The guy in FL who used to restore 57-58 Pontiacs (especially Bonnevilles) and really made them valuable was a lawyer named John Fitzgerald in Jupiter,FL. I remember going there and seeing his inside junkyard packed with only Pontiac parts of all kinds. If he saw a 57 for sale, he bought it as he figured it would have parts he needed later for a restoration.. He passed a way quite a few years ago. Here's a little history of the white/green 57 at auction. Don't know what it sold for. https://www.mecum.com/lots/SC0510-90162/1957-pontiac-chieftain/ Then it sold again for $35K. https://www.classiccarratings.com/a...hieftain-1957--kissimmee-2015--jan-16-25-6771
Very cool. Subbed. Also, as an aside and I hope you don't mind be using your thread to ask what should be common knowledge questions, but when did slapper bars and eventually caltracks come into vogue. My cousin asked me the other day and I had no idea and seeing yours reminded me.
I built my first pair of slapper bars in 1968 got the idea from store bought ones but couldn't afford them. I'm pretty sure they were out a year our two before then.
Traction masters have been around for a long long time. They are practically just slapper bars. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
In the first illustration. All that style does is stop the spring wind up and deflection. The front bracket is welded to the frame at a point forward of the spring eye. If the spring eye bushings were solid, like on a Cal-Trak and most serious leaf spring /slapper bar install, it would ride terrible too. The rubber spring eyes will give some on a street car, or on a mid 60's drag car , for that matter. The second style looks like it was meant to clamp to the spring. It still won't create much separation to plant the tires. You could bolt a piece of spring and some clamps to the front half, and do the same thing. The slapper bar does not pivot at the axle end. Therefore, as the axle tries to rotate on the spring, the bar pushes up at the spring eye and causes separation, which in turn , plants the tires. The Cal -Trak is a bit more sophisticated. It almost acts like a mini 4 link, but does create separation also. BTW, Jenkins had Lakewood slapper bars on is A/Stock Chevy II in 1966 and I believe that's right around the time they went on the market.
Jenkins also ran a set of extremely crude homemade slapper bars on the 66. They had been made with a gas axe. I used to have the pic saved, but can’t find it anymore. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Which is comparable to what's slapper bar does, but it's much less streetable.. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Doc, Fine. I'm not going to re-word this so you'll grasp it a second time around. I'm not an engineer...Just lots of real world experience. Maybe Jim can do better. (Sorry, Mr 57..great job, BTW)
I guess that means slapper bars, ladder bars and 4 link are all the same too. The only similarity they have to each other is they improve traction. Ladder bars and 4 link are closer together than the other two as far as the way they work.
I have the Super Stock mag issue but it's in storage. You are probably right on the home made, or possibly he modified them extensively. It also showed where he added shocks to the back of the springs to control the wrap up effect of the mono leafs. Always thought that was a good idea, but never saw anyone else ever do it.
Ford did something similar,but not exactly the same with the 65 A/FX cars: Here’s a shot of Bonner’s Falcon AWB car: Scott Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Negatory. Start your own suspension thread, and you might learn something. Oh, that's right . You know it all..at what, 25?
I don't want that to happen. Sorry to those who it applies to, I do love this thread. I talk about it a lot to a friend that loves Pontiacs. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Now on to the shifter. Finding a hydro shifter is tough. I have a really nice ansen shifter, but I didn't like how it felt. My buddy John at JR's came up with a solution. A modified ratchet shifter. Took an old Hurst ratchet shifter and modified to work with the hydro. I also wanted to keep the look. Hid the ratchet mechanism under the tunnel.
Inside the car. Not sure if I'm going to polish the base, bring the carpet up around the side or use the engine turned sides.
I can’t believe how “right” everything is about this car. This is just about the coolest car on the H.A.M.B. right now. Thanks for starting this thread,and please keep the posts coming! And I wouldn’t change a thing with that shifter....it looks perfect! Scott Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Unfortunately working through some hydro issues kept us from making the Meltdown. It is runnining and I'll post some video soon. Battery is mounted and secured in the trunk. Thanks everyone for all the kind words.
The Jalopy Journal
