Hot Rods WHAT THE HECK IS IT !!! Can you identify this old Dropped tube Axle ?

Have you tried doing a lead pencil rubbing on paper over it. it may show up more clearly perhaps the lightning/ electric logo will be more proonounced.
(if its on there at all)

 

I would think you should see some sort of line where the two dies hit if it was forged? And what if you clean the surfaces good, to see if it looks like a sand cast finish? Last resort, a spark test with a grinder.

 

Hey chop&drop,... this was a good bit of detective work,.... just curious how you were able to figure this out ?,.... Had you seen the logo before ? I'm thinking this has to be it,...

And the lead pencil rubbing is a great idea as well,... I'll do that next time I get down to the shop.

 

Awesome sleuthing chop&drop, the people on the HAMB never fail to amaze me.

 

Nice work chop&drop!
Makes me stick even closer to my thoughts of this axle being a pre production item and the foundry W was dropped for the production run. Bell: "We'll take an initial order of 100 pieces......w/o the W this time".

 

Wow,... that would be cool, huh ?,..... OK mystery solved I suppose,... I guess I'll just throw it back under the bench for another decade or three.

 

Harms,
I really have no idea who made this axle But I want it!...Is it for sale?...LOL

 

If it was a preliminary casting, it may have not been specified to be a "clean casting" ie no foundry marks. Or, they may have intended to polish it smooth, for plating. Hmmmm..... Neat piece none the less.

 

As much as I appreciate the offers, (there has been a number of guys ask in emails and PM's) Years ago I promised first right of refusal to an old friend of mine, Harry,.. that has been dealing in rare Hot Rod parts all his life, He seen it years ago,.. and had said, it was one of only a hand full of parts in his life that left him scratching his head.

Thanks for your interest,... but I am really not sure what to do with it yet.

 

This axle did service under a Highboy for a lot of years, before it came apart in the early 70's,.... can't remember the guy, but it came from down river.

 

That W would look right at home under my RPU I am building seeing my name is (W)eeks. Love this bit of history Harms Way.-Weeks

 

Thanks everybody for all the help and kind words,.... Maybe we will never get down to the bottom of the exact history of this axle,..... but it sure is fun trying.

 

The great part about it is you won't see a lot of them at the shows. That's cool enough to me to build a car around.

 

It's a neat piece that would attract a lot of early hot rod part collectors. Someone like Speedy Bill Smith" might make you an offer you can't refuse.

I'm guessing that the "Bell" style dropped axle came about because it was a lot cheaper to cast axle ends than a full cast or forged dropped I beam such as the modern day Super Bell, Magnum, CE, etc.
One pattern + two castings (as the R&L are identical prior to the steering stop hole machining) + a tube = a dropped axle.
I'd guess the axle end pattern was started from a dropped and filled axle end.

 

A guy named Okie Adams did axles with his own ends to mimic a filled early Ford. I have never seen one like the one you have, though. Really cool. Wish it was under my coupe!

I agree with Tommy, build a car around it. It would look fantastic chromed.

 

It's the same style axle on Dick Smiths hemi deuce roadster in the Henry Ford museum.

 

I have actually had 3 or 4 guys tell me they thought it was a Okie Adams tube axle over the years (including Harry),... But I have never seen an Okie Adams tube axle,..... or even know for a fact he made tube axles,....

 

You could be 100% correct.

 

I think it would be a good idea for you to throw it in the truck the next time you come down..........I'd like to take a look. Don't make me come up there just to see it.............I might come when your not around and then you'll have the mystery of "who broke into the shop and just took that funny old axle I had posted on the HAMB"

Frank

 

OK,... I'll bring it with me,... But your paying for the $1.00 McBurger

 

Harms Way,
To answer your question, the company I work for bought castings from Westlectric for many years until they closed their doors, so I was familiar with the logo. As soon as I saw your photo it looked like their logo to me so I dug out an old business card and enlarged it several times to get something people would be able to see.
Chop&Drop

 

I would say the markings are simply just casting marks. I have one under my sedan and I have always known them to be Cragar's, I would think the one Bell sold is the same axle, definitley a neat early axle and the best thing is that the kingpins measure 51" across so It gives it a different look than most.

 

Looks like the same exact axle,.... Thanks guys,... Where did you find yours Sixcarb?,... do you know the history ?

 

With my tired old eyes, if I tilt my head to the left, the logo looks like a V4, which goes along with the V1 thru V3 axles mentioned in the 1948 Bell axle post, maybe a later version?
I have no idea, but I thought Id throw it out there!

 

This one I got from my father we have had 3 different ones through the years, no history on mine that i know of it's been around by us for 30 or so years. i love the width of them as well as the tube, they are really cool pieces. I've been told years ago by some old sprint car guys that they were Cragars.

 

Hey sixcarb;I bought my cragar axle from your dad at Hershey probably 15-16 yrs ago.

 

Cool, I knew we had a couple more at one time.

 

needs chrome Joe

 

I know i know, I'm narrowing down a couple chrome shops......time to bite the bullet. Donations are always welcome :0

 

heres a deffinitive answer for you, i scanned this add out of a 1953 hot rod magazine, from a bell auto add.

jeff