1948 bell axle?

i am trying to restore my jack stewart ford, as close to when jack had it!
Jack told me he had a original Bell axle installed! the car lost the axle when it was 'kissed' by a train.
so i have been looking for a bell axle. did they only came as tube axles or what! i need to know what to look for..shoot me a pm if you have one thanks!
please school me!
it must be around 1948!
thanks
palle

 

They look a lot like a Super Bell,but not as much drop. I also think I remember the ends were more squared through the drop,while the center was round or oval,like a Ford tube.They had a smile between the perches like the Ford 60 axle too. Good luck in your search,cause they are neat.

 

This is an ORIGINAL Bell dropped tube axle made in the fifties- long before the Super Bell axles of the '70s.

 

I will see if I can find you a picture. They are as described above and hard to find. I sold one recently and did not know what I had until I saw one later on an early rod. They look cool and different than a Super Bell or Magnum. They were all tube types not I beams.

 

Here's a cragar/bell tube axle with filled I-beam style ends but I don't think they were sold until 52-53.

 

By the way I believe Bell auto parts sold dropped I beam axles on an exchange basis,like alot of big mail order speed shops back in the fifties.Another thought is I'm sure Jack Stewarts famous deuce roadster ran a bell tube axle like the one on Bardins t sedan on the R&C cover so maybe this is what he's referring to.

 

thanks guys!
not the most beautiful axle on the planet...i better give jack a call, and see if he's sure!
-palle

 

I have a photo of all of the styles of early bell axles. I am unable to locate it in my files and I will post it.
In my understanding:
Version 1 (v1): the first generation was the above axle.

V2: was the gentle dropped tube axle with a cast end that was hollow. You can put your finger in the spring boss and feel that the outer end is hollow. Not many are aware of this difference and

v3: was the same drop with solid ends. The forging had an insert into the tube and was a very stout design.

You should find out what was under that car. I suspect a V3 style. same drop as v2 with solid forged ends. This was the later version and reportedly much stronger than the hollow version.

I have somewhere photos of each one. V2 and V3 are visually identical.

I have been a fan of these items for many years. They are the most beautiful axles of all times, especially on highboy roadsters! Imho.

let me know what you find out and which one you need. I may be able to help you out.

 

They also had I beam axles. You can tell them by the peak on the center of the axle. It runs clear down to the ends. Look at photos of the Flint roadster. That is a bell I beam.

 

Dick Smith's '32 Ford Roadster in the Ford Museum in Dearborn has a flat end tube axle under it. He used to duct tape the front surface of it when he drove to the L.A, Roadster Show every year, so the chrome wouldn't get blasted in sand storms. That's original chrome on there. Go to http://www.bangshift.com/gallery/Henry-Ford-Museum-gallery.html then half way down to see it.
I have a round end one with the raised emblem on the face of the drop on one end. We used to argue about which one is a Bell, and which one is a Cragar. He said "I know mine's a Bell, I bought it off the showroom wall at Bell Automotive!" I still think that they sold whatever they could get. I hope someone can help sort it all out. theBo'B

 

This thread might be of interest to you,....

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=539226