Technical Fender tire location 37 Dodge

I have been working on this for awhile, like 2 years plus. I have all of the suspension tacked in, so it is finally time to put everything together, so I can make sure tires are centered in the wheel well. I mounted the cab at 39 13/32" like my frame dimensions say to, center of shackle eye to front of dash line. It is also how I measured everything I mounted. It has a 116" wheel base.
When I put the fenders on the front they do not look centered in the wheel well. I have checked and then rechecked all of my measurements, and something seems wrong. I know on some cars and trucks they move the axle forward or backwards to look better in the fender well. Is this the case? Does anyone have a picture of what they look like stock? Can anyone point me in the right direction to correct this, if need be?

 

It would help to know what you are working with, stock frame and suspension or otherwise, car truck etc.

 

Throw the measurements away and put the wheels where they look good.

 

1937 Dodge pickup stock frame boxed, jag front and rear suspension.

 

Moving the front suspension back a little if possible would be the way to get it centered. Hope you haven't welded things yet.

 

I agree on moving the front suspension I figured it would be the easiest way. The down side to doing this is I already built my headers and they might be in the way now. I just wanted to know if it would affect anything else in the geometry of the suspension. While I have it out I might as well rebuild it, I will have to do it at some point.

 

If you don't center it you will be unhappy and then probably sell the car.. So I say center it and be happy...

 

to my eye that doesn't look that bad, better too far ahead than too far back, that looks bad, .

 

Like this:

 

Yep, move the front suspension back a couple inches. If you don't, everyone will think you located the Jag unit too far forward during the build.

 

Yep, move your wheels back.

 

4woody, that's a nice looking Plymouth you have there. Glenn S thanks, I also believe the wheels need to be moved back. Great looking trucks and thanks for the pics.

 

A lot of fat-fendered cars have a bit of a sit-up-and-beg look due to the wheels sitting too far back in the fenders. The front fenders overall have a spiral profile which suggests a focal point slightly forward of where the front wheels sit. Hence a lot of these cars benefit from shifting the front axle forward slightly (no more than 3") and reworking the wheel opening profile. Where you've got the front wheels you could either flatten the curve of the opening very slightly around the 2-o'clock position (looking at the left-side photo), flare the curve out from about 2-o'clock down, or both.

(It started with an experiment Rolls-Royce did to increase polar moments of inertia in order to improve ride, by moving the weight of the engine as close as possible to the front axle. The result rode well but was very ugly; the entire motor industry struggled a long time to make the principle work aesthetically. That is why fender profiles and axle positions were often a bit mismatched after about 1935, until the metamorphosis of front fender shapes arising from that process developed into the pontoon body.)

 

I think it looks like your wheel center line is where is should be. Fender opening isn't a "round" opening, drop the stocker and it'll like yours.

 

I agree that the fender opening isn't round, but the stock centerline of the tire and fender look to be on the same plane in the pictures on here I have seen.

 

I did a rather crude modification to your picture to see what it might look like if you move the suspension back 1 3/4"- 2"

 

I just quickly reworked the opening profile, roughly but subtly. The bottom trailing edge still needs some work but the wheel already looks less like it's in the wrong place.

 

Combine both of these? Move the wheel back ~1", then reshape the trailing edge of the opening.

 

Blue One, Thanks for the pics of the movement. I measured it out and I was going to go for about 1". Ned Ludd I like your idea, I just am not ready for the technical of a modification. I think I talked to you about cutting the fender down the middle and widening it, I would like to just don't have the tools yet. Some day I will get them or make them. Love your roadster.

 

I'd love to claim responsibility but it wasn't me you spoke to

 

It just keeps getting worse. I figured since I was cutting it out, I would rebuild the front end while it was out, and that is where the downside is. I took everything off of it while on the truck, 2 broken springs, 4 bad ball joints all bushings bad, but 1 good tie rod. Now for the bad part when I picked up the cross member to clean it I hear some rust chunks moving inside, so I flip it over and find 3 good size rust holes in the cross member. Now I have to make a decision, look for another Jag IFS, go the MKII front end. If anyone near Eau Claire WI has a Jag front end I would be very interested. now off to hit my finger with a hammer, and run into my trailer ball with my shin. On the bright side atleast I found it know, not when done with the truck.

 

Jag suspensions are pretty cheap , almost no one is using them , glad you found out sooner than later......

 

Hello from Australia!
Do you have pictures of how you installed the rear also?
I am doing a D5 sedan, with Jag front & rear.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1937-dodge-plymouth-sedan-s.537389/#post-5938906
It seems the Mustang II is a common choice over there. Jag fronts are popular here, as it's all a self contained unit.

 

do you still have this car? In hindsight, I wish I used a front with the steering rack up front.... less firewall to lose with a V8 going in. I'm keen to know where you are at with this one. Cheers, Mudgy

 

I still have the truck, but it has been put on hold. I got frustrated with the front end, and took a break. Right now I am working on the car in the background of the picture. I cant find any pics of it right now, but I mounted the rear just like Snowwhiteltd.com

 

I am in need of all the control arms, KO hubs, rotors, calipers, sway bar and ball joints for a Jaguar XKE if any of you readers have spares or sources. 910-578-6252 davidcoleman554@embarqmail.com

 

Check with: http://www.jaguarspecialties.com/

 

Jag IFS swap is common here as stated; disc brakes, power R&P, GM bolt pattern and plentiful. Don't use S1 as they are problematic, S2 & S3 are better. We are lucky that we don't have snow and rust to contend with like you so our selection is a lot better. If you mount solidly you won't need a slip or OEM intermediate shaft, if rubber mounted you will.
A bit hard to tell but that spring pocket could be repairable, remove the plate covering it to access and repair and then weld back in?
You want the car aesthetically pleasing to look at and correct wheel placement IMHO in the fenders is critical irrespective of OEM wheelbase on occasions.
Before you weld it in check ensure that the frame is square before you check wheelbase and diagonals to ensure everything is correct, then do the same to the rear end. Then double check the axle centres.

 

Working on the car in the background . ??
Looks like a daily driver to me that should need nothing more than to fill the tank and the odd oil change.