Hijack! Sorta... Dave (or Frank), can these be used or salvaged? I cut them off my old rear end. I dont have the shacles though, just the perches! Theyd be about 3" on center to the hole from the top of axle
I would try to use them. Even if they can't reach where he needs to go, then just use the sleeve part and add to it. That Ford stuff welds nice.
Thanks Lars trying to save some things Frank all good suggestions and as when we talked last night I think we`re close to a plan now just need to find the parts and get to work... Slickwilly i would like to try those they may work or may be able to use them as shock mounts? Thanks for offering them up appreciate it. I did also take another look and found i have the curved 32 spring not a 36 and later. I am probably going to use the olds rear and not the ford rear even though its to wide , and even though i need to keep it jacked up cause of the use of fenders i feel i should keep the character of how the builder built the car but need to make some changes to make it safe and driveable. If i decide to use the ford 9` i will keep all the olds stuff to replace it if for some reason i evere wanted to. So thats the plan whadya think?
Just me, I would try the Olds style rear for this season. It's going to take some trial and error to get the rear spring soft enough so that the body mounts will stop cracking, but then not have the tires hit the fender lips on big bumps. Once you get the new hangers in, and the trailing arms installed correctly, then it won't be the end of the world if you still need to keep messing with the spring leaves to keep it from hitting. At the end of the season, if you just can't find a happy middle ground between tire rub, and ride quality, then do your narrow Ford rear over the winter. I'll try to find a pic of how the Chevy truck arms were U bolted to the axle tubes. Pretty simple design.
Dave, Here is aftermarket Chevy arm setup. Note that the U bolts sit diagonal across the tubes, therefore the U bolts need to be a bigger ID than the axle tube. The arms sit on normal looking spring pads that are welded to the underside of the axle tubes. Those pads also sit diagonal, so you can't just cut some off of a donor rear that has them mounted 90 degrees, like a twin leaf setup, because they won't be long enough and bolt pattern will be too narrow. Either find some Chevy angled plates, or most likely have to make your own pads. You don't need the bent-up hockey stick shape like the Chevy back ends. Also, those round mount washers in front of the axle are where the coil spring would fit. Adjustability? Some hambers said they bolted the front arm brackets onto the new crossmember, so that they can put shims between, to keep the rear end square to the car. EDIT: I wish I had known that you were having new rear wheels made, before you did it. We could have gotten 2 mint 56 Olds wheels with the super low frontspacing for $50, and then just widen the backsides. I am thinking they would have gotten the tires under the fenders. We could have tried one of mine to see if your Model A fender lip is at the same spot as my 32 fender width.
No way I would put the trailing arms back in running parallel. I have been thinking about that all day long, since you called to say you were just patching for now. I am 99% sure it won't last the season unless you move the fronts in close together, and set up the rear part with a U-bolt, or some sort of bolted connection. Here are those Ford bars that were on some sort of Ford 3 link, maybe a Mustang two rear end? It was the upper link. Anyways, see how the profile is sort of like your Olds arms? And they have BIG bushings which is 100 times better than aftermarket small, stiff ends. Just find a donor that can be blended to your arms. I have a pair of used Chevy truck arms if you are desperate. Not sure if I would have the big U-bolts, but truck shops make those in any size. Chevy arms may be the quickest way out for the season?, because they might not need to be modified unless they are too long. You'd just need to make some sort of simple crossmember up front. I know you worried about the exhaust, but that's not a good excuse to not angle the arms. Or, see how much the guy wants for the stock 49 Olds arms? These would need mods to back part to use U-bolts, so it will add more time to the job. I dunno. If you are stuck, at least fix the spring hangers while you think about the arms. That would be getting something important finished.
Well then, you can even watch closer if you go help him Honestly, I would fret more about getting the spring hangers done correctly, compared to the trailing arms. The arm problem does not sound too bad to do...but I'm not there to see what obstacles are in the way. **** I'll go measure my Chevy arms right now, to see if they might be a quick fix for just this season.
