Well I finally started taking apart my model A ford. Since i'm trying to save money I will be using this straight axle. I was wondering about ideas for lowering the front without suiciding it. I'm thinking I could remove a few leaves from the front spring and run 14 wheels on the front and that will help a lot. Didn't someone on here reverse the eyes on a spring with a bench vise, I seem to remember pics.Can I use the model A spindles with juice brakes and todays wheels? Will the 39-40 Ford backing plates bolt up to this. I will also split the wishbone but they appear to be very short, will model A bones work? Once I get the weld bungs in and the ford tie rods ends how do they bolt to the frame, what I mean is the tie rod ends are a 90 degree angle but the bone won't exactly be 90 degrees to the chassis, can't you get tie rods made at different angles. I know this is a lot of questions but i'm so stoked to be 26 and working on my first hotrod. No pics yet I hope to get a scanner pretty soon. Any way thanks in advance for any help.
Well I finally started taking apart my model A ford. Since i'm trying to save money I will be using this straight axle. Good choice but before you start, if you really want to save money and do a good job, spend a little money and buy Mike Bishop's book on how to build a traditional V8. It is a great guide on doing it on the cheap using real Ford parts and your labor instead of calling the speed shops for parts. I was wondering about ideas for lowering the front without suiciding it. I'm thinking I could remove a few leaves from the front spring... You will definately want to remove a few leaves, but don't count on that lowering it a bunch. It will improve the buckboard ride. ... and run 14 wheels on the front and that will help a lot. Depending on what tire you run, it will lower it a lot, but it won't look like a hot rod. It WILL look like a low rider! And you'll be showing a lot of air above the tire inside the fender that will make the car look like it's running wheels that are way too small. Didn't someone on here reverse the eyes on a spring with a bench vise, I seem to remember pics. Yep, Mart made a simple die that bent the main leaf of the spring backwards resulting in a reversed eye spring. That will lower it about 1.5 inches. Can I use the model A spindles with juice brakes and todays wheels? Yes. You will have to make a set of spacers to adapt juice brakes to the Model A spindles. You can purchase the spacers cheaply from most Model A parts houses or you can use a Model A piston ring for the spindle to backing plate spacer and a Model A valve seat as the inner bearing to spindle spacer. You will also have to slot the backing plate bolt holes to match up to the spindle bolt holes. Most juice brakes that fit this spindle use the 5 on 5.5 pattern. As far as I know, the smallest diameter wheel you'll find in that pattern will be a 15 x 6 Ford truck wheel. Will the 39-40 Ford backing plates bolt up to this. Yes, but like I said, you'll have to make a pair of spacers and slot the bolt holes. I will also split the wishbone but they appear to be very short, will model A bones work? They will work, but they are almost the last choice because they are so short. Any other set of bones is more desirable. Once I get the weld bungs in and the ford tie rods ends how do they bolt to the frame, what I mean is the tie rod ends are a 90 degree angle but the bone won't exactly be 90 degrees to the chassis, can't you get tie rods made at different angles. The tie-rods will bolt to the chassis using a bung in a plate. Usually this plate will hang below the chassis a little so access to the tie rod nut is not a problem. The tie rod will easily take up some of the angle mismatch, but a longer wishbone will ease the angle. If you aren't severely lowering it though, you might not need to split the bones. Good luck, and again, but the Bishop book.
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