I knew somebody would say that. My dad used to say the sme thing about my '49 Olds. Still the company saved considerable money trimming for the nose down attitude.
I don't know much about air frames. I do know that if you droop the snout of a car enough it will help to keep air out from under it and that helps a lot. I think that what we are basically looking for here has little to do with performance and everything to do with looks. Probably early rodders picked up from looking at dry lakes cars and the custom crowd knew that they could refine it just like they knew that they could refine a rough and tumble hot rod. Someone called it a California Rake (probably a magazine dude that had never been out of the basin) and the moniker stuck. No matter how or where it came from it is a damned good look on a custom or a hot rod.
In one issue of the "Little Pages" showing a California raked '40 DeLuxe coupe with a BIG flathead, the "Rake" was given credit for helping the car owner with engine work, because the doors stayed open... Dyno Dave
I believe it came from lakes cars putting big tires on the rear for more top speed. Then some NASCAR guy found that keeping air out from under the car also helped the top speed. Guys who had quick change rear ends needed the clearance for the change gear housing. Every thing conspired to make cars lower in front or higher in back. Then came the gasser look. One that I don't much like.
The problem with the gasser look is that too many guys take the more is better line of thinking. What we end up with is a lot of street freaks. When I was young and no doubt when you were younger there were a whole lot more cars built with a California Rake then lifted. Hollywood is a good look for a car that gets driven and way more drivable then lifted. I have driven both so I can truthfully make that statement.
I love 50s and 60s cars nose down lookin good. my 54 in high school had about the same rake as the one i have today
I don't much like '56 Mercs, and I don't believe that a raked stance works well with skirts, but that '56 works!
I have it going on sofar, but wasn't supposed to be that way but its growing on me. Isn't done yet so ya never know how it will end up.
[/GALLERY] 000_2074 by Jakesrocks posted Jul 21, 2014 at 10:33 AM California built. Now sitting in South Dakota. Big & little's, 4" dropped axle.
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