I have a 56 Ford Customline than I plan to turn into a g***er and would like to build it to be eligible for the southeast g***ers. I have a 410 mercury and a top loader 4spd. I recently purchased an early econoline straight axle and have been researching installation threads. I've seen some people cut the original frame off behind the suspension and build the front rails from 2x4 tubing and some just remove the A arms and mount the springs to the original frame rails. My question is, is one way better than the other? If so why?
Seems like it would be easier to use the original frame, and if it's too narrow, you could outboard the hangers and/or shackles. I've given that some thought for a while.
2x3 or 2x4 box tubing rails will be much lighter . You can make them the width you want ,more room for headers. Stock rails make it easier to mount the motor and the front sheet metal. How are your fabrication skills or are you going to farm it out ? My g***er builds usually get a complete front to back box tubing ch***is . Of course I usually start with a lot smaller car that was designed for less than 100 h.p. Remember when building your car you will get a weight break for the FE and if that is a small input shaft toploader . You will twist the input shaft off . Ask Gabe from the Southern Flyer. He tried it. You can send it to Liberty for the upgrades needed.
My buddy Shawn Peterman has a 56 Ford that he straight axled. Super nice guy but no internet stuff so you might Google Southern Outlaw G***ers and find a pic of his car if you want to see how he did his.
If you strip the original componets from your frame and bolt on the spring hangers . If you laterdecide you don't want the straight axle you can return it to independent suspension. And it can be a g***er without a straight axle. I have a 56 ford Pk and that straight axle leaves a lot to be desired in the handling and ease of steering dept. Im really tempted to sub frame it with a independent front suspension.
I've done them both ways. Like said above it's more about your Fab skills and the visual you want. When staying with stock frame you'll find the rear spring hanger locates pretty low in relation to front hanger. This often causes heavy Caster and hard steering when using factory Truck axles. Going to a tube axle and welding the spring mount on let's you set Caster from scratch. With cast axles you can use a wedge but I have never liked band-aids. Lot's of ways to skin this Cat and I like where your headed. The Wizzard
Thanks, I was gonna ask about wedges. My 52 F1 has wedges and it drives great, but I don't launch it like I plan to do this car. I hate to go with a speedway kit because of the China factor and I think the I beams looks much better. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you want the real deal just remove the A arms and hang your springs. if you want newstalgia build a new front stub. I don't know what the southeast rules are, so best would be what they require. The way we used to do it was hang our springs off the original frame. Actually my '55 Ford used A arms, a lot of them did. But I think that Southeast requires an axle.
I agree with ya. So the next thing to do is to understand how what you have was mounted in it's stock application and apply that to what you end up building. You may also find you can improve how it works for your needs. Know that finished static loaded ride profile is where you want to build your Caster to. This information may be what makes the final decision as to using the stock frame as is or using new rails to get the job done. The Wizzard
Ive seen them with a transverse spring and a wishbone. Crammed under the stock frame its wicked looking. And certainly old skool.
You might want read shakeypuddin's thread on installing a straight axle and new frame rails in his 55 chevy. A lot of the considerations would be same given the similar car size and weight. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/suspension-g***er-straight-axle-puddin-style.230636/
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