I have been thinking about using a set on my '49 ford - has anyone made their own? They look deceptively simple?? Anyone have any dimensions, ideas, advice?? Thanks- Does anyone besides Hot Rod and Custom Supply carry them?
I was asking Brent Vandevort (Fatman -- excuse the name drop, he was at the Fatman booth at Louisville) about his rack & pinion conversion for my '49. He said neither the r&p nor his MII clip could be used if you keep the flathead. He then recommended just his dropped spindles. I mentioned also adding the Jamco spring pocket drops and he said they're fine, but they're so simple anyone could fabricate their own. The hardest part is drilling out the rivets keeping the stock plates in place. He did say, however, to keep in mind that a one inch pocket drop results in a two-inch lower front end (because of the leverage). That's what's planned for my shoebox this winter. Hope this helps you.
I've just done my own spring pockets on my '66 Chevy truck, i purchased some heavy guage tube the right size for the spring to sit in, scribed the lower A arm & plasma cut the holes then welded the tubes in place & capped the ends, also added some dropped spindles too. All of this was done to a later '79 clip......worked out well & really low. see if i can sort some pics out.
If you're looking at pockets, send off for some stock car catalogs--they have prefab ones with weight jacker screws that would potentially allow you adjustable ride height. This sort of circle track hardware is surprisingly cheap.
El Polacko did the ones on my 55 Fairlane. I have no idea what type of steel he used for the spacers but I think it is about 3/8," but he drilled out the rivets holding the lower A arm to the old spring pocket, then drilled out all of the steel shims using the spring pocket as a template, (I think). The whole assembly was bolted together with the shims in between the Lower A arm, and the spring pocket on the bottom. The shims were about 3/4" when assembled, and it made for about a 1" drop in the front.
I used 1 inch aluminum stock, and grade 8 bolts, nylocks.Installed on 49 Merc, lowers 2 plus inches....OLDBEET
Rocky mentioned in another post about lowering the possibility of welding rather than bolting the pocket drops in place...what is everyones opinion on this? I am thinking of maybe bolting and running a few shorts beads (ease of cutting them free if the need arises) Any thoughts?
Hey Dan.......I think I'd do both. Some people would say I'd wear suspenders and a belt together too. I'm a little spooked because I've seen broken rivets in lower A-frames. One of our club members was cruising his big fat 57 Roadsmasher 4 door hardtop with his family inside when the lower control arm separated due to sheared rivets. It made for a hairy ride until he got stopped...had to get the car home on a trailer. I'd feel more comfortable driving the car knowing the control arms are held together with more than just bolts..a series of short weld beads couldn't hurt.
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