Anyone set up a Roth-Style coil spring front end?

I'm looking for pictures of coilspring front ends on 60's style hot-rods, like the one on the Outlaw. I've seen a few newer-built cars with them, like the Rod-riguez and Moriarty's cars. Has anyone on here set one up? I'm seriously considering doing one with chrome mustang II springs (because I can order them in chrome at the spring rate I need), making my own cups, and running chrome tube shocks through them, like big coil-overs. Anybody done this? Thanks.

 

No reason why it can't work well.

Might be able to buy cups ready made from an oval track supplier.

 

Here's a picture of Roger Mingle's T Vicky with a coil front suspension. http://www.carnut.com/cgi-bin/05/_image.pl?/show/05/shay/shay55.jpg

 

Dave Shuten has done it on a couple cars. his Mysterion clone and his Astro Sled. it's been done and works. not sure if it's been done on a car that has been driven alot or how well it would work in such a case but theres only one way to find out.

 

Thanks for the link, that's almost exactly what I was thinking about, except slightly more ugly. My next project is going to be a 60's style hot rod, with cheater slicks and 5 spokes, and I'm tired of seeing the same old suspension on everything. I don't see why something like this couldn't be driven and why a buggy spring could. Any more pictures?

 

looks functional to me

 

Hey,

About 1969 Car Craft magazine did a complete built-up of a "T"
using this same spring set up, utilizing Corvair springs. Damned
if I can now find the box that magazine is in, but I sure remember
the step-by-step article.


Swankey devils C.C.

 

When I was a kid we used Corvair rear springs over a dropped tube axle.

yes I've set one up before ( actually more than one) and yes the way to go it the a tube shock inside the spring like a big coil over.

 

I've seen several set ups like this over the years, but I don't have any pictures. Most of them were on parallel leaf axles, as they have a convienent pad already in place for the coil to sit on.

 

Maybe this is a silly question, but are the springs attached somehow or do you just rely on the shock absorber to hold it all together?

If it's just the shock, does some limiting device need to be built in to avoid shock damage or does the typical travel range of the suspension keep this from happening?

 

If I were building this set-up I would incorperate some simple spring retainers. Actually, this is just a standard rear coil spring (been around forever) set-up adapted to the front axle, so whatever works on the rear should work on the front.

 

I got to arrest you guys a little. What is known as Roth style springs is actually Dan Woods style. He together with high school friend Jake Jacobs made a lot of Roths chassis. But remember a lot of those cars never left the fairground. But yes it could be functional with some thought. The shocks ( or some other device) needs to limit the up travel. Not to much different than coil overs.
-TT

 

When the shock is fully extended,there is usually
still some preload on the springs.

Even if the springs come loose at full droop,
as long as they can't come out of the cups,it's not a problem.


First choice would be springs ground flat on both ends.

If I was doing a SERIOUS show car,I'd get custom springs made,
wound clockwise for one side,counter clockwise for the other side.
Not a problem,the hard part is finding someone who will do it.

 

Hot Rod Year Book 13 has all the info you'll need they built a T roadster with full coil spring suspension front and rear looks just like the one here in this pic.They show how to build the entire car start to finish.If you can't locate a copy PM me and I can mail you copies I have the book

 

Hot Rod Year Book 13 has the entire build put out in 1973.it's one of the few books I can lay my hands on right now I keep it handy as reference because I'm just starting my first T build also have SOME of the 1967 Car Craft Magazine build articles that got me hooked on building a T way back then!anyone can PM me about these articles I'm willing to share just cover my cost

 

I'm not too familiar with corvair suspension, but why use the back springs off a corvair instead of front coils off something more common? How was the ride? Did you guys use a panhard bar, and where's the best spot o put one on this set-up? Thanks for the help.