Frank idk what i am doing with the front of the arms yet tossing alot of things around.... Idk if i am going to use the arms that are there IDK IDK IDK So my thinking cap is still on and i am gathering parts iu need . Mark I was wondering how many people got a kick out of this and how many are like wtf..... I would just like to do the right thing and there are alot of things that need considerartion to use the olds rear or any rear for that matter. I want to keep the rake as thats what he did back in the day. So until next time wish us luck.
51" from center of front bushing hole, to the axle centerline where it will lay on top of the angled rear part. If you can maybe see in the pic; when the two halves were riveted together, there are pressed u-channels that now become the through holes for the U bolts over the axle tube. Then you need to make 2 spring pads. They sit angled on the tubes. Nothing fancy, just to keep the differential from spinning inside the U bolts. As I think I recall, there were plates under the U bolt nuts, that reinforced it, but also were shock mounts...I think, not positive,.. I can look in the barn in the AM but I don't recall seeing any, but there are plenty of boxes to look in. Or just make a flat plate with a stud for the shock. easy If you want to try this; and if you have someone local racing at Stafford Friday night, I can get these over to the parking lot.... if I have a place/time to meet in the afternoon before the lot gets crowded. I don't have a cell, so that sucks. Also, if you have someone going there, and coming down rt 84 and then 190 into Stafford; there is "Furness Brothers garage"(big trucks) on 190 on the left just before all the hills going down into the town. They have a fancy U bolt bender with EVERY pre-threaded(on both ends) length and diameter stock to bend anything. I could measure the bolt holes to get the tube diameter and total length, then you could call it in? EDIT: I am wondering how little space is between the axle tubes and the spring?? The chevy truck arms will stick out a bit on the back, and I hope there is enough room, IF you wanted to try them
here are some things I have: I don't know if your 32 spring is 2"? If it is 2", here are some front 2" hangers, the red ones are 46/48, the others are 40 I think. You could add some steel to these to reach? Make it look kind of like my cardboard deal with straps of steel, to look like an I-beam profile where they weld to the axle tubes. Also a 1956 Olds rear housing with less crap to grind off? This rear is 59.5" from drum flange to drum flange. Should be what you have? Check your ratio; I have a 3.42 stick chuck that a hamber out west wanted, but it weighed out too heavy to ship cheaply. I have the parts for a complete rear with axles,drums, backing plates and all else. But you'd need new seals which Pease in Palmer should have. He is open all day today, but closes at noon on Sat. You'd want 1955 pinion seal, and 2 1956 axle seals; the chuck is a 1955 and the seal is different than a 1956 seal. He also should have new Ford style rubber/steel sleeved, shackle bushing kits in stock. Should I go look for old/used chevy truck arm U bolts and maybe bottom plates? I bet you have a headache at this point.
Those arms have been on there for a long time, it probobly never had the power you put to it when you rebuilt the motor. I wouldnt be scared to run them again for a few summers, i would just re gusset them better and i bet it would be fine, mainly id gusset the bottom, looks like the arms were welded to part of the original 50 olds arm mounts, i have the same set up for my 32 coupe i will be using but ill be replacing the rubber mounts the arms mounted on originally with metal. jeff
Jeff, when i first looked at the car, it looks like it just will not work with the arms parallel. As one wheel dips in a turn, or body roll, there is lot of stress right at those joints. Yes, it could be welded solid like that, if the arms were angled in at the front IMO. I just like the simplicity of the chevy truck attachment, It works and is servicable, if you want to remove the arms for some reason later.. Dave, I only found one original Chevy U bolt, but at least have a good sample. I can't find the lower plates, but they'd be ugly I think. Just make a stiff 2 bolt plate with shock stud mounted forward, to put the shocks ahead of the axle. 3" of the arm sticks out to the rear spring area, but that can be cut off and just weld a flat back plate on instead if you need more clearance.
and, in case you're blowing smoke, it looks to me like that IS a '32 rear spring, with that bird's eye view curve in the middle there, for what it's worth.
