wishbones at the right width when you split them, and heat up the ears and make them point straight forward, know what i mean? After that i used a 2" drop posies front spring with reversed eyes, and cut 2.5" out of the top of the crossmember to drop it some more and it gets down plenty low and looks fine i think. Here's a picture where you can kinda see it but i can get a better one later tonight and post it for you
Hey Kurt, Right you are. It's a wing section/fuel tank from an early '50's Cessna. It's 25 gallons, so with my little 289 SBF, it'll have plenty of range. I plan to fab a concave blister on the underside for better clearance with the rear end's 3rd member. This is also where I'll locate the fuel pick-up and have access to add to some baffling. It'll set about where it's shown on the mock up, only a couple inches lower. Here's a design elevation to give you a better idea.
tetnus shot didn`t builds that front end... or frame for that matter... I have pictures from 2 or 3 years ago to prove that!! I used a `40 front axle w/Hydraulic brakes...split the wishbones, and twisted the spring hangers so the spring ends would not bind. I know tetnus shot is taking credit for the complete build...but he bought that car almost done!!! ask him how he used a stock [wide] spring in the narrow front model A cross member..[I know] I streched the frame about 3 & 3/4 inches behind the crossmember, and boxed it from the front x-member to the rear...I also narrowed the frame about 2" on each side to make the channel easier. the firewall recess for the distributor is made out of another "A" firewall cutting the outside corners off about 4 " in from each side; welding the 2 pieces together, and welding it in the firewall backwards . he doesn`t know it but the steering gear is VEGA! That master cyl on the firewall is `55- `56- `57 chevy as is the steering column, and swing pedals..I know...I put them in!!! The rear end is `67 mustang 9"...I also made the drive shaft...and the trans mount. when I sold the car,It didn`t have any brakes on the front...The drums and backing plates were still in my garage a year later..I sold them at the CHICKASHA swap meet 2 or 3 years ago.. I made the HIDEOUS Headers out of 1&1/2" EMT [conduit] using stock exhaust manifold gaskets as a pattern for the flanges. he didn`t like them, but they`re still hanging on the rafters in his garage. If anybody has seen this coupe on person with the trunk lid up..They`ll notice the right hand drip rail is missing...I recently found it in my garage...I still have it!!! I also have the pieces cut out of the firewall for the dist recess, and the trans hump.. The body was chopped when I bought it>>> but I had to replace both quarter panels with old used panels, and a new panel between them below the deck lid. Just wanting to set the record straight... Tom T.
a friend sent this picture to me, don't know who the car belong's to but it's a sweet little ride and the frontend look's right on. mike
I think this is gonna work out pretty good, thanks guys. If anybody else has some pics or info they think I really need feel free to chime in. Shiner: I've posted in the wanted section on here but if I don't get any bites ther I'll just get one from Speedway Motors.
Hmmm..... spring perch out in front and axle under the frame, I was thinkin about somethin like that but I really want to stay away from the whole "suicide" deal on this one, cool idea though.
Still lookin for more pics here...... somethin to get the juices flowing a little more, started on stepping the front frame last night, measured don't know how many times, marked , measured more then finally broke out the sawzall. Now I need to figure how far to double it up for weld area 4", 6", or I'm thinkin 8" cuz I want it killer short!
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