Hot Rods Big Daddy's 55 2 door wagon gasser

I think mine are 350#, and it rides great. You might want a little more, but not much.

 

Wish ya had access to some scales. Then you could weigh it.
Got spoiled at work with a shelf full of springs.
But 3-350 is a good guess
just make sure you post pics of the guy pushing the car on the trailer while you soak up the AC

 

Oh you know it. Don't forget that I'm driving a $700k fire engine to another county, pulling a car trailer. And once the old man loads my car, I'm gonna shoot his dog

 

Take the rescue unit. That way ya have a defibrillator and oxygen.

 

Congrats on the wagon can’t wait to see it in the shop. This place is a great source for parts only about 2 hours from me. Make it handy to save shipping.
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb.dll?userwatch~dynamicSearchPage~cadeflbi

 

Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off!!!!

 

I was told for the front of my 51 with a big block and blower I would want 275 coil springs. Not sure exactly how that would cross to a straight axle, but the cars should be close to the same front end weight I would think.

 

QA1 coil overs in mine with 150 pound springs. I played with this a bit, dug around the parts room and found the 110# set that were way too soft. I think 300 might be too much. Or am I supposed to add the values together, 150+150 =300?
How about a pic of your ladder bars?
@427 sleeper - I noticed that, too. Sent Lloyd a pm with a pic of the vin location on my '55 frame in case he replaces that part of his floor. Tri 5s and big blocks, what's not to like!

 

I'll have parallel leaves in the front, I'm running ladder bars and coilovers in the back.

 

Then the 150 springs sound a lot more realistic. Compared to the weight of the engine up front the rear is a lot less to support and dampen.

 

Hey Lloyd, I got a spare set of ladder bars, they are short ones but available if you want. Pictures when I get home

 

150 is typical for the rear of a Model A, so I think it's way too light for a 55 wagon rear. I would think the 250 or 275 is where you'd want to land, but without knowing the weight of the car we're all guessing.

 

I bought rear coil overs from a hot rod shop we had in town. He asked me info etc. looked some stuff up on his computer and said “let’s start here, change the coils later if needed”.
I’d bet calling QA1, etc, they would have info on what you would need.

 

At first I thought a couple friends gigging each other and thought it was funny. Evidently not, it’s one thing to have fun and whole different thing to be an asshole. Your wagon rocks I’ll be watching. The guy you bought from sounds like the real McCoy and probably tougher than a rail road spike.
Dan

 

Just a wild guess but 250-275 lbs. seems like a good starting point. Comes down to test and tune. Many variables including how much junk is in your trunk or in your case, how your wagon is dragg'n.

 

If ya move that BIG block back a few inches that will lighten-the-load on the front sprangs. (You ARE gonna move it back a few inches aren't ya ?!)
6sally6
Like what you're doing....

 

Just so Big Daddy's gasser is on this thread since it is in the title!! Incidentally, it runs a Ford 390 FE. Ford gave Big Daddy 3 of their new 390s in '62 to use in his custom cars. Ed put two of them in the Mysterion and the third went into this '55. Maybe one of two or three Ford-into-Chevy swaps in hot rodding history?!

 

This is a decent read for selecting spring rates on a 57 chevy wagon, I didn't know the part about shock length effecting spring rate.

https://www.trifive.com/threads/rear-coilover-spring-rate.181904/

.

 

Definitely not southeast gasser style but. . . Yours if you need. Roughly 30inches long. Let me know if you like.

 

Can I tell you what to name your car, or actually how to build it too please? Also, I can tell you how to spend your hard earned money! What you should do, and what you shouldn't......?

 

Are you saying you're running 350lb springs on the rear of your 56? Because obviously I'm building a straight axle front suspension, no coilovers in front, and I took your advice and ordered 350lb springs for the rear

 

Could've worked but I ordered precision engineering already!! Last night at my buddy Dave's I mentioned ordering a set, and he walked over and picked up a set, told me I could've had them I appreciate ya though

 

Lloyd , are you totally on board with an 8.8? Just seems if your gunna spend all that time to set up ladder bars and coils a 9 inch or a 12 bolt or a pontiac would be way more cool behind a Rat in a 55 gasser. Even a lincoln locker would work in a pinch

 

Hell I thought the 8.8 was a good rear end? The one I have is an early explorer with drum brakes. From what I've been reading for a few years was they are the shit! Don't tell me that shit now lumpy! Lmao! I can't afford 9" stuff. The 8.8 was free, well, I laced the roof on his wagon for it

 

^^^Ya Lloyd......

 

The required spring rate will vary according to the installed/operating angle of the coilovers.
Have you designed the setup yet? The angle will need to be part of the calculations.

 

No, but the angle should be 90⁰, or really damn close. Wouldn't think Jed would steer me wrong, he never has. I assume he realized this car is straight axle, no coilovers on the front.

 

And don't be confused, this car isn't for the drag strip, it's to be driven. I know that's foreign language for some of you! Lmao