YUP...sorry guys, I made him an offer he couldn't refuse !!! Only goofing...I've blown all my dough on my project....and it's still not done.
Well, that's hardly setting the record straight, is it? Come on, just tell us what is happening and no riddles. Mart.
The skinny is car isn`t sold, his wife said no.................. putz. That`s how I got lucky. I had no plans on selling the car and still dont but the offer was very good, I could have built a car that i could drive and it wouldnt keep breaking. The problem with my car is to change the rear end set up at all will take some time and these next few months are the best time to be driving the car. Every idea that i come up with also takes awy from the character of the buid IE the rake of the car and the olds rear i cant just lower it with the olds rear , I cant just do anything as i have exhaust issues,crossmembers,body, and all the other things that will get in the way. I have a ford rear but i also have just put on new wheels. I hope you can guys that have been foillowing and pming see my dilema. If i blow this apart and make a few changes there will always be a few more and a few more and the car will be changed which isnt a bad thing but I also committed on keeping it as close as I could to the build back in the 50`s when built,I made the decision to not change to much for atleast a year or so and to think about what i would do long and hard once its changed it cant be changed back. It may not matter either way to some but its a surrvivor and may not be the doane spencer car etc but it is cool for what it is. I know alot of stuff wasn`t done right but what was right back in the day when all you had was a torch and some wrenches. What i want from this car for satisfaction is to be able to take it on a ride for a few hours etc without worrying about the rear coming out or parts falling off, the cobbled up stuff needs fixing or it will wear or break and i am not going to trailer a car around. I hope this gives some insight on what my dilema has been I had asked for your opinions as to get a idea on what to do and i appreciate those that have helped. I also respect those that say just fix it it dont matter. I figure the right scenario will represent itself and thats what i will do. Again hope i made sense on what I am thinking. I love this car I am lucky to have it I dreamed of one for a long time, I just need to think out what i need to do. So the plan is for now to put the right tapered bushings in the frame where they plucked the tie rod up through in the front of the trailing arms and to box the rear of the trailing arms so they wont keep cracking. This will get the car back on road it may not be right but atleast i will be able to drive it. And i need to fix the rear spring mount but havent figured that out. Titus and Frank have had some good ideas we`ll see what happens. I am going back out to ream the bushings and then finish the boxing I cant have this tieing up my lift any longer and will move it home until I decide to do somethingelse but i suspect once its together i will redo it over the winter. Dave
Seems everyone has different issues, some self inflicted. If you dont have the proper paper work i suspect you could have issues. I dont know what to tell you I was ok as i had a title and prior reg. As far as the state police pulling guys over and impounding there cars i have only heard rumors no facts so iu cant say look in the thread i believe its closed but the info may be there. sorry cant help ya lots of rumors floating around hope i dont get hassled! Been by 6 state police cars parked looking for offenders and they look but they dont pull out.
Thanks for setting the record straight. It is difficult, juggling with decisions relating to poorly built older cars. But people did successfully use those rears in cars back in the day. How did THEY do it? Just change it enough to make it work in an acceptable way. Looking at bad engineering and hokey welding from back in the day is ok if the car is on a trailer, but not if it's a driver. Just take your time, and make a list of what is bugging you. Then tackle what is bugging you most about it. Obviously if one job has a knock on effect, take that into account. You bought it, and wanted to see what it was like to drive a hotrod from back in the day. Well, it's crap. So you've done that now move to the next stage and get 'er fixed. Hope it works out. There are plenty of folk on here that will offer good advice for any problem you have. There's nothing that can't be fixed quite simply. For example - keep the rear axle, but ditch the radius arms, make a set of radius rods all coming together at a single point in the center of the frame, on a single pivot. Ive seen a $13 ball joint used as the pivot point. It works. You could have it done in a weekend and solve all those nasty geometry problems in one go. Good luck. Mart.
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