An old guy in my car club claims that he is going to be reproducing these friction or salt shocks as he calls them. Says they were the type that were on old hotrods back in the day. They look like two metal daisy flower type discs that sandwich a couple heavy duty rubber material. Do they replace strut type shocks? Is he crazy to think there's even a market for them? He says he owns the dies and the patent...I'm not sure what to make of it...
He owns the patent for friction shocks? He must be rich off all the royalties. Seriously, there have been a hundred different friction shocks made since the beginning of car-dom. You've got to be a little more specific. If the shocks are cool, they will sell (price dependent).
He says he has the patent and dies for a type that hasn't been made for 20 years or so. They are cool looking but I'm not sure what he plans on selling them for. He was all hyped about them and asked my opinion because of my marketing and graphic design experience...apparently he needs packaging and promotions...
Friction shocks were all well and good in their day of slow speeds and horrid "roads". They are not adequate for today's modern high-powered and much heavier hotrods and trucks. Most who I have known who started with them swapped them out for tubular airplane shocks or even early Ford Houdaille hydraulic shocks or their Delco cousins or their Armstrong foreign relatives.
My '31 American Austin came with friction shocks. Pretty sure the Patent has run out by now. I guess your buddy can make them if he wants to.
There is definitely a market. My buddy was building a 1914 speedster and he shelled out a fortune for his "period correct" shocks. Got any pictures?
Five Points probably has a few of them.. check out www.cl***icautoshocks.com and give them a call they have a few of every shock
The Jalopy Journal
