I have a 28 Buick sedan that I want to start gathering front suspension parts to to get it rolling. (Just for info I have a 99 Olds Bravada rear end I am planning for the rear. And my power plant will be a 250 Chevy 6 out of a 66 pickup with the 4 speed granny low transmission I have left over from anther project.) I want to keep the original Buick front buggy springs and install a drop axle. Having never done this I am wondering what axle steering box and link arm combination you guys recommend? Is Buick same as Chevy or Pontiac dimensionally axle wise? This is how I found her! The sheet metal is all there. No wood left.
INTERESTING project! Suggest you rethink the Granny Low ******...This Buick is no truck. Some research might guide you to later Buick brakes (DRUM, please) that can be used with the original axle and spindles. The gennie underpinnings are just...'the ****'! (My grandson's descrip, not mine!) Maybe your Chevy donor truck rear will suffice... Wheels can be made (steel, Chev centers mated to wide outers, get those tires under the fenders., with a nice fit.) That sheet metal is lovely... (my daughter's words) Good hunting.
Just something to think about.... The original tires and wheels on the Buicks are large so if you put smaller (shorter) t&w on it with the original front axle in its original location the wheels will not be centered in the fender, they will set back into the fender further and it looks odd, if you go to a after market axle and install the axle pads off center so that it moves the axle forward the distance that centers it correctly in the fender it will be fine. I had a 1927 Buick that I was going to do this to ..but it got sold before it happened.in the pictures it has 16" wheels and tall tires originally it had wood spoke 21"?? Wheels These didn't look to bad , for being centered but if you went mush shorter you would start to notice it.
Been doing some research. If I have the factory axle reamed for .867 king pin. Will camber angle be correct to use 49-54 Chevrolet car spindles?
My 27 Buick - kept the springs upfront and used original steering box. Speedway drop axle. I wish I had replaced the steering box - will probably do that at some point. I also put in a straight six but mine is a ford because I found it cheap! S10 rear. Sorry for the wreaths- my kids used the car for Xmas pics! As someone said - original tires were big wooden spoke - so mine might look small but it works for me. Hope this helps
How much drop? What size tires front and rear? Did you use 4 bar or original springs in the rear? Nice looking rod!
you wont be able to use the rear springs, they are a slipper set up on the original housing, its also torque tube so you have some work to do there. Steering box is not suited to much but vintage motoring at vintage speed, Ive never seen any new internal parts for them either, NOS will be costly if you find some. Front stubs are an odd ball bearing size so Im doubting it would be easy to fit anything else. Body is coach built so you have acres of wood to do or redo in steel.
Update: This is what I've learned. Buick front axle nearly same from 24-31 (slight differences but not in kingpin geometry). The correct kingpin for the car would be a Moog 8201B(pretty much can't find a set). Kingpin angle is 9.5 degrees - (kp hole bushing od is .862 kp length is 5.8594 need to verify these yet). I am planning to remove the front axle completely once it warms up this spring and see what I can get done with the spindles as far as machining them for a 63 era Chevy car hub to fit. Pretty sure I'll have to turn both spindle diameters down shorten it and thread for a crown nut with cotter pin. Stock Buick inner spindle diameter is 1.315" and outer is .8125". I'll turn them down in a lathe at work to 63 era car spindle diameter. Then I'll have to make or find some bushings and find some kingpins long enough from another application if I can't find a set of Nos or Nors.
Sorry for the delay - Drop axle is 6” - speedway rear is from an s10. To keep original rear springs I had a local shop fab a bracket similar to original that wraps around the axle. The s10 was different in diameter so I needed a new mount. He basically found a pipe that was the right size as a starting point. Looks “original” although from usage it looks like I could clean things up bit! I also added a 4-link. Second pic is original bracket tire size Hope this helps
You could probably use a 47-54 Chevrolet pickup front axle, retain the bolt pattern, and still be able to upgrade to aftermarket brakes
No not a panhard. Definitely a 4-link. And it is an s10 rear attached to a c4 auto trans. Please understand this was my first build so I am not an expert like others here on the HAMB. But i haven’t had any problems with this setup.
Update: Upon the advice of members here and others I have cemented the power plant and transmission for the car. The engine I got for free from a M***ey Ferguson #36 swather. The intake and exhaust manifolds are shot. It is the same 153 Cu in 4 cylinder as the early Chevy II and Nova cars had. Behind it I am putting a T50 5 speed out of a 79 Buick Skyhawk. Those transmissions are not very stout but I think its a good match for the 4 cylinder.
Update 2 front axle,brakes & steering: The original spindles have been turned. I have unused parts from other projects so I put it together this way. The original king pins and bushings are tight so I reinstalled them with new thrust bearings. (same as 50 Buick I found out). I had some 65 Chevy C10 back plates I cut the spindle flange pattern out of them and recessed the plate 1/2", welded it back together. Then I installed complete 1956 Chevy car drum brakes and drums onto the 63 Chevy hubs I machined the spindle to. I have ordered 2 tie rod ends for a 2005 F**d Excursion Moog ES3417T and a 1" x 16Tpi tap so I can build a steering link bar. Way overkill but they fit the taper of the original Buick arms. The steering box and column are removed. Low and behold the output shaft of the steering box (manual) from the 65 C10 fits right onto the steering arm from the Buick box. So I am going to fab a bracket to hold the box mounted on its side. From there I have to go look in the shed for a 60's GM column if I have one. Pictures to follow!
Pictures of motor removed from swather. It is a 153 Cu in 4 cylinder Chevy engine. As you can see the inake & exhaust manifolds are shot. Making my own intake and exhaust. Start with flanges(a work in progress on this picture). I have a Vega distributor (needed to add vacuum advance distributor).
The Jalopy Journal
