How do I lower my bomb? ¿Como bajo tan eres?

Uhmm... a little help please. I own a '48 Chevy Fleetline, and I want to lower it. I guess my question is, what is the best way to accomplish this? Is it better to air bag, or use drop spindles and lowering blocks? Where drops spindles are concerend, is there another company other than Fat Mann's making spindles for this vintage of Chevy? What about bags? Is it ok to use the existing suspension components, or should I look at putting in a Mustang II? Does the instalation of a Mustang II mean irreversable changes need be made to my frame? I know a "C" notch is needed for bags, or isn't it?

I will never sell my bomb, but, just in case I should fall on hard times I thought I should keep all my options open. If I make irreversable frame mods, maybe I can't sell my car to a restorer, thus limiting my potential market ability to only custom and bomb lowrider car guys?

Any info on lowering a bomb would be greatly appreciated. Particularly, info on drop spindles for the type of car I have. I am trying to personalize my car while still keeping it marketable should I need to sell. Just thinking ahead durring this bad economy.

Thanks in advance,
Michelle

 

mustang is the way to go!!. did it on a 41 chevy i had and went with the air bags setup. no fram mods just unbolt your front end and bolt the new one in. but if your on a budget you can always go the old skool way and reverse the spindels up side down and cut one coil off and you get 2" drop with a stock ride feel. did that on my 52 ford

 

Seriously, no frame mods for the Mustang II? What about the steering box?

And you mention the ole Ford spindle flip trick switch-a-rooney, but, I haven't heard anyone mention that this works for Chevys also? Do you know this spindle trick works on Chevys as fact, or is that speculation?

Thanks mí novía in advance,
Michelle

 

You can't switch spindle uprights from side to side on Chevys. The easiest way is to cut a coil or coil and a half off the front springs, maybe some dropped spindles too. Just put as big of a lowering block as you can stand on the back, or some aftermarket reversed eye leaf springs. That or some dearched leaf springs would keep you from having such a large lowering block in the rear , also keeping the u-bolts from scraping in case you have a flat tire or whatever. I had a 48 Fleetline that would scrape the road with its u-bolts when I had a flat, you don't want that. There maybe a spindle swap to 53 Chev to get a little drop with a spindle, but that might be just for 49-54 Chevs. Somebody on here knows the deal I'm sure!

 

My first round with my '47 Chevy suspension mod I took the low budget approach and made lowering blocks for the rear and front suspension which got me a 3" drop in the rear and a 2.5" in the front. If you dont want to make your lowering blocks you can buy them form Chev's of The 40s.
http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/17651.html

http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/17650.html

The second round I installed '50 Chevy car spindles, backing plates, and drums which got me about 5/8" lower, better brakes, and a 5-bolt lug pattern. And I was able to use a smaller 15" tire which got me little lower too. I believe the '49-54 passenger car spindles and brake assemblies will fit your car.

The third round I cut 1.5 coils from the front coil springs but it handled kind of squirrely so I took the plunge and installed a Fatman MII setup. I also installed Posies Super Slide leaf springs in the rear.

There are several manufacturers of the MII setup. They offer weld-on kits and bolt-on kits. Check your rod mags for the advertisments. There has been tech articles published on installing both kits as well as the airbag setup. If you need copies of any of them, shoot me your email address and I'll scan them and get them to you.

Other options: Buffalo Enterprises' dropped spindles for '49-54 passenger cars. Use 6-lug 15" Chevy truck wheels

 

If the economy gets so bad you can't sell a nice driving and stopping fleetline with bags to a lowrider or custom guy...do you really think a restorer is going to want to step up? Just saying...build it the way you want it and enjoy driving it as much as you can....sorry but thats the way of the old car hobby.
So if I were in your shoes I would determine how much I want to spend and how cool I want to be (or how looow do you really want to go?) and go from there!

 

"I will never sell my bomb..." Well, make up your mind...will you or won't you...(??) should you "fall on hard times"...!! That's almost an oxymoron statement. Hard times are here, according to the government & media...doubt it's going to get much worse.

Looks like you are already aware of a 'bad economy'...Just build the car to what YOU want and forget about the economy, and selling to 'restorers'...they would NEVER want a 'hot rodder's' car...no matter how shitty the economy gets. Market it to hot rodders or other "bomb" drivers.

R-

 

Hey Michelle, MOAR photos! I remembered adding you but I forgot about your fleetline!

I'm in the same boat with my '46. I've finally got her on all wheels and back together, the only thing I've done so far is put 15's on her (but I've got some huge goddamn whitewalls) and 2 inch blocks my buddy had for free in the back. It didn't make a difference to me, but of course i always see these cars SLAMMED like shit.

The route I'm going is dearching in the back, but my buddy has a '37 that's nice and low and doesn't have a blcok on the back and rides good still. The front I was thinking of chopping, but then I don't want to bang all the time so I'm still trying to figure it out. Drop spindles don't seem worth the cash, I might as well do all modern front if I'm gonna unbolt the whole front anyway.

