Does anybody have any suggestions where I can buy just the main front spring with reverse eyes for my '31 model A? I've found a few places but they sell the complete spring set. I just need the main leaf. I called Chassis Engeneering but they no longer sell just the main leaf. I also e-mailed Vern Tardel website (no phone number listed on website) and inquired about their spring but I want to make sure it will work on a stock '31 model A. http://www.verntardel.com/collections/frontpage/products/model-a-reversed-eye-spring Thanks for the help.
If you have access to a press, you can reverse the main leaf. Mark off about 1 inch segments and press a bit at a time. this will change the eye to eye length a bit. P M me if you want more info, I did one for my T last winter.
As Rick said, it is really easy to reverse your old main leaf. Lay it on the floor on it's side and trace around it with a permanent marker so you have a guide of what you want it to end up like when you are done. Mark off one inch segments on the leaf, then put it in the press and do the exact number of pumps on the handle at each segment. It doesn't take much to bend it the other way, so only do a few pumps at each spot. If you need to bend it more just do it all over again. Don
Yep, Don's right on the money on this one. You can use chalk if you don't want to permanently mark up your floor.
Yip do it yourself, or if you want to buy one done try Posies, got a couple off them and they were a great product and shit hot to deal with.
I think Pete & Jakes has them for about $40. Don't think they are a catalog item but you can call and ask.
I did a front and rear main leaf for a Model A the 50s and earlier Cave Man way a few months ago beat both of them into shape between a couple of sections of rail road rail with a BFH! I learned that way in my very early teens by a "really old guy" ( he must of been 70!) that raced in the 30s and 40s. Ya I know 70 ain't old but it was when I was 13 or14! Anyway the old guy spent most of an afternoon teaching me how they did it then.I used to deliver his daily paper and did a bunch of chores for him while listening to his stories of racing sprint cars all over New England and beyond. I did it just to show my grandson how it was done when I first started doing them . No I don't still beat them out I also use the press method much ,much easier! the front springs aren't bad to hammer but those rears are a work out!
I did the press method with my front spring. The eye to eye width is now a bit wide & the shackles are pointing pretty much straight down. Should I try putting a bit more arc back in it?
That is one badass dog you got guardin' it. Looks like an ear in front of him. Somebody warn't lissenin'; and 'll only be half lissenen' from now on, I'd say.
Is the engine trans etc. in the car?If you have the full weight of the car on that it should be fine.
Fwiw, I also noticed a lot of manufacturers that make the spring make them for a different length perch centers, not the original A Ford measurement.
My rear 40 ford repro spring came from So-Cal shop...they only had them with reversed eyes... Now I want more rake, so I'm going to re-reverse mine so that it's not reversed no more A spring guy told me at a party a while back that the press method is good...but you should finish with the hammer/anvil. "Shocking" the metal he called it....said the spring would hold its desired arch better that way.??? I'm no pro...but it sounds right.
save yourself the work trade your leaf for a standard one! I'm sure theres someone that wants a lowered car!
I'm almost %100 sure that if anybody has a 40 ford round these parts...the first thing they threw out was the rear spring...followed by the rest of the original suspension parts. Annnnd...if somebody did happen to have original ford stuff...pretty good chance that they'd lecture you that original Ford transverse suspensions are garbage...but wouldn't sell you or trade the part because they're getting hard to find. So...I'd rather blister my hands and bust my knuckles for a few hours than deal with that
Look up the thread on reversing your spring on here it's covered pretty well using the press method and it's a lot easier you can use a little bottle jack to do it no need of a big press if you don't have one. When hammering the leaf you do not hammer directly on the anvil but between 2 "anvils" a few inches apart the way I was taught was with 2 sections of Rail Road rail "Hi Rail" welded side by side the bottom of the rail was butted and welded leaving about 4 or 5 inches between the top of the rail you hammer between the rails, Hammering can put all kinds of twist into the leaf if you are not real careful to hit equal blows across the spring. If you see someone do it once you can repeat the process. Only you can decide if the labor is worth it.
No, we only stock reversed eye main leafs and complete springs. Try Sac Vintage Ford for a stock spring with stock eyes.
Thanks everyone for the input, suggestions and help. I went to Little Dearborn in Minneapolis and they had a reversed main leaf in stock. Terry is a great help!
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