I was looking at some pics of stock 46-48 Ford cars and they seem to have a pretty nice stance. I'm going to use the stock axle, a reversed spring, and a speedway lowered crossmember. I was wondering how low it will put it? I don't plan on putting it in the weeds either
Use reverse eye spring or the crossmember....using both will drop it too much to have every thing play nice. I've got a Posies reverse eye spring in mine along with some rubber rake... 205 70 15's up front 235 70 15's on the rear. Rear suspension is the CE parallel leaf kit with composite springs. Not the best side pic....but..... Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Mine isn't a 46-48, but same body. I have the stock axle with stock spring. I have removed a few leaves from the front and installed lowered spring shackles. 2" drop. I did the same in the rear. I have 6.00X16 in front and 7.50X16 in the rear. Bad thing is in the front I only have like 1" of clearance between my axle and frame. I removed the bump stops. I haven't bottomed out yet. Future plans are for a dropped axle so I can gain some clearance.
Looks like I have a few different options. I'll try the spring first that's going be easiest Sent from my XT1710-02 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'm considering too what to do with suspension and driveline for the '48 coupe I recently bought. The "easy" way seems to reverse the spring eyes on front and back, perhaps (probably) remove a leaf or two from the spring packs, and make shackle plates maybe 1" to 1 1/2" longer than stock, both front and rear. In looking at photos of various '46-'48s I like the look when the top of the front tire is about even with the front fender wheel opening arch, with just a slight rake toward the front. I think my plan will get me close to that stance. Lynn
I like the pic of Fat Jack’s orange coupe in the orange cars thread. That car was spot on and bad ***!
Magnum 4" dropped axel, Posie springs, front and rear, front shackles extended 3/4" . 205 and 235 tires!
I'm thinking about going with the Posies reversed eye spring. They claim it will give about a 3" drop, and if I can get that 3" drop that will be just about right I think for my 47. I have a question though, for those that have changed their front spring, is my understanding that the spring is not mounted under tension correct? That I don't need any kind of spreader in order to remove and install it? I'm thinking I just need to get the weight off the spring and get the car on jack stands, and then support the spring underneath to remove the shackles. Is this correct?
You won't get 3" of drop with just the spring. If I remember right, I took out the two top leaves before installing the spring and like I said, I extended the shackles 3/4". Along with the axel I got the drop you see in the pics above. I wasn't looking for a specific amount of drop, I just wanted the car lower. I would really like the rear a bit lower but if you look at the lower edge of the wheel opening and the white wall, they match perfectly. It wouldn't look right any lower in the rear. No tension on the spring, I used a Bottle Jack and pry bar to replace my shackles. Good luck!
do not lower so far that you can not turn without tires hitting fenders - unless have narrowed axle/wheels - been a long time since I had this '47 - as I remember: reversed eye/de-arched/ 2 non main leafs removed/gas shocks/ 205.60.15 tires on 7" wheels in front - just barely cleared fenders when turning - in rear CE lowering parallel leaf spring kit with 235.70.15 on 8" rims -
My WWW are 75 series, the TA's are 70. 5" wheels on front, 6" in the rear. I've had no clearance problems with either.
I've got my ch***is done by using a stock axle that's been dropped, reversed & de-arched springs front and rear with 1" longer shackles in the rear. Am running 6.00-16s front & 7.50-16s rear. Body isn't back on but hoping for @Chris type stance. Chris' old '41 pictured.
5 inch Sids axle, reverse eye main and leaves removed up front. Ch***is engineering parallel kit with a 9 inch in the rear. 6.00x16s all the way around. Sent from my SM-G977U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I'm not tired of seeing your car, BigO. Please share what parts combination got your car to this stance and look. Include tire and wheel sizes if you would. I'll soon be starting on a '48 Coupe and I'm a sponge for ideas right now. BTW....I used to call my Father-In-Law, whose name was Orville, The Big O. I don't think he appreciated it though. Lynn
The Posies spring is a good place to start. The springs on the fat fender cars aren't under as much tension as the early cars....no special tools required. Mostly jockeying the jack around, careful use of hammers, prybars and maybe the fire wrench. Do yourself a favor and pick up new shackles, bushings and sway bar bushings and links while your at it.....you're probably going to need to replace them if they've got time one them. The wishbone ball is also a no brainer while down there with the axle unloaded. Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
flatout51....did you use any lowering blocks with the parallel leaf setup? How many leafs did you take out of the front spring? Lynn
No lowering blocks in the rear, but I think it's going to get a 2 inch block soon, it's their super low kit. They settle a ton once you get them driving. I think just 2 leaves... I removed every other leaf at first and it sat the axle on the frame....[emoji58] so I put a couple back in. Sent from my SM-G977U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
4 inch dropped axle, reverse eye main, and a couple leaves removed in front. Flat rear crossmember, reverse eye main leaf in the rear. Sent from my SM-G977U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My 46 also used a reverse eye spring and the rest was all rubber rake. I really like the way the stance came out on this car.
You guys that used a reverse eye spring, did you have the eye reversed on the stock spring (or do it yourself), or did you buy a new spring with the reversed eyes? If new, what did you get, and where? Thanks!!
I want driver height, so I'm going to try a stock dropped axle with stock spring and a Weedetr parallel rear kit. See where it goes from there.
The Jalopy Journal
