Anybody have any information or plans using torsion bars for a roadster? My plan is to copy somewhat the instant roadster that was built by Dragmaster and published in the Feb, 1964 issue of Hot Rod.
Roth used to use Volkswagon front ends with some sucess. You can also use a digger front end. If you shop around you can find them pretty cheap.
Don't ask Rashy ....he don't know Jack. I have some old Hot Rod mags you can rummage through if ya want.
I'll be using 29" sprint car bars, arms, and stops on all four corners of my T-bucket. I have enough left over from my racing days to do this. It won't be like the old Dragmaster setup however. Bars will run parallel to the car centerline and will connect to the split 'bones in front and under the banjo axle in the rear.
SJFast, do you have any photos? My idea was to use the same mounting as you have planned. How is the spring rate figured? Will you be mounting the arms with shackles or direct. When I lived in Duluth they said it was colder by the water, nice city, I miss it.
Not sure what you guys are building but I tld Rashy I would post pics of this a while back but never could find em..... Jerry Browns car
FTF....sorry, no photos. The car is still an Autocad image. I'm not sure if I'll use shackles at the torsion arm ends or let the arm ends ride on rollers. Either way will work. Perhaps I'll hand draw a sketch. Yeah...."Cooler by the lake" is something we hear all summer. Of course, in the winter the lake keeps us warmer most of the time.
Root...was that car called "Hot Chocolate" ? If it's the same car I have 8mm film of it on the return road at the '64 Indy Nationals.
Thanks for the replys and photos, the plan is to build a copy of the Stanford drawing on page 85 of the twenty fifth issue of Rodders Journal. Altered wheel base race car for the street and a little fun on the strip. Should be able to build on the cheap, will use Rash as gofer and human "C" clamp. I have most of the parts from my 23 after it was wrecked so a body and some tubing is about all I need. Been going over several web sites Sprint cars, american track roadsters.com etc. but most don't really show much.
<font color="green">ROOT, You know you love me, and don't try horning in on FTF. HE'S MINE! FTF is dead serious about this thing and I can't wait to get started on it. He has hunted down everything ever printed about this car and studied it in detail and you're right, compared to FTF, I DON"T KNOW JACK! </font>
[ QUOTE ] will use Rash as gofer and human "C" clamp. [/ QUOTE ] <font color="green">That's funny shit!!! At least you have learned my abilities/limitations! </font>
Here are some shots of a roadster frame with torsion bars. I would like to see a primer on how to set them up and make torsion bars work. http://www.atrackroadster.com/components.html
Does anyone have any information for calculating spring rate? Got a chart with spring rate for various diameters of material? Advantages to material -- chromoloy or tempered mild steel?
I think you'd be better off checking out midget/sprint car sites for that info. Most still use t-bars. Also 1960 to 1962 chevy trucks use t-bars up front. Awesome smooth ride.
Years ago the Carrera shock absorber people had a chart that would show the spring rate of a certain diameter and effective length torsion bar at whatever length of arm you design to. I have one around here somewhere.
I have found a couple of resources.... Torsion bar calculator Torsion formula I keep seeing inexpensive torsion bars, stops, etc on eBay and wonder if I could use them on the A sedan. I also have been surprised how many guys used the torsion bar setup in the 50s ... most of the drag racers anyway. Thanks for the all the info, good thread. later PS is there a good reason to avoid the eBay items? ... they are often ex-racer stuff. Maybe the rates would be suspect/inconsistent & that is the reason behind the racer boy auctions.
<font color="green">Good info guys, thanks. I talked to FTF and he has tweeked his back pretty good so he may not be sitting at the idiot box too much right now. I will let him know there's a bunch of info flying, keep it coming. RASHY </font>
The Jalopy Journal
