I have 1932 Ford 5 window coupe project. Un-chopped and currently have no fenders. Trying to decide to run fenders or not? But, I want to get the chassis going. What axle widths would you recommend fender-less or full fendered? 48" seems better for ride quality but I think I may want the narrower one with the fenders. I will probably be using Pete & Jakes disc brakes. Either way plan on running hair pins and a dropped I beam. What steering arms should I use?
Does your '32 have the original "heavy" axle? Hard to beat that one. Can have it dropped to retain the stock width or pinched in a bit. Steering arms all depend on how much you drop or don't drop your axle and what type of spindles you use. I have zero experience with disc brakes on a hot rod, so I have not a clue what spindles to use.
It’s basically just a body and bare frame. I was thinking of a 4 dropped axle and a Posie’s super low spring. Kind of want the discs as I plan on driving it and could see heavy city traffic at times.
This is a light car and should stop well with good drum brakes. This is what I have. https://www.bolingbrothers.com/lincoln-style-drum/ John
I built 100''s of chassis with a 47 inch axle both fendered and highboy. My daily driver fendered deuce pickup has a 46 but it's running a Mono leaf spring and the tires are tucked up in the center of the fenders. I just changed the front end from 32 wishbones to hairpins with stock 37-41 spindles with the factory steering arms. Requires no special bending of the steering arms, everything just falls into place. Vega steering with a panard bar and I know it's poo pooed on here but I use a steering stabilizer. I always sold a disc brake that didn't space the wheels out further than stock. I've did quite a few with Boling Bros Lincoln brakes which work fine. Also always used a 56 inch outside width 9 inch rear end. Narrowed (44 inch) 40 style rear buggy spring with P&J ladder bars, no rear panard. My best selling combination and bullet proof.
If fenderless it won’t make too much difference. But I do like a tight fitting look as it just seems more tailored. If using fenders, it will make a huge difference. Especially depending on what wheels you use. If you are using something like a Halibrand, you’ll definitely want a narrow axle because they have more offset and your tires would be too close to the edge. If you can find an original axle to drop, don’t have them keep it stock width. Let it narrow up as it’s dropped. If you buy a repro axle, get a forged axle in the 46” width.
So, depending on wheel offset I could make the 47" wide axle work on either? Any complaints about ride quality going to the narrower front spring for the 47" axle?
I never had a customer complaint about the ride of the 30 inch spring, always used a Posie super low spring. I normally run a wheel no wider than 5 inches and tried to stay with a narrow 24.5-25 inch tall tire like a Michelin 145 or 155XZX 15 or on my last couple fendere deuces a BFG 155-80R15. 24.8 tall. My deuce pickup has as I said above a 46 inch axle with 500-16 Excelsior's (25 inches tall) on a 5 inch rim with a neutral offset.
What axle you using? Most of the 47" axles I have seen require a 29" spring. These are 47" wide at the king pin. 34" at the perch.
I used the 47 inch Chassis Engineering forged axle under my customer chassis until they quit. It required a 30 inch spring. CE axles may have been before you time. The new 47 inch forged axles offered by Roadster Supply do use a 29 inch spring. I'm starting another fendered deuce roadster and I'm using the forged 46 inch axle from Super Bell. It uses a 29 inch spring. I've done a few 48 inch 4 inch forged axles I had Anson drop to a tick over 5, king pin center ends up 46.5, they use a 31.5 inch spring which seems to offer a slightly better ride.
47 tube in my car . I was very young , 33 years old and now I know better , beam is the Hot Rod answer from me . I have seen a few use a flat front cross member and 4 in drop . It’s almost too low , it will burn paint on fenders
I did several customer chassis over the years with a flat cross member,, 5 inch axle and Posie super low spring. They signed a release that they were on their own, don't call me if there's a problem. These strangely were all model A's. I've done a number of highboy chassis this way, doesn't pose as many problems.
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