Getting it up: Nailing a Gasser stance without a straight axle?

Yup, so true, but I'm stuck with it now. That's what I get for trying to do it a little differently than the rest, I guess!

Although a body lift would probably give the look, I am committed to finding a way to do this through suspension mods in such a way that it doesn't totally screw everything up.

The idea of the raised spindles was a really good one, and would accomplish the task . . . but where to find ones that would fit?

 

I know where your coming from...and its interesting how the stub fit so well to the original frame.
Wouldn't have been too difficult to cut the stub to eliminate the factory drop and reset it to whatever placement you wanted with your joiner plates though.
For someone wanting a low car the swap you made sounds ideal!

Be great if you could post a few pics of the join between the two frames to give people who own cars like yours a heads up on the swap. I'm sure it would be appreciated!

I'd look into the raised spindles someone mentioned.
They sound ideal for what your doing and will keep all the suspension bits within factory spec...or close anyway.
Strange as it might sound, the idea of adding a small body lift as well as the raised spindles isn't outrageous. You wouldn't even notice 1" extra between the floor and the frame but you would notice it between the tires and the wheel openings.
Now if anyone is suggesting much over 1"...Naaaa....I'd pass! LoL

I'm really impressed with how your wife is deep into the hobby along with you. She builds her own engines!?!?
Wow...Thats very cool...and your club sounds like a bunch I could hang with all day long!

You got it too damn good. You deserve a bit of trouble with SOMETHING! Hahaha

 

a good offroad fab shop can make you extended A-arms pretty easily. Check out the C-10 in the thread post I had here:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=438402

those were made by fabtech specifically for those year C-10s, but gives you and idea what kinda height you can achieve with extended arms

check out your local offroad/ trophy truck shops they should be able to hook you up easily

 

Yeah, I've thought about that. If I can't get this done any other way, that will be what I'll do.

But as I am a cheap Irish********, I'm trying to do as much of the work/fab as I can myself, however in the long run having it work right and drive safely is more important that saving a dime.

 

Lining up the bottoms of the Camaro stub and the frame on my 51 Plymouth gave me 6" of drop without any suspension lowering.

 

Yeah, I know I didn't pick the best front clip in terms of the look I was shooting for, but it was almost free . . .

Here is what the 56 looks like with the Camaro clip and no suspension mods. Seems to me, it shouldn't take an act of divine intervention to get that front up ut 3 more inches without totally F -ing up the whole front suspension. However, I have been wrong in the past

 

I used spring jacks on a Vega I did a few years ago. I welded a nut into the top of the spring pocket and cranked down on them to the height I wanted, also to level side to side.



Link to my build pics, Spring jacks are pictured:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2217049

 

here is a pic of my 1939 chevy back in 1972...the first pic is when it was drag raced with new front springs and sway bar to hold it 'up in the air'...after the engine blew, it was streetrodded in 1975 and the front coils cut and lower front A arms dropped 1"....still have it too after over 350,000 as a hotrod.

 

You are a smart man

 

Looks pretty tough as it sits, if you ask me.

 

I like its height in the last pic. (I'm doing an axled '54 Ford Coupe) Was in the front end business for years, and a former '54 Ford Coupe of mine ran stock '54 suspension, with taller springs (and heavier 'wire') mainly to help with the weight of the 427 Side Oiler.

Geometry wasn't affected (it still adjusted to 5* positive caster and 1/4*+ camber)
Car handled like a dream.

Further note: To install these springs, you must disconnect the lower ball joint, tuck the coil in where you can get a 'bite' on the lower socket of the control arm. Place a rolling floor jack from the outside, perpendicular with the car's direction. Now, (most important) place a car stand under the opposite side of the rear bumper. (if you're installing the left front, place the stand under the right rear, and so forth)
This strategy will attempt to lift the entire car's weight, rather than pivoting on the rear axle centerline whilst compressing the new springs. (Lot better than having 3 fat friends all over the hood and front fender!)
The 1.5"-2" lift you get will be more noticeable than you think. And it will adjust to specs! Remember...Lotsa caster. Makes it handle like a road racer, and look like a Digger when turning.

 

Is your front clip welded on yet? My first thought was to keep the '76 clip near stock and just drop it relitive to the frame by however much you want to raise the front end.

 

i would just run hard rubber ac spring spacers check with spring and or alignment shops they come in different thickness 9/16" will raise it about 1 1/2". and jack screws would work but you would have have to relocate the shocks.

 

Lots of good, usable ideas here - thanks guys.

Lots of opinions about how I am building a completely unsafe, poor handling piece of*****, too . . . but it's a free country, and I did ask for input, so it's all good.

Not entirely sure what route Im going to take just yet, so if anyone else has any suggestions, please feel free to post - and pictures are always a bonus!

Please note: I am just building hot rod Fairlane, circa 1965ish in appearance. Maybe something that could have been a daily driver and weekend gasser warrior. I'm not building a 4x4, Donk-mobile, or street freak. Just a fun driver.

So thank you all, and thank you, HAMB.

 

S10 lift***** will fit right on there spindles springs arms go to fabtech web site they will have everything you need

 

Man that thing is going be cool. did you try big block chevy springs might get it up a little more.

 

Yeah, I really think this may be the best way to go. Ironically, I am going to be building a '58 F100 in the near future and was going to go the Camaro clip route with that, too (I say that because I've seen your truck on the HAMB - nice!). With that one, I can just go for lowering spindles when I drop it. Cool.

Thanks Butch. My goal is to finish it in time for Viva Las Vegas - our club is planning on bringing out 3- 4 gassers this year. Doubt I'll have it painted in time, but it shoud look decent and be a good runner/driver by then.

Yeah, I ordered big block springs (in part because the Y block weighs almost as much as a big block and I knew I was loosing some suspension travel due to sag), but I got the wrong ones - 1st gen camaro: too small, too soft, too short. Wasted money.

After wrestling with the stock springs and a small spacer for a whole weekend, I don't think longer/stiffer springs are the way I want to go just because of the frustration. Very little room between those A arms on Camaros. Nice 56 chev, by the way.

 

Yeah, me too! Unfortunately, that's a photoshoped pic of how I want it to sit when I finally get it right! If only it was that easy

 

Hello,
I'm new to this forum, but I saw your posts and I'm considering
doing the same type of thing to my 69 Camaro. One thing to consider
when using ball joint spacers is that they alter the suspension geometry.
My plans are to lower the inside mounting points of the lower control
arms along with the ball joint spacers to keep the geometry in spec
so that handling isn't compromised (as much).
Let me know what you think.

 

Just a thought but how about a little lift in the front and a little lowering in the back to get the stance your after with out losing the benefit of the newer suspension. A lot of late 50's early 60's tri 5 Chevy gassers used the stock front suspension raised a little and then they lowered the back to get that weight transfer.