Sorry, no photo yet. I have what I was told is a Model A front end, already split bones. The front of the bones each have a curved arm ( like a steering arm) that protrude out front. I saw a photo of a Lincoln bone that looked similar. Did Ford ever use this design? What years? Thanks!!
Ooops, I may have found my answer. Searching a little more, I just found a recent post " Help with front and rear suspension, 37 Ford truck". My front end looks exactly like his. I guess it's not a Model A front end, thats o.k., it'll still get used.
Yup, I do believe. I'll take pics. and post to be sure. Thinking about putting it under my 64 Falcon. Budget build, it's what I have laying around now. Just kicking some ideas. Looks like the PO cut and re-welded each bone so it would run more parallel to a frame, almost like hockey sticks laying on there sides.
School me. Can a different set of wishbones be used so the spring is over axle? Obviously, the appropriate mounts have to be used, but, does it matter, or is the set-up year/ axle specific?
You can use different bones for a spring over setup. but the spring won't be long enough or shouldn't be. You will probably have to have a different length main leaf made up.
Yes... just use the spring perches like a model A, trim the old front spring hanger off and you're good to go.
...with the exception of being able to use aftermarket lower shock mounts, the style that turn onto the bottom of the spring perch. those bones he's using don't leave much of the perch sticking out the bottom...I had to use a custom machined cone washer (for lack of the proper or better term) on the bottom and a slim nylock nut just to bolt up the perch itself, then fabricated custom shock mounts on the tube of the wishbone. Steve
I'm curious to see what it is that you're talking about the with PO reworking them? Make sure to post pics soon. Are you going for that gasser look with the straight axle? There's two links to a really cool car that Jimmy Shine built...straight axle...32 ford heavy style http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com...jimmy_shines_1957_chevy_150_gasser/index.html http://www.jimmyshine.com/hotrod-haas57-2.htm
My perches came from So-Cal, and they told me they were the longest you could get, and I know I'm not the first person to come across this problem using the 37-41 and 42-48 bones. Where did you purchase yours? and how long are they?
You can get most of the parts for a spring over conversion from speedway. but not the spring, you will have to contact posies for the spring that is used for the forty axle width.
Customer supplied the stuff, think they came from Greedway though. I did have to use a thin lock nut to make it work.
Hope this works. You can see where the PO heated and bent the bones. Funny thing is, the way this sits, as is, dimentionally is perfect for mf Falco. The rear bones width would fall right under the centers of the front subframe? I'm just not sure how safe the bones are bent like this. Thoughts?
I think I know what the guy must have been doing.... Those bones were originally connected at the rear, making a V shape, with a ball at the end. The ball connected to a yokey/sockety thing on the frame. When you split the bones at the rear to mount them on the outside of the frame, you open up the V shape, and it turns those spring hangers inward on themselves, making the spring impossible to mount. So, to correct the problem most guys mount the bones up on the frame, then heat and bend the spring hangers back outwards to square them back up. Instead of doing that, this guy left the spring hangers the same, so the spring wouldn't get complicated, and bent the bones instead. Another reason in the guys thinking might have been the steering clearance issue. The distance on the axle between the wishbone perch bolt holes and the kingpins get closer together on the 37-48 axles, causing the tire to possibly rub on the bones (when spit) before the car hits the steering locks. By doing it his way, he probably wouldn't have that problem. That being said, if you were to use split, but unbent 37-48 bones with a stock or dropped model A or 32 axle, you wouldn't have a tire to wishbone clearance issue, because the perches are far enough from the kingpins. I think if that setup looks good under your car, I'd use it as is, but make some modifications to brace that bend up a bit. Move it through the steering locks and see how much room you have to put a gusset on there, on the inside angle. Good luck, looks like a good start to a budget build, hubs, bearings, backing plates, spindles, axle...the whole deal. -Steve
This is an early mock-up of '37 avles with the bones properly bent to use on the A frame. I also have a sway bar in the pic I was tempted to use, didn't need it though, the rear design keeps it flat in the corners. I think for a gasser you would want a sway bar at least. But parallel spring axle probably would carry the front better. Early econoline? If you aren't too far away, I have a mopar van tube axle can be had reasonable, have '40's 4" x 16" smoothies that fit.
The Jalopy Journal
