A straight axle wont bump steer if the steering link is done properly. Keep the link as long as possible and also on the same plane as the tie rod and it wont bump steer. Once it's set up you can jump up and down on the bumper and the steering wheel wont move at all. I've had three cars that I installed straight axles in, and only the first one had bump steer issues. I did that one when I was 17, and learned what not to do for the other two. I just finished installing one of the Speedway axles in my Austin g***er, and it took all of two days. One to remove all the old, then today I boxed in the frame, gusseted the perches and bolted in the axle. Still need to do the steering box and steering link, but it is a super easy kit to install if you've got fab skills and a good welder. But I agree with the others that your body style isn't really what I'd think of as a g***er, but it's your car so make it what you want.
Hey fred, sorry i missed you guys at the open house. But back on this pickle we have, i would lean more to a sled man. That car has way to nice of *** and fenders lines to be jacked up in the air. And on a second note...if you still got that hemi sittin at jer's shop, id throw that in there too keep it all in the family . Just my 2 bits .
I like the G***er idea. Like any other car, it can be built with the G***er theme but made streetable. If you have a side shot of the car, preferably not on the trailer, I can Photoshop it into a G***er for you.
I have had mine together with a straight axle for over 10 years and it is better then it was with the stock suspension, its all in how it is put together. But back to his thoughts of what to do with the car, it could be made into alot of different things and as long as it is done right it will be fun to drive. Jon
How about a real hot rod? Well designed crossmembers to strengthen and stiffen the frame, cleaned up, roll bar, lotsa MOPAR horsepower, and have fun on the street and strip...
I'm envisioning a monster truck, or at least a doorless rockcrawler. Customs are for hipster doofuses (doofi?).
Setup properly they handle just fine, I'm on my second and it drives great with no bumpsteer issues and Minnesota is the land of 10,000 potholes!
I'd give it a nice rake, 5 spoke american mags, hemi/440/318/360 (440 would be my #1)... coat of black, shiney chrome, manual of some sort, nice black interior, a cage that's fairly out of site, and lots of go fast goodies.....
I have used the mounting hardware from speedway with my own straight axle from a 50's chevy truck. Worked out well. There is nothing wrong with driving a straight axle car on the street. I drive a 59 apache every day. It has leaf springs all around with straight axle in front. It doesn't bother me. You don't have to make it sky high if you are worried about how it looks not being a popular car to make into a "g***er."
Why, because you don't like 60's drag cars? No problem, because there are plenty on here that appreciate a them when built correctly.
They want the money up front dude. I actually know where there is a 41 Dodge that really was a g***er. B/RB 4 gear. It is about the same body style as the desoto. Doesn't have a straight axle under it. Still has the stock suspension and air shocks on the front for lift, ladder bars out back. Tha guys had it on the street for 30 years that I know of. It was or perhaps is the real deal. Doesn't ride bad at all and its still a handfull when you launch.
Too many fake "customs" around too.... Hell it was cheaper on my car to go straight axle than to rebuild/replace all the stock suspension
HELL no! I just figured I'd put that in there to get someone to spit their beer all over the keyboard. Did it work?
Yea I like '60's drag cars. Just saying that there seems to be a surge in the popularity of building a "g***er". Next thing you know someones gonna build a g***er Prius! haha
Chuck I'm sure you do, but I get tired of the reply of "If I see another g***er I'm going to puke" statement that many have. I think that with all trends people start thinking that the only way to stand out is to build a Prius g***er and it know it was a joke, but that train of thought is out there and people build **** to be different and really have not studied anything about the style or era and end up building something that represents nothing of the era they think they are trying to capture and then you get way too many examples of something that really doesn't represent the era very well and then people start hating instead of appreciating the era. I believe that that same thing has happened in traditional styled hot rodding which has gained in popolarity in the last 7 or 8 years, just like g***ers now. Just my 2 pennies.
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