Technical Dumb Willys straight axle question

Ok, I have a dumb question. Why did people swap the original straight axles out of Willys cars for different straight axles to become g***ers? Were the original axles too weak? What was the reasoning for doing the swaps?

 

Ahhh, there were a lot of Willys g***ers with Willys axles up front. Most had riser blocks to get em up there just shy of the 24" crank center allowed. My 40 coupe came with extra spring leafs added and a straight Challenger Equip straight tube axle I presume for weight reduction

 

Just speculation on my part but the Willys came equipped with a 4 cylinder engine and the suspension would be less than adequate for a high horse power engine and the hard pounding action of the wheelies. HRP

 

Both of the above are correct responses. A straight tubular axle with no drop was common to get the nose up.

 

Ohio George had a stock drilled axle with every engine combo he ran. Caddy, SBC and even the mighty SOHC 427 all blown so I'm not that sure strength was the main reason. As some have suggested aftermarket tube axles were stronger but also available in different drops or totally straight so I think it was just how the ch***is was being set up. I don't think Ohio George was pulling monster wheel stands. Now the Barnes Bros. '33 WILLYS Coupe has always run the stock suspension but its a hilborn injected small block and it gets air every time he leaves the line and hits second gear.

 

Really for weight reduction, getting it up higher without using riser blocks, and the choice of spindle and brake combinations on the straight axle. I've had many Willys on the street with the original axle and SBC engines and strength was never an issue.

Pat

 

I ***ume someone made an adapter for better brakes than the Willys had?

 

And you wanted to get the nose up to transfer weight from the front of the car to the back, hopefully putting extra weight on the rear tires to aid traction. There were no gummy tires available back then, so you had to create traction any way you could. Most drag slicks were re-capped truck tires made by M&H (Marvin and Harry). Wrinkle walls and real gummy rubber were far into the future.

 

Cragar-Airheart till 1966-67 when it changed to Hurst-Airheart made a kit, so did Don Long the ch***is builder and I believe B&N Automotive out of Ohio. They made hubs/rotors and caliper brackets to use airheart calipers on WILLYS spindles.

 

Who needs brakes, they only slow you down.

Many drag cars had NO brakes on the front.

 

Mine didn't! N.O.S. drums but nothing inside....

 

I believe GAS Cl*** (which is where most WILLYS ran) rules stated mandatory front brakes until 1967, don't have my rule books handy