Hot Rods HAIRPINS!!!!!!!!!

So today I got these hair pins in the mail (along with the bat wings and this bulldog mount). I have kind of had a thing for hairpins since I was a little kid. We don't seem to use 'em much here on the HAMB but they are a definite part of our history.

lets see what ya got. Pics on cars or hangin on your shop wall or?????



These are a little gritty and raw, my kind of parts. I think they were made by a fellow HAMBer at some point.

 

Mine. Both SoCal.

 

I've used 100's of pairs of hairpins on the customer ch***is I build. Mostly from P&J with a few stainless sets from So-Cal. I currently have several ch***is on the board to do and all but one have hairpins with one set of split bones. I like hairpins because of the look and also being able to run stock early spindles without modifying the steering arms. I haven't done a 4 bar in 7-8 years but do several ch***is a year with bones. Hairpins have been around for a lot of years.

 

been around since the '50s that I have personal knowledge of (I really don't remember much before about '58 or '59).
They are a good way to locate an axle even have a little adjustment (if only a degree or so).

 

I make my own. Easy enough to do. The hardest part is tapping the tubing.

 

One-off hairpins made using aero tubing for bridge material, same as my rear ladder bars.

 

I've built and used 'em since '56, (used to gas weld 'em, never had any complaints or critique')
I used to cut and fab the 'Batwings' from 1/2" plate, then ream the holes 7* for Ford tie rod ends, and countersink the holes for the hanger bolts, all early Ford hardware.
Then around '68 I changed to 3/8" plate for batwings, and used clevises up front. (always for the adjustment of caster!)
I'd notice other guys with the adjuster 'way out on the lower ones, hairpins' legs same length??? (did 'one size fit all'???)
Not mine...I'd set ch***is and axle up at ride height, select lengths so both adjusting clevises had somewhat near same number of threads left...
My ch***is jig was set up for 'A' rails and '32, so in the initial setup stage, the frame rails went on upside down. One main leaf and the axle, jig the caster angle, THEN tack the chrome moly for hairpins.
Split bones also set upside down.

Lovely running gear jewelry, @DDDenny...

 

I have made a bunch of bat wings from 3/8" plate and radius rod yolks over the years. Seems like radius rod yolks are like 283 chebbies. I have normally had some laying around.

 

^^^ @denis4x4... That's the style...Mmmm!

 

Back in the 70s there was a theory going around that hairpins and tube axles was not a good combination. I believe it was started by a company that manufactured 4 link front suspensions.

 

Beano, your picture didn't show up.

Alex is putting together a g***er inspired Deuce and using hairpins. HRP

 

Jimmy's Deuce has them, this car has been on the road for about 15 years. HRP

 

To me, "split bones" say basic Hot Rod. "Hairpins" say advanced Hot Rod. "Four bars" say street rod.

 

My hairpins are peaking out on my 33 pickup, I prefer hairpins as a good in-between split bones and a 4 bar.

 

Helping my Son ,build his 23 "T" "Pandora",we had 2 pair of used Hairpins in the shop,nether were the right sizes.
He saw the cost of new,an asked if I could make them the right size?
Sure chop chop,weld weld an prestO.
Even added a step for good, in n out.

 

If you want to be like almost everyone else and look cool sitting around the drive-in, use some sort of frame attached radius rods.

If you want a good comfortable ride with excellent handling, keep a stock wishbone type configuration.

You won’t read much about stock type wishbones on street hot rods. That is because split radius rods originated and were a necessary item on CIRCLE TRACK race cars. They evolved to street rods because someone converted a track roadster to the street and someone else thought it looked cool.

 

The "Whatever" has hairpins 1 on the front one on the rear. The trick to making them, from my experience, is to lay out where the curve will be, then cut the tubing slightly long and chuck it in a lathe with a big enough thru hole to drill and tap for the clevis or rod end. Carefully bend the tube, it should end up very close to the correct length, but if you make an error, make it slightly long as you can cut the tube to the correct length after they are welded up.

I made a fixture out of mdf to hold the pieces for welding, and did the welds in the exact same order on both. Here's the result I was going to use both on the front but then came across this car: It's a Bobby Unser Pikes Peak Multi-time winner from the late 50s into the 80s. What you don't see in this picture is the left side. It has hairpins on front and back on the left and single rods on the right, which takes the bind out, and makes for a lighter, simpler suspension. Check out the rest of the car by googling it at the Henry Ford Museum.

Fortunately I tend to over build stuff, so 1 per axle will take the torque and brake forces. Made mine from very heavy wall DOM, and still need to add braces midspan on both.

 

Let me see if I can fix that. But just in case try this here.

 

Here's my hairpins.

 

I don't see anything wrong with them, they are more old school than the ones shown but they should work just fine. HRP

 

Hairpins. Check

 

Do these cl***ify as hair pins?

 

I made my hair pins and front axle and related pieces, and ch***is.

 

My hairpins peeking out under the fenders.