Technical Strait axle setups

Ok they say there is one born every minute and that might have been me. I have been drawn into the gasser thing and I'm considering putting a straight axle under my 64 Fairlane. The thing that concerns me is the steering and the type of axle assembly to use. I'm wide open to whatever advice you can give me. The power train is solid with a 450 hp 289 and c4 for now along with a off topic rear axle and Calvert rear suspension.
Any ideas let's here em!
Thanks

 

NO, SAY IT AIN'T SO!
KK

 

I wouldn't. To me, a 64 Fairlane doesn't fit the gasser era. That car is better suited as a Super Stocker if you're wanting to put drag looks on it.

 

Oh hell yeah! Straight axle for every car! 40's Ford axle, transverse spring, speedway brake kit! I can see it now

 

Just me, but if it's the car in your avatar I would leave it alone and drive it and enjoy it. If I wanted to do something like your talking about start with a car that is a project car and then take in whatever direction floats your boat. It would be a shame to mess with that Fairlane as nice as it appears to be.

 

i have to agree with GordanC. i have a '53 henry j street gasser. i built it about 20 years ago and drove it for about 4.5 years every day. it does become a handful after awhile. i love the t-bolts and wouldn't want to disturb that car. it would destroy the resale value also. there are way to many cars better suited for this. i am also working on a '54 ford coupe gasser now. it will become a drag car only.

 

Please , no

 

Don't confuse a high front attitude from jumping off the line, with high nose show queens.

Do the T-Bolt tower mod and move the wishbone pivot points down a couple of inches [fabricate new lower pivots and move them down as well]
Real Gassers sat level [it was in the rules]


Start a new trend and build an A/FX car [or B/FX]

 

The super stock route is the direction that its been going and probably will but I keep thinking about the 55 in Two Lane Blacktop and the front suspension it had.

 

Here you go, everything you need to get started.
The axle with good king pins, brake drums turn freely (brake condition unknown), parallel springs, shocks & shock brackets, tie rods, steering box & column, and even the whole frame (rolling chassis) if you want it. Even has the 5 on 4 1/2" bolt pattern. Steering functions good and is not sloppy. Off a 49 Dodge pickup. Only 60 miles east of Debuque IA. PM me. Gene

 

hell i want it!! do you ship?

 

You have a 450 Horse Power 289 motor? I'm impressed!! That belongs in a Beam Axle car for sure. I know the 64 is a unibody car. Were I doing it I'd build a full length Chassis front to back. Having any of the Towers or Inner fender panels left in it would make it look back yard. With that kind of HP you must have installed some kind of chassis rails to tie the front and rear together, why not make it all one piece like it should be? At least then you can install some kind of cage system and have it welded to something besides Sheet Metal. I say go all the way or don't go at all.

 

Don’t do it! I never understood the straight axle thing, other than it looks cool. Putting a straight axle in that car would add a lot of lbs to it, making it slower! Just don’t see it!






Bones

 

I’m not a Ford guy but I really like the 60s Ford Super Stockers and I would continue on that route. Then you can look around for a better gasser candidate. My son found a decent 56 Ford for $175, they are out there.
450 HP out of a 289 is impressive for sure.

 

Agreed, if its the one in your avatar thats t-bolt material. I wouldn't build a gasser. Like stated before find a different car if you really want a gasser and you'd be miles ahead if you'd find a car with a full frame.

Alot less work and money to start with a full frame then starting with a unibody.

 

NO!!!! Do a Shelby drop on the front A arms, disc brakes, narrow and reinforce the shock towers if they need it, subframe connectors and drive it! Too many cars out there already ruined by putting a beam axle under them.

 

I'm with Bamamav, that's a nice Fairlane, you don't see many of those. Just get another car and build a gasser!

 

Hell yes, put an axle under it. the world needs another poor handling hard to drive old car.
That's what half of the people on this site will tell you because they don't have a clue how to set one up. I have built many straight axle cars in the past 50 years. Some for strictly drag racing and some for street driving just for the cool factor.
A straight axle setup does not have to drive like a 70 year old pickup truck with everything worn out. Granted it is not going to win any parking lot road races , but it can be a good driving easy steering fun to drive vehicle.
Here is one example of a nice easy to drive straight axle car that my wife and I drove all over Florida.
Falcon Econoline axles work good under most Fairlanes and Falcons. Speedway kits can be made to work well depending if they are installed correctly .

 

Hey, if it's good enough to sell....

 

Just do it man, follow your heart, don't listen to the Nancy's. 2 lane didn't sit crazy high and many people would have no clue it was straight axle if you didn't tell them, set it up right and it'll look terrific.

 

DING! FINALLY someone who read the rule book (too)!

 

Also, what kind of axle is from a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water?

 

How early were coilovers used? The two lane car appears to have a four link setup and coilovers.

 

Same as any other.

 

so go get a 55

 

No bowties for me I've got the car I want, clean 50k original one family owned car then I got it 19 years ago. Sold new 21 miles from my front door.

 

My questions to you are:
1. What are you mechanical and fabrication abilities?
2. What do you plan to do with this car? Drag Race it? Everyday reliable driver?
3. What do you expect this car to handle like after your choice of modifications?
4. How much money do you have to spend to do these things?
5. Are you trying to do something that is "era-correct" or that pleases you?

Then we can accurately address the issues.

 

1. I can handle all the fabrication needed.
2. This car will be driven the 60 miles to and from the strip along with every chance that I get.
3. As it is now there are no sway bars, big and littles with a spool. It has never been a decent handling car.
4. What ever it takes, there's nothing low buck about the car.
5. I'd like to do something era correct. That's why I was asking about the coilovers and four link, it seam that would be later 60s.

And just to clear this up I'm not interested in using a truck or van axle but a tube axle with the four link is what I'm interested in at probably 2" over stock height.
I've been looking a Speedway and SoCalls offerings are there others?
Again thanks for any input.

 

Ron Pope has been making straight axles and components for years, high quality at real affordable prices. He is also working with many of the guys that run the Southeast Gassers and my understanding "tailors" components for each ones needs. I would recommend you give him a call and tell him what you want to do and he can help set you in the correct direction.
Take a look at this from his site: https://www.eztbucket.com/Gasser-Axle-Kit-9008.htm
He does much more than what you will see on his website, he is extremely helpful.

 

This is from July 1965 and clearly shows and talks about using coil overs