I ground all the extraneous junk off my frame today and am starting to lay out the axles. as you can tell from my avatar I am doing an underslung set up... or trying to. Parallel leaf both front and rear. Just wondering if anyone has done this and has some tips. I know how to space spring hangers for a standard parallel leaf setup, but the forces are opposite here. Im just looking for some wisdom. anything helps. thanks
i know it can be done. I saw an old car when I was a kid in a parade. I think it was actually called an American Underslung. I have been obsessed with it since, the idea burning in the back of my mind. I have to do it, if nothing else just to get it out of my system.
it can be done, but most leaf springs arent made to work that way. also the front axle would need to be way ahead of the engine.
I would reccomend against using leaf springs upside down. Underslung is fine though. Here is how a TR4 works in the rear.
thanks toddc! That gives me something to work with. Ill research it more and get to welding. are those arches the TR4 equivalent of a bump stop?
just remember that the leaf springs are made backwards of what we're used to. have you tried a HAMB search? there should be quite a bit of info out there. along with a lot of naysayers that just dont "get it"... good luck with your project.
Some guy in HOTROD magazine did an underslung early 20's plymouth. It was rolling on solid steel wheels, but they were 20" I think. It was a low budget build and the thing looked cool but the ride quality might have been a different story. I'll try to find the mag it is in. Can't be more than 2 years old.
underbudget underslung in hot rod http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/113_0606_25_dodge_roadster/index.html
Do a search- there are some good threads on the underslung idea! Here's an early American Underslung to wet your whistle:
The term "underslung" in the search box nabbed 352 threads. Lots of info to dig into, that Mopar one mentioned is a cool little car.
early dodge bros... I'll dig up the magazine when I get home and get your an issue #... it was cream and green.. think it had a 440 if I remember right.. neat lookin' car.
having the frame upside down on the car above does nothing to improve it's looks. do you really want your frame 3" below the rim? just call me a naysayer that just don't get it.
it's technically not supposed to be below the rim, scrubline is supposed to be rule you follow.. The production vehicles that actually used the underslung set up never were below the rim... I actually want to build something underslung... I've got all the pieces just need to finish my other projects... '26 Willys Whippet frame, 218 Dodge 6, and a bunch of wood and aluminium for a speedster body, plus a set of tall wires w/ skinny black walls, lever shocks, drum type headlights, the multi guage from a 40 somethin' Dodge truck (same thing the 218 came from), a 9 inch or an Olds rear, and a few other things I've got laying around.. Oh and a reworked '36 Chevy Grille (cut down, and made to look like a really fancy track nose kind of..) I think it'd be fun...
Another car than I feel sparked the Modern era of Underslung rods was Neals Easts Red Modified from the late 90s. It was covered in SRM. Sadly he rolled it in the Western Rockies I think? He lived, heard it was being rebuilt then nada...................search for the thread
ive got a good idea for the rear via the triumph tr4, but i dont really want to stack the springs opposite and loose that suspension travel in the front. Ive got a parallel leaf i beam out of an f100. early 50s i think. I need to figure a way to keep the caster in line. Has an underslung quarter-elliptic ever been done?? ideas?
Send me a PM and I'd be happy to give you some tips from my experience. I can send you some links to my build threads if you'd like. Don't listen to the naysayers on here, most of them have no clue what the hell they are talking about. I've got around 5,000 miles on my "it ain't gunna wurk" underslung frontend without an issue.
Here is one thread missing a ton of pictures http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38819&highlight=neal+east&showall=1
Give it a shot. Do some homework and find out how things work. American Underslung did it 100 years ago. It will make for a low car. Just remember keep it all square to the Centreline and think about ground clearance. Alot of English sports cars are underslung to get the centreline down. Improve the handling. You may have to go for stiffer spinging though. The Old TInbasher
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