Folks Of Interest Chassis Engineering

I have used a lot of parts from Chassis Engineering over the years,especially their 4" dropped forged axles and like many of you I was sad to hear that Roy Lewis had passed away and the news that Chassis Engineering was slated to close and go out of business.

I don't buy magazines anymore but it was reportedly in street rodder magazine earlier this year.

I was surprised the company has been purchased by Heidts Hot Rod's (the guys that make off topic front suspensions) and the name Chassis Engineering will live on. HRP



When Chassis Engineering Inc. founder Roy A. Lewis died in October, the company announced that it would be closing. It was sad news for customers of the company that had been supplying quality suspension parts to street rodders since it was founded in 1966 .

Earlier this year, Heidts Hot Rod and Muscle Car Parts announced that they had acquired Chassis Engineering Inc. and would retain the company’s name and its 52-year legacy. Manufacturing, sales, and technical operations have moved from West Branch, Iowa, to the Heidts facility in Lake Zurich, Illinois, but will continue to operate under its well-known name. Many CEI employees have been retained to produce its products.

“Chassis Engineering Inc. is a great fit for us and brings decades of experience serving the street and hot rod markets with their quality high-performance parts,” Heidts President and CEO Wallace Leyshon said.

 

Yep, they bought the company and moved the whole kit and caboodle To where their plant is including a number of employees that made the move with them.
I got my 292 motor mounts for my 48 from them just days before they sold. They were selling off remaining inventory real cheap before the sale of the company was finished.

 

There was a thread on here right after it happened. You gotta pay attention Danny!

 

I did a search before I posted but didn't see it. HRP

 

I got a truck load of stuff before they made the switch. I guess it pays to be local. I still wonder what will become of the collection and the streamliner though.

 

There was a lot of chatter here re. CE. As often as you're here, I'm surprised you didn't see it.

Google works better than the HAMB search engine;

https://www.google.com/search?sourc...1j0i22i30j0i22i10i30j33i160j33i21.4SnbWQbLPPo

 

Are they doing everything from the catalog? or just a few things? The front crossmember - core support on my 37 chevy worked out really well as did the tranny X member , even though it was intended for a T 400 it worked really well with my Tremec.

 

Yep, that is my default HAMB "search" function, never have used the onsite search.
Type: The HAMB ............fill in your subject, never failed me.

 

Here goes, a previous HAMB thread by Krylon32

 

I've heard that they raised the prices considerably.

 

so when do we start seeing the forged axles again?

 

I imagine the COL is a bit higher in Chicagoland vs what is a relatively rural area in Iowa, hence a little higher company overhead. They are probably also taking advantage of Chassis Engineering's excellent reputation for products and pricing them more in line with the competitors similar products. Still happy to know that CE is around in one form or another.

 

I have heard form several people that we wont. I also remember hearing that CE was no longer able to get Forged Axles done here in the US anymore. They were not listed in website not long ago, I just had a stock one dropped instead.

 

it is about those glasses you need to put them on not just set them on tableDanny

 

YEAH!!!!!

 

better than a bend me break me superbell

 

I know lots of people use them... But I just cant bring myself to use a non forged axle on my cars. If it was safe to use a cast axle on these cars then old chiseler Henry would have just cast them. I hope that they do start bringing the USA forged axles back, having the option to buy a new one is nice, even if you prefer a dropped original.

 

forged chassis engineering

 

I've always felt fortunate to have one, even more so now, I had to wait nearly a year for it, this was during that time when their forging dies were being repaired, about 15 years ago.
I talked to Roy a couple of times and imagine he tired of the phone calls, not just mine, after a while someone else at CE fielded the calls.
I had been quoted $200, when I recieved the call that they were getting ready to ship them I asked how much and he asked what the quote was, I said $200, they honored it but said the current price was $225, I would gladly have paid more, it's a nice axle.

 

I was just on the phone with the new Chassis Engineering to order a replacement for a broken front shock mount for their '35-'40 I-beam front end kit. I was told that they sold all the I-beam stuff to Pete & Jake's.

I next called Pete & Jake's and was able to order the bracket right away. I asked if they were going to continue with the forged axles and he said yes and he has 200 in stock.

Just to clarify, the broken shock mount is due to me not having the axle bumper spacing correct and not a defective product. I was able to get adjustable snubbers from the new Chassis Engineering to cure that issue.

 

200 of the old chassis engineering forged STEEL axles or 200 of the superbell forged aluminum dropped axles?

 

Alright, It's been posed but I missed it and did do a hamb search and read about the owner passing away but I totally missed anything to do with them being bought out.


Excuse me, I screwed up.
Hopefully there are not enough volunteers for a firing squad to have me shot at sunrise!

Noting wrong with my eyesight and after recent cataract surgery my vision is 20/20 without the need of glasses, even with excellent vision I am a old fart and on occasion I do make a faux pas. HRP

 

I just asked if they were going to continue with the forged axles like Chassis Engineering had, an was told "yes", so I assumed steel. Can't say for sure.

 

The CE axles haven’t been consistently available, I tried to get one in the early 2000’s and they were out for some time due to issues with the foundry. The super bells are cast ductile iron, ductile wasn’t even patented until 1949.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

P&J's called me back with a question on my order. I asked about the axles and they are steel.

 

Did you possibly ask the price for the CE axle?

 

This is posted on the So Cal site. HRP

47" Axle-
The latest addition, and now a cornerstone of the SO-CAL family of chassis components, is our forged dropped axle. SO-CAL’s engineering staff spent the better part of three years refining a design that takes into account the idiosyncrasies of a reproduction part that must first work with original Ford components. This new forged 1045 heat treated steel 4” dropped axle does that and more. The real test is trying to install stock spindles and having them go lock to lock. SO-CAL’s axle shows a 30% improvement over the competition in turning radius alone so when it’s time to install reproduction parts, there’s no problem. The forged axle measures 47” through the king pin centers, and 34” at the 2 1/4” or 2" thick spring perch boss. It is offered in five finishes: plain, chrome plated, plain with drilled web, plain with pre-polished drilled web (use your plater) and chrome plated with drilled web.

 

Denny,

I didn't ask the price.

 

The way threads get deleted sometimes, it’s easy to miss some things. I remember it was a pretty good conversation on Heidts buying them out after the owner passed away.
I was just screwing with you when I told you to wake up, the smiley didn’t show up....