Any ideas on lowering my 39 ford

Any ideas on how i can lower the rear end about 3 or 4 inches??

 

I don't see the rear shackle length but if they're longish they can be made shorter and the front eyes can move up to the next hole there maybe..

I don't like big blocks so I wouldn't go taller on those but that's me.

 

I would be more concerned about making it safe under there before I started worrying about lowering it. Those home made lowering blocks look like an accident waiting to happen tbh and what's with the exhaust clamps on the coil overs?

Looking at the rear spring position at the moment I would say that you can't safely go much lower without major work, your spring already looks very close to the scrub line in those pics.

Paul.

 

I didn't even think of scrub. Yeah that's maxed out .

 

Almost looks like the exhaust clamp is holding the lower spring seat in place. Scary!

The lowering blocks also look questionable.

My advice: Rethink what you want and start over back there.

 

I would start fresh.

 

While you're working on the rear suspension, you might also re-think that glass inline fuel filter.

 

I agree.

Not to beat up on you, but I would also get rid of that glass-body fuel filter under there. That's an errant road pebble away from causing a fuel leak, or worse.

I've seen those cause engine fires, before, when used underhood.

Any '39 Ford is worth the trouble of righting any wrongs, to stay on the road.

Get a Chassis Engineering kit, and start fresh.

 

Its all good these are the comments that I need. I bought the car about 6 years ago. I want to do an overhaul on the suspention and alot of other stuff. It was built in '83 or '84 and was a daily driver durring the summer months. So its time to redo some things. Keep the comments and ideas flowing.

 

I would vote for a full rebuild also. It looks like those coil overs are there to raise the rear suspension.Probably because of excess sagging and tire scrub. Salvage what you can,but use new springs and bushings and adjust ride height from there.

 

It looks like the orig crossmember is still there. Could be promising. Grab some ladder bars and spring hangers and go back to a transverse setup. That's what I would be doing if it was mine...all the way.


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I agree. It looks like the helper springs (AKA coilovers) are setting ride height. Have you tried taking them off the shocks? Bet when you do, car goes down and springs bend up. Then you might try removing the blocks between spring and rear end to let springs support car and see where you are. You would be moving in the direction of safer.

 

Whoever built that thing needs to have his tools taken away.

 

Particularly the welder - look at them lowering block 'glued' to the spring perch on the rear-end.

 

That sway bar is working at about 20% of it's capacity all while it's on that inclination. Note also the sway bar links are bent from the excessive angle. The rear leaf springs need replacing , looks like a bunch of leaves have been removed and there is a reverse arch happening in the middle of the spring...... and the hose clip holding the spring pack ?? The lowering blocks and the spring mount plates are just plain rubbish. The previous comments about the coilovers are also correct ... looks like a band aid somebody has added after all the previous "engineering" didn't work .
Just my humble opinion but I think it all needs to be thrown out and a fresh start made.
Now would also be a good time to add a working E-brake, dosn't appear to have one ?
Also , The Fuel line is not routed in the stock location and I wonder how far that rubber line runs?
That brake line across the rear end needs to be run and secured in a tidier fashion too please


,

 

Those aren't Coil Overs - they are a booster spring, kits like that were sold at Western Auto, Pep Boys, JC Whitney - all the finer auto accessory company's And they weren't designee to be used to hold up the rear of the car because someone had hacked the stock springs, they were for increasing load capacity.
Those leaf springs have been weakened so much they are just a few good pot holes away from snapping in half! but hey, maybe the hose clamp will hold it

And I won't even talk about the Booger Welds and off center blocks

 

Please start over, looks are secondary to safety by a wide margin.

 

how about some ideas on parts. How do I know what will fit on the car? I feel embarrassed to even ask, I have never rebuild any car before and I want to do it right.

 

Chassis Engineering has a great catalog and I've used a lot of their parts on 40 Fords in the past. HRP

http://www.chassisengineeringinc.com/1935-1940-ford-car-pickup/

 

As HRP said, look at CE catalog online and get their rear setup. the rear sway bar looks like one of theirs to me. That should clean up what is there and make it much safer.

 

Ya, the Chassis Engineering complete rear end mounting kit is a great setup. I've put one on two '40 Ford convertibles. Lowers the car nicely, relocates the wheels nicely in the wheel well too. Chassis Engineering's kit is easy to put in and very heavy duty. Any novice builder can install one. I bought both of my kits through JPL Streetrods in Aliquippa, PA. They sell the Chassis Engineering products and cover the freight costs which saved me some money. I got some buddies on the west coast and I always tell them to go to JPL. The guys there know their stuff and ship for free. If you go directly through Chassis or one of their other dealers, you'll get hammered in shipping costs. But I agree with a lot of the other guys, if that car was built that long ago, it's time for a complete rebuild. Do the Chassis Engineering Mustang II front end suspension. They have neat adjuster pods in the upper spring hats that allow you to fine tune the front ride height, and the rear leaf spring kit with lowering block will have that '39 riding great and looking great too. Both the front end and rear end suspensions are completely bolt-in which is great for stock frame applications (no welding and no worrying about boxing the frame!). Call JPL, they're local to me, and they'll get you those good American made parts at a good deal. 724-375-3940 if you want to give them a holler. I call them with all my questions and for all my parts.

 

Swoop,Do you mind showing us a photo of the car from topside...like a side view,,maybe you need more than a rear end alteration

 

Chassis Engineering rear kit is a good idea...especially with what you have to work with.

If you choose to do that, when you remove everything (including rear end) have someone trim the lower frontal flange of the rear crossmember. (it's criminally close to the fins on the diff cover)
It would behoove you to then box that member. (main cross member back there)

Mustang ll front would be like installing a V6. It just doesn't belong under a '40 Ford.

 

I too went with M2 stock spindles and chassis engineering kit.You could add lowing boxes but I like the way mine sits .No sway bars and there regular shocks in Back.

 

It would be interesting to see how your car sits now. Hard to believe with how flat the leaf springs are and with the lowering blocks it isn't sitting pretty damn low already.

I agree with the others, it's time to re-engineer the rear suspension and dial it in with new parts.

 

Here is a few more pics.




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A cool set of wheels and tires would go a long way to getting her too look how you want. Drop the nose a bit and the rear might be OK. A heavy rake can be cool on the right car.

As for the rear end, fix the scary stuff and maybe get a shorter set of shackles if yours are too long. The little car is definitely fixable with a little guidance.

Good luck, -Abone.