I have a 34 pu which I have put lottsa work into. Its a fenderless PU that I have been slowly converting away from the street rod project that it once was. The biggest issues are the bed which is all shaved and flat and the IFS front suspension. Now I will say that the front is not too bad looking compared to some I have seen, but I want a I beam axle. See pics by clicking on my ride is me in my signature. Now I just pulled out my stock econoline axle from my 61 (putting in a 5inch drop) and my buddy says....**** just use that one. I can probibliy scrounge some spindles on the cheap, i have a drag link already so I would need to make some bat wings and get a single leaf and mount it suicide style. How wrong (unsafe) is this line of thinking? Go ahead...let me have it.
yeah but if hes already got an ifs on the front nothings going to "bolt in" its all going ot require some fab
Yes...its a custom frame so nothing will bolt up. I want to keep disc brakes (sacralige I know), but I like to stop good. My real concern is that the Ibeam was originally set up for two leaf springs. By changing to a single horizontal leaf will a weakin the ibeam? I couldn't see how but I am no engineer... Thanks for the input...I need it..
Anything can be done....but should it? That's the big question. Why reinvent something unless it would be a lot better. I doubt the econoline axle would look or work better than an early Ford style axle. I think you'd be better off using a early Ford style dropped axle and your more common stuff. Sell the independent stuff to help pay for the axle and other parts. As for discs..I have nothing against them but drums do stop nicely on a light vehicle like this. Clark
Thanks Clark, that's the question I am trying to solve on this. The econo axle would need some cleaning up where the leaf spring pearches are and even if I had it drilled it wouldn't look as good as a Super Bell....but its free and sitting there...nawing at me.... When I see the speedway kits, and the adverti*****ts in mags...they shoot prices of 1500 to 2000 hub to hub....Im pretty damn sure I can make this thing work and look decent for under $500. But maybe your saying that it wont handle as well because I am changing its origial demands. While I love the truck its no show winner. But, like I said the IFS is an eye soar. Big dreams and limted funds.
"I want to keep disc brakes (sacralige I know), but I like to stop good." If your drum setup is done right, you will stop just fine in a truck that small. And save a lotta cash.
hey kustumkulture.....didnt your uncle have a 33 pu that was for sale a few years ago ? if so , i think that truck had a econoline front axle. or am i thinking of some one else ?
The rear is a posi with disc brakes in the back already, so I want to keep the disx. Thanks for the help on this. It seems the general concense is to find an early axle set up, refurbish it and mount it up. Not that answer I was hopping for, but I am sure it comes from experience. Thanks for direction!
If you're willing to spend 500 bones for the front end, I can almost guarantee that, with a little patience, you can score someone else's front end stuff at a swap meet or two. Even if you bought a new tube axle from MAS or Speedway, you wouldn't be into it for very much scratch at all. Like others have said, by the time you are done modifying the econoline axle, even IF it is engineered properly, it still will not have "the look" you probably want.
Oh absolutely nothin man! I like the dropped axle look, plus I want to move the wheels forward on the truck about 8 inches. I actually have the original frame for the thing, along with front hubs now that i think of it.
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