Hot Rods Is this too low for a street car??

i finally got my 1939 Ford deluxe coupe ready for the road. It has a 4" drop axle, reversed posies spring. I had to use 23" front tires to get them to clear the fenders. Now it has 5" of clearance between the grill and road. I really don't want to hurt that new grill. what king of clearance are some of you running? thaks for any ideas.Henry

 

No. Put a chin guard just below the grille.

 

5" is reasonably safe most of the time.
Any wondering thoughts instead of paying attention will cost you.

That looks closer to 4" than it is closer 5 - aka less than 4.5

 

Check the height of your suspension. If both front tires went flat and any part of the suspension would touch the ground, it's too low.

 

My chubbie is as low, we watch close for "chubbie killers" when we drive it. gas stations!! some have risers for the fillers for the tanks, these are the worst!! Road kills...."**** balloons" need i say more??

 

I'd probably be more concerned about the rear suspension having stuff below the rim. But yeah, you need to be careful driving a car with the front end that low. If you take a picture from the side, you can figure out how steep of a "ramp" it can drive onto without the grill hitting. Big speed bumps will be fun. Driveway entrances might be fun. Parking blocks will be fun.

 

You are slightly higher than my 40 and it has been all over this country without terrible crashes. That being said, I have changed chin pans several times. A good solid bumper behind the chin will save your grille. Just watch out for driveways, and the other items listed.

 

On the roads in PA. you would probably damage the car badly ! Dont go near a speed bump, thats for sure.

 

It looks a tad low to me, especially since the low spot is probably ahead of the front tires - and would hit a concrete parking bumper or speed bump before the front tires get to it. Things could even be worse if you happen to be jamming on the brakes at the same time, in a panic to slow down / avoid the high spot!

Some time ago there was a very nice mid-30's Ford done up by a famous builder in SR. He had built-in a pulley on a mount between the front frame horns, on something like a spreader bar. So the wheel hit the high spot, or steep driveway, etc. first. I bet a similar trick would work in the back. Perhaps the custom guys have some ideas? Gary

 

You will learn to avoid pot holes and turn into driveways at a angle,I like them low in the front. HRP

 

Too low for off roading? Ya, but it could come down a bit more for street use! Seriously though, here in the land of billiard table roads I generally shoot for about 3 1/2" or so.... BUT! I do consider bumpers and such as sacrificial material and replace them every now and then. I too would build some sort of guard for that grill if I were you.

 

One word.............................NO.

 

NO

 

make sure that you have no part below the scrub line for safety. If you hit the chin on a 39 dlx or 40 std you will break the grille. Just did a std 40 and it sits at 5" and still have to be careful entering driveways,etc. It will settle some-maybe another 1/2"

 

Why didnt you show us a side shot?? using 23" tirers probably looks odd..

 

Measure it again with you and a p***enger sitting in the car. It may be lower than you think. New Corvettes are about the same but have a few sacrificial pieces that take the hit and stiff suspension. If it were mine I would raise it and drive with fewer worries.

 

cool is never easy, just watch out for speed bumps

 

I have 4and 1/2 inches at the vee of the front spreader bar on my roadster. It's scary sometimes. Speed bumps aren't bad as long as they are tapered as just about the time the spreader bar gets close to hitting the bump, the wheels are rolling up on it. The thing that really worries me are those manholes that for whatever reason stick up above the road surface.

 

My 34 Plymouth was about that low with the 2 in dropped spindles. I beat up the bottom of my grill shell the first year. I put stock spindles back on and never hit now. I liked the looks better with the dropped spindles but now i dont even slow down. My friends told me to just drive slower and be careful over bumps and driveways but i just couldnt do it.

 

I have run 'em that low and my only real nemesis were speed bumps and parking bumpers. Most of the time you can miss potholes.

I too would build some sort of a chin guard.

Oh and just for clarification a 2x4 is actually 3 5/8 so 31 Vicky is probably correct in his ****ysis of actually height of the chin on that ******.

 

Hit the gas!

 

LOL I lived on Bowdoin Street near Woodrow Wilson high when I was in Jr High. My street was steep enough to say hill at the intersection at the top of the hill. The Ol' man's roadster used to s****e when he went over the top of the hill.

 

Nothing against anyone personally, and it's just my inquisitiveness that about to post a feather ruffling wonderment.

Why build a car, wait till it's damn near finished and then WAY after the fact worry if it's too low?

 

Because hind sight is 20/20?

I have built a thing or two that ended up being unpractical, but I have learned to plan things better since my first few bad screw ups.

 

I can make a fist and barely fit between my grille and the ground. You should be fine.

 

Remember also that the car will settle a bit after some driving. Make sure you park well away from curbs and those damned parking lot concrete curbs that site out in the middle of nowhere. For most situations it will probably be fine but you will one day find its limit, then fix the damage.

 

I was wondering this too, especially about the caddy tailight thread. I figure I can't throw stones though, in my youthful exuberance I've done some less than stellar planning a time or two. He must just be really young at heart

 

39s and 40s both look good with nerf bars IMO. Have you considered them as a solution? Hang them slightly below the grill.

 

Tear them off a split second before the grill.

 

My last too low vehicle I had to back into parking places the tail on my junk always sits a little higher then the snout.