I have a '32 rear end that has been converted to open drive. I bought it mounted with bones in a Model A frame but I'm using a '27 T touring body tub (my avatar shows the car on a basically stock A frame with a banger motor). To get the wheel centered in the wheelwell, I will need to go from using the stock '32 behind the axle spring perches to an over axle set up. This moves the rear end back about 4". Lucky me, new spring perches, new spring, a different axle locating method and a longer driveshaft. I read that there is a thread on how to cut the over axle perches off a Model A bell and re-weld them to a different rear end. I have done about 20 searches and can not find this info, please help! The Model A rear end from the old frame has the perches right up against the backing plates. This Model A rear end was used with the stock 42" wide A spring shown in the picture below. The picture above shows the start of the mock up process. The frame is way high on jack stands and the Model A spring is used to see if it would work. (Not sure why it is lower on the driver's side, car might not be level side to side yet) The white passenger side bone that came with the rear end is shown, they will now be too short to reach the original mounting point. What you probably can't see on the driver's side is a longer bone that bolts to the backing plate. I believe the backing plates are 1940, not sure of the vintage on either set of bones yet. As currently bolted up, there is a huge difference in the angle of each bone compared to the pinion. The '32 rear end is 48.5" wide. I've looked at Speedway's Tranverse Leaf Spring Over Axle Mount Kit (#91645108) and some of their springs (910-43102, 105, 106 and 107). I'm not sure if there will be enough room using this mounting kit to get the required 43" to 45" perch eye distance. Anybody used this kit? My next step is to get the flathead engine and Merc OD trans in the car, decide on the final body position and then look at pinion angles. Any thoughts on how to do the over axle mounts and how to position the rear end would be appreciated. I'll add some more pictures this weekend as the mock up progresses.
literally cut off the upper 2 bolts and the spring perch from a model a bell and bolt it onto your 32 housing using the 32's backing plate holes tk
Thanks tub in da dirt, I'll give that a try as it sounds incredibly simple. I thought the perches were cast into the bells. And thanks Tommy, those look like they will work a lot better than the Speedway kit. I now seem to recall I had similar perches on a '31 roadster.
They are! They are forged as one piece then welded to the bell. You just cut the upper part off, gring the inside diameter to fit over you axle bell and as tubinthedirt said above use the upper two backing plate holes to bolt them in. A small weld at the base wouldn't be a bad idea to counter act the sring's outward pressure though. I have actually seen this done at one point where it used three of the backing plate holes and still slipped over the bell on the later axle. Might consider that...
That's cool, plus I'll get the dog bone attachment point for my lever shocks to boot. I hate to hack up vintage parts but consider there to be one less set of Model A bells remaining in the world. I sure wish I could find the thread on this.
Just look for a pair off a trashed set of "A" bells and you'll feel a bit better. Plus you'll have bases for some cool stools or tool stands!
I'm thinking if you use this trick on a 32 rear it will be too narrow for your A spring. I think those guys are putting thier perches on later 37-40 style rearends, which are a couple inches wider. Maybe if you use a T spring, which is an inch narrower I think, it might work for you. And the T spring will get you an inch or so lower as well.
The flanges on the ends of a 32-34 axle housing are canted. The bolt on method with only work with 35-48... Buy some weld on spring hangers. Neal
I installed the flathead and Merc OD trans this weekend and mocked things up for where I think the stance and body height should be. Carb pads are close to level, body needs to go back about 1/2" but that will require some trimming. I'll probably have to pie cut the pedals to move them forward and down some. In this position, the trans tail shaft face is dead on 90 degrees straight up. Another view. Those radius rod brackets are coming off. Trying to decide on split bones or radius rods. In these two pictures, the rear end is where it needs to be (I think) and the drive face is straight up 90 degrees. Note how the backing plate bolts are cocked, maybe I can clock the bells by one bolt hole. I plan on cutting all the PO's brackets off anyway. I'll probably go with radius rods in back as well. Added some bling to the engine to make me feel good.
Why split the bones? Looks like you enough clearance under there to run an un-split bone. All it would take is to fab up a bracket for the ball.
Sure does. It will turn your rear axle into a giant sway bar. Those spindly '32 wishbones are gonna twist apart. Not a good idea. And how are you going to convert the rear to open drive? Does anyones make a kit for a '32-34 rearend? Find a '40 rearend and you'll get thicker wishbones, the flanges will be clocked straight up for your spring-mount conversion, and there are lots of kits to convert to open driveshaft. Sell the '32 V8 rear to someone who'll appreciate it.
The '32 rear was already converted to open drive. Here is a thread on the HAMB regarding it's construction, I thought it was pretty slick. Hmmm, this says it is a '34, guy who built it told me '32. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=519343 Yes, those bones are pretty weak which is why I'm moving towards radius rods.
It's not important for what you asked but your rear end is either very late (and rare) '32 rear end or a '33-'34 rear end. I say this based on the angle that the wishbone mounts to the rear end. The '32 wishbone mounted parallel to the center line of the vehicle and the late '32 (I think, but it is so rare I am not sure), '33, '34 mounted at an angle. Charlie Stephens
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