ok, new rodder here, i just got a '30 model a sedan in pretty good shape!!! i'm so freakin excited, but i am gonna have some questions along the way cuz i'm kinda just teaching myself, so the first one is what exactly do you have to get to lower the rear end, i'm not wanting to slam it, just lower it 2-4 inches, to make it look good, i might be taking the fenders off. i plan on buying a whole new front end with a 4 inch drop straight axle. any help would be greatly appreciated. -don
One way is to zee the frame in the rear. Another extend the frame back and mount the spring behind the rearend rather than over it.
Quickest way is to change the rear spring for a reversed eye main and take half of it out. You will lose some travel but unless you go too radical it will work o.k. Would look good stock bodied and lowered. Not too many around that aren't channeled these days.
thanks guys, i agree with the stock bodied, dont plan on channeling it, maybe down the road, but probly not, love the 50's hot rod look, slammed is cool too, but just lowered a lil bit is just killer!!
ya kin always git one dem "fat chicks" da huge'er da bet'er n put'er in da back seat!! naw really...ya kin git lowern springs from posie or pete n jakes, er ya could just remove some da ones in it till is sits like ya want.
I think its the '40 rear spring but i have seen guys put those in the are more like a front spring and lower instead of a big buggy looking spring. I just took a couple leafs or two out of mine on my tudor. But listen to skippy he has one of the best looking "A" tudors around. Well besides mine....
Funny you ask... I just did this to my 30 Sedan yesterday. I'm too building a period correct late 40's early 50's hot rod. I just had the rear eyes reversed on my rear spring, and also removed 5 of the leafs. This gave me a perfect 4" drop in the rear. Up front I did a 4" drop axle with a few leafs removed as well. Juice Brakes all around. 16" 40 ford wheels , Big and little Firestone Bias tires. 650's up front and 750's on the rear. Keeping the banger in it with a few hop up parts on it. Other than all of that, it's original and I'm even leaving the fenders on it. Here's a some what recent shot of her. Enjoy! Feel free to ask any questions at all. It's all fresh since it's been done in the last few months. P.S. This shot was before I lowered the rear.
Z the frame and tuck it all up inside...are you using an A frame? I z'd mine and also used a reversed eye lowered spring. Except for the the kick-up in the rear, the body still sits on top of the frame. I also z'd the front, so technically, the body is not channeled. http://www.directimagehost.com/is.php?i=132735&img=000_0981.JPG http://www.directimagehost.com/is.php?i=140303&img=100_0096.JPG http://www.directimagehost.com/is.php?i=140307&img=100_0100.JPG
Thanks for the thumbs up Kustommetal, My P.O.S is covered in dust, buried in the corner of the garage at the moment . Blackjack 21, That's exactly what I was talking about. If my 31 was in that condition when I got it , that is how it would look. Looks *****in. Full hood and dropped headlight bar?
Blackjack with so many leaves yanked out and reversed eyes on the spring how close is your axle to the frame and also how close is your differential to the spring u-bolts?
actually I have a pretty good amount of space between the u-bolts and differential, a good 4-5 inchs of travel. it's not like i'll be driving it down bumpy gravel roads or be hitting many pot holes in her. it should be find for cruising around in. i've been jumping on the back and it doesn't bottom out or hit anything. the biggest issue is that my 39' tail lights (deep buckets on them) had to have the wires re-routed out of the top of the buckets instead of out the back because by 750's rub the wires otherwise. i spoke to a few model a guys and they believe it'll be just fine. the tardel book says they only run 4 leafs in the roadster so 5 in a sedan should be ok. if i was going to be driving it with a full load of people on not the best roads, I would keep 6 leaves or so in it. just my two cents....
The Jalopy Journal
