Ideal '36 Ford Traditional Front Suspension?

Big rat you are going to split the bones anyway correct? of so you can drop it about 4" just by flattening the cross member.

There is not a thing in thw world wrong with the '36 axle and the brakes can be converted to juice brakes easy enough, or you could get 12" lincoln backing plates and use buick finned drums.

You can also get the stock axle dropped that is traditional enough for anyone.

 

Not sure of all the details on my '36 as it was built in the early 80's and not by me. It has what looks like a 3" forged, dropped, axle, four bar unit, stock springs, tube shocks, and Wilwood discs. It did have a Unisteer rack & pinion assembly which was absolutely awful for bump steer! Replaced it with a Vega box which was a shoe-in and big improvement. I'm very pleased with the way the car rides and stops. Think I'll just leave well enough alone.

 

IF you go the right route (dropped axle, flattened crossmember, reversed eye spring) be sure to drop a '32-'36 axle!
The original axle ('32-'36, forged) can be dropped to a total of 4", (296V8 does a supreme job, reasonable)
The '37-'41 axle has a short 'neck' between the wishbone boss and king pin. Bad choice.
If you split the wishbone, there is a kit available from Chassis Engineering.
This kit bolts onto the center crossmember, and splits the 'bones in a triangulated plan, rather than bringing them out to the frame rails. Geometrically correct for Henry's original design...
As for the 'weight' of that Hemi, the Dodges and DeSotos are much lighter than the Chryslers...

 

Well this thread is turning out better than I thought, hope it's helping others in need!
Will the Lincoln Buick combo add to the track width?
What about steering arms?
More pic's of your Roadster Ralphy!

 

Not enough to worry about. You can still run fenders no problem.

Steering arms you just heat and bend. When you get that far one of us will direct you to a thread that shows how to do it.

 

Brigrat,
Pics attached per your request. The glass body of this '36 was made by either Patrick Mooney or Mike Morris, in your state. Originally built and owned by Francis DeRocco (deceased) of the L.A. Roadsters. Good luck on your project.

 

Thanks Ralphy!
I have a set of recast Stanchions from back in the day, do you think Mooney or Morris cast them since they did the glass body's?

 

Probably not. No idea where they came from. Today's frames are brass.

 

I have a couple of questions, are the front wheels in the center of the fender looking at them from the front? I see that with lowered model A cars running fenders that having the tire/wheel combo sitting in closer to the frame helps or stops the tires rubbing. If you were to run the 37-41 axle, undropped it would be the about the same width as a dropped 33-36. Dropping the 37-41 axle will narrow up he track width a little more too, and as mentioned in a previous post there woudn't be wishbone tire interferance if the bones were split and spread apart only what was needed for clearance, say 15 inches or so.

 

What everyone isn't saying is that if you drop a '36 low enough with split bones the bones will hit the bottom of the frame when turning and hitting a bump. I experienced this on a '37 Coupe. I used a Chassis Engineering 4-bar setup on my '36 and was very pleased with it. The car was DOWN and nothing hit anywhere (except for the grill if I wasn't careful). Stock crossmember, etc. Picture of the car is on my albums for past cars. Don't know if the attached link will take you there or not.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=24551&pictureid=270967

 

Dropping a 32 to 36 axle 3 inches equals the drop of a (so called) 5 inch aftermarket axle.

The mock up photo above I posted of my car has a 2 ½” dropped 32 w a unsplit wishbone and a T5. I have disc brakes on and over 2 inches from tire to fender .… and keep in mind there is no

Flywheel and clutch
Radiator
Interior
Glass
Gas tank
Pipes and mufflers
Driveshaft
So it will be going down a lot more.

IMO
There’s no need to mess w the cross member …. It can sit plenty low w a axle and the spring done right.

 

All great advice, be nice if I didn't have to mess with cross member.
If I have to error I would rather be a little lower and bring it up than to be to high and have to drop it more, again!
Pretty hard to get a '35 '36 real low as the grill is rite their taking the brunt of it all unlike other earlier years.....................

 

There’s another little thing iv been thinking about doing in my spare time. That would bring these spring in front cars down an inch or so more.
I’m going to build a fixture to drop the spring perch’s on the wishbones …. Im thinking that would be a first.

 

Beautiful.

What about the rear ? is it lowered ?

 

Thanks
Yes
De arched spring
Reversed main leaf
Weld on hangers flipped and moved out wider
P/J ladder bars

Wheels are off the shelf Vintque
15 x 5 w 5 60 … 15 x 6 w 710

 

I got those right from Mooney in the early/mid 80's.

 

Come and see a setup with Buick drums using the Buick hubs, very cool.

 

Some good info here, thanks,

I'm missing all the floor in my 39 std ute, so looks like a channel is in order

 

Most likely from Wescott, he's been selling 2" chopped ones for many years. I have his standard height ones (wish they were the chopped parts) and you can't tell them from stock. Real $$.

Steve

 

Loving this thread. Would un-split wishbones clear a sbf and t5? Don't wont to high jack the thread. Just what I'm hoping to do.


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

Original bones split

4in P&J dropped axle

Original spring with reversed eye main leaf

CE shock brackets

Wheel Vintique 15x5 with 145/15

 

I am building a 40 ford pu on a 36 frame as they are all pretty similar. I'm running:

Dropped 4" 36 axle
unsplit 36 bones
36 spring with a few leaves removed and reversed eyes
Flattened or raised front crossmember by 1 1/2"
Square back spindles with heated and dropped arms
53-56 self energizing drums
Modified x-member
327 with a jeep bellhousing and t5

It's sitting low and I think I am going to need to add back the leaves I took out of the spring. I think that by reversing the eyes and thinning the herd in the leaf pack you'll be fine. The plus side of flattening the front crossmember that I see is that I will probably get to run the full leaf pack. Which might be a better ride than a much softer pack with less leaves. The jury's still out as I have yet to finish the truck.
On the rear I used mj40's 49-54 chevy front spring and hanger tech and LOVE it. I also am using this set up on my 39 Dodge coupe. It's get's the back end down and rides great. You can also find a chevy front suspensions for practically free as most guys switch over to the M11 stuff.

I'm doing my best to clear the T5 and I think it's going to work. The main problem is the overdrive lump on the back end.