Has anyone ever seen this suspension before? It's on a 1930 Vicky. I can not find it on anything. Obviously the control arm fights the springs trying to twist when braking. Maybe it was from a tractor? Any help is much appreciated.
Doesn't appear to have shocks. The uprights and top arms look to be manufactured, not home brewed. Double transverse leaves! Chris
I bet it's stiff as heck! Very little room to compress anyway. I'd say it locates the top of the upright. Thread here about this style, but none that match. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...spring-front-suspension-with-no-axle.1293888/ wiki has a page for leaf spring. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_spring which has this picture of an early Humber.
Opel had a front suspension like that, only a single leaf though, my friend has one on a '48 Anglia from a '69 or so Opel Cadet. If memory serves me, there was a thread not to long ago about a suspension system kinda like that. Some brand of 30's orphan I believe. But maybe not .Mitch
Yes, it's stiff. Without pot holes it's not overly stiff. This car isn't underpowered which makes it a handful. I followed those links and every one I can.
Everything looks manufactured. Obviously the brakes and rack and pinion are not original to whatever it was. No shocks. It (chassis/body) was built in Indiana about 25 years ago. Boxed, Z'd, 4 link, 4 wheel disc, stainless floor pan, etc. I am going to have to change the front suspension out or do some other custom mods to make it safe at what it does.
It looks to have a pretty long wheelbase in he pic you posted. Is there any indication that the frame has been altered from the stock length? Knowing the original wheelbase might help narrow down your choices.
Thanks, yes it's definitely lengthened. 124inch wheelbase. After the engine it changes to full custom 3x2 tube with a triangulated 4 link. I'm around 500hp now and will probably make 600 to 650. The crude measured frame width at the front suspension looks stock to a 1930 model A. I may go non traditional and I do need a tighter turning radius and good brakes. Willwood master cylinder now. I'd like willwood all around. I really like the unique approach on this car but with HP it's not right.
@Doug Wallis It probably doesn't matter, since the car looks and sounds like it was built in the past couple decades, not HAMB era, but where is your general location? It might help knowing what raw material was available to put this together. Judging from the info so far, it sounds like a 30s to 50s front end from a Euro or orphan manufacturer. The number of leafs in a pair of springs seems to indicate a fairly heavy duty donor.
Not very helpful https://www.speedrevival.com/dictionary/transverse-leaf-spring/ Talks about why it's not great. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transverse_leaf_spring_front_suspension 35-up stude
If the front suspension wasn't really stiff those springs would likely bottom against the frame rails! They look pretty close now, so softening it up by removing a few leafs might cause springs to hit the frame.
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