 

How about this:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=317696

 

Where do I get a mono leaf or de-arched springs?

 

sand bags

 

For those of you who asked to see a picture, this is the only one I have.

 

Thanks guy , I somehow missed this the other day . Nice picture Hot Rod Michelle !

 

HEY Kojack, I put drop springs from POSIES some years ago, and I still bottom out and bang the front sometimes.

What kind of Mustang II kit is complete and bolt on? Are you guys talking about something from TCI, POSIES, or Fat Manns?

Michelle

 

Hey thanks Peck, I took a look at that link, and saw some good info. But, since my car has knee action shocks, I thought it might be a good idea to go with the Mustang II anyway.

 

Yea, I checked the Chevs of the '40s site, but I already have 3" lowering blocks in the back, and still my car is in the nose bleeds. I cant use the '49 stuff cause it wont get the car low enough and will change my lug pattern. I don't want to do that, because of the type of rims I'm using.

Good info though. Thankyou
Michelle

 

Smaller tires.

 

Yea, I'm gonna do that next. But, I fear, that too small a tire will look kind of dorky.

 

First, did you happen to notice my personal quote? I can't decide/ make up my mind.

Second, that is some pretty good advise, thank you for that. I needed to hear that.

Michelle

 

I'm intrigued, how does this work? What do u mean by reverse the spindles upside down? I know I may sound like an idot, but this is all new to me. I would like to lower the front of my 59 EDSEL, which has the same suspension as a Galaxy. The back is easy, its leaf springs, so lowering blocks will work. But I am not sure how to do the front other than cutting or heating the springs. Thanks in advance for any help here. FNG for sure, but willing to listen, try and learn.

 

here's my coupe..


I did the chassis engineering install.. it requires NO mods to the frame.. I have done several of these installs. (2 in fords and one other in another Chevy) all are very very simple to install..

in the Chevy's (because their stock front cross members are of the "bolt in" design, installation borders on "IDIOT PROOF"

I had the old stock Chevy cross member out of the car, and the new one in, in about 6 hours..

there are a few tricks to the steering linkage,, as I used the chassis engineering mounts and found away to get away with only 2 ujoints.. but otherwise the engine trans is EASY as well..

I am also running posie rear springs.. with 1.5 inch lowering blocks.. I was down lower, but the car didn't like pulling my camper that low..

without a doubt. MII in these cars is the way to go..

I had an idea to airbag the front of my car.. and air ride on mII is only a phone call away..

I am currently trying to sell or trade the car..


http://public.fotki.com/sawzallshop/sawzalls-rides-past/1947_chevrolet_coupe/page4.html

 

That flip the spindle switch-a-rooney only works in '49-'52 fords. Because I was going to do that to my '56 Ranch wagon, but no deal.

Hey, Sawzall, what contact info do you have for this idiot-proof MII front end? Because, I'm an idiot for sure, and I think I'm going to need it.

 

Chassis Engineering, Jim Meyer Racing, Chevs of The 40s..to name a few.

Street Rodder, Custom Rodder, Street Rod Builder, and Super Chevy did articles on the installation of the bolt-on IFS into early chevies. The Street Rodder article was on installing the Chassis Engineering kit on the '41-'48 Chevy frame. This article is in the tech section on the Street Rodder Web site. Street Rod Builder did the article on installing Jim Meyer's '37-'54 kit on a '50s Chevy. You can see This article on Jim Meyer's web site. Like Sawzall said, the install is basically idiot proof. Check out the sites and see for yourself. You can also see other installation articles by visiting the Custom Rodder and Super Chevy web sites.

BTW, go to your local Books-a-Million or Barnes & Noble and scan through the book "Street Rodder's Chassis & Suspension Handbook" and see if there's anything of interest.

 

Ok, thanks Kreepea 1. Whats the issue or the web page info for Street Rodder?

Hey, thanks all you guys for the killer info I have been able to learn about a car I have had for more than a decade. This is all news to me.

Michelle

 

Firme bomba Michelle

 

Cool! Thanks Muncie. I should have added it to that bomb picture thread that ran a few months ago. Glad you like. It will be bitchen when its down in the weeds, though.

The one called "Bombs Away"

 

Here it is.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231936&highlight=bombs+away

Great thread with some bad ass bombs!

 

Chevybombs.com, check out their forum. Lots of very knowledgeable old timers on there. I'm sure they could point you in the right direction. Beautiful bomb by the way!

 

the fliping of the spindels could only be done with king pin setup. like all late chevys and early fords, be fore the ball joint came out. its not the spindel that flips, it the part that holds the spindel, that flips.then thers a slite bend to the top that is now the bottom, then the left go's to the right and the right to the left. to much info to list but it could be done and it has bean done since the 40's and 50's. like i said i did it on my car and my budys 53 chevy.

 

no gear box on the mustang cause you gat rack inpin and dic brakes.