Pete and Jake's chassis setup

I'm running a tube axle with hairpins in the front and a triangulated four-bar with coilovers in the rear. I'm aware of the theory behind the lack of twist in the tube axle but so far it has not been a problem.This combination has worked for several years, but I check the components regularly. I have very little suspension travel in the front (transverse spring) so maybe that has something to do with it. The car rides very nicely on all but really rough pavement.

 

thats a sweet Tudor wing man!

 

Yeh, the look on the faces of those folks in the 4 bar black hiboy!

 

Spoggie, if you are talking about my car it's got hairpins in the front, used to have ladder bars in the back. They worked very well, I just needed something mor adjustable so I went to a 3 link.

 

Four bars...unisteer... disc brakes... seems you need to decide if you want to build a street rod or a hot rod... do one or the other but not both on the same car.

 

You mean to tell me because I expect my car to corner and stop it's not a hotrod? Give me a fucking break! That's one of the most ridiculous statements I've ever seen on here.

 

Simmer down guys, we are all on the same team.....

Just remember some of us see traditional as a style and not so much a lifestyle, and that's what makes the world go around. If we want to argue trad or not pork and beaner had a thread a while back that is the perfect venue for that. If this thread turns into an argument the OP will be left to ask questions at the local cruise night and then we can't help him at all.

 

I spoke with a rep. from Honest Charley's who told me that I can go with full length So-Cal Hairpin Radius Rods and that they would fit full fender (?)

I aim aiming for a hot rod that has the best handling I can get with the current technology (while giving a nod to tradition). In the end, maybe I will sacrifice the 4 bar for hairpins to minimize potential clearance issues.

The look I am trying to achieve is the Gammell coupe. Thank guys for everyone's feedback.

 

My apologies. You're exactly right. It doesn't address the question asked.

 

Back a bit, the O/P asked about 4 wheel disc brakes and power brakes... My opinion would run with some of the earlier answers, but more dirrectly to this question. If you do feel the need to go 4 wheel discs, make sure they are good quality and very light weight. Wilwood was mentioned, and they are good stuff. The G.M. style coversion stuff will work, but unsprung weight becomes an issue. As far as power brakes, unless you have some special needs, I would never put power on as light a car as a deuce. proper selection of a master cylinder can do wonders to make stuff easy and safe to stop.

 

Just jumping in with a correction...probably a mistake on your part....In that photo, you're running hairpins on the front....not wishbones like you said.

And from the looks of the setup....you're using 4 link batwings with eurothane bushings on the axle....can't tell what the frame mount is. Bottom line is, I addressed this early in the thread by saying something to the effect of...."if I was using a tube axle and hairpins...I'd use 4 link batwings with bushings and a heavy ford tierod on the frame mount....that way there's some give and play to absorb some of the driving forces"

If you used a hairpin bracket on the axle with clevises and a heim joint at the frame...I could see problems happening. That's my thinking....but again....guys do it and swear there's no problems. ??????

Then we get back to the question. What kind of car does the guy want? A traditional hotrod....a street rod with IFS and jag rearend? or something in the middle?

Being as this site is a forum for traditional hotrods...most guys are obviously gonna push traditional!

And Wheels...if you're forking out the dough...get a really nice axle...like I said before...FORGED not CAST. ask your vendor when your shopping for axles.

And remember...you're not trying to create a car that looks like an old hot rod but handles like a brand new corvette. It's supposed to be an old hotrod that looks, feels and behaves like an old hotrod. Part of the thrill and overall experience of driving an old hotrod is that it's old technology. It feels a certain way, it's rough around the edges, it doesn't drive like your daily driver made in 2008 or whatever...it's a hotrod and your driving experience should reflect that.

I will argue that point until I'm blue in the face, because I just don't get guys that build a 32 ford with a chassis that would put a new stock corvette chassis to shame. I don't get it, never will.

However, I can reach a comprimise with certain guys. If your young or old but you got a chronic bad back, bad shoulders, weak knees, big gut, your wife complains and won't ride in it with you (and so on), but you've got the true hotrodders spirit...then yeah. Make some concessions and use power steering, or power brakes, and maybe go over to some nice adjustable coils. But if you're an able bodied young guy getting into the hobby....don't sell yourself short by building a cushion on wheels.

DON'T BE A PUSSY!!!! haha...build a fucking traditional hotrod...Drive the shit out of it until your too gimpy to drive it, then start wearing padded shorts!!! Don't wear padded shorts out of the gate!!! It's shameful!!! hahah

-Steve

 

It states what i said earlier on page 13 of the H.C deuce catalog (online) That the long front hair pins are 30" long and the shorts are 28" long recomended for full fender cars for running board and fender clearence... Talk to Joe he is the resident deuce guy at HC in Chattanooga

 

Thanks Dubbzilla...WELL said

remember...you're not trying to create a car that looks like an old hot rod but handles like a brand new corvette. It's supposed to be an old hotrod that looks, feels and behaves like an old hotrod. Part of the thrill and overall experience of driving an old hotrod is that it's old technology. It feels a certain way, it's rough around the edges, it doesn't drive like your daily driver made in 2008 or whatever...it's a hotrod and your driving experience should reflect that.

 

Ok Guys, here's an update on what I'm going to do.

P&J chassis with drilled (forged) front axle. Wilwood brakes, Hairpins (most likely the shorties since I don't need any more headaches in my life) since my ideal down the road is a full fender. Ladder rear (might go with the Walden Shop mod here, found on bottom of page, to add a little front ladder drop for clearance for 3- 3.5" full exhaust):

http://www.waldenspeedshop.com/jitney.html

Decided to opt for front disc, rear drum, no pb.

Everyone on this board has been more helpful than they know and thank you for that! I'm a wrencher but have very little experience in deuces and I have to tell you the learning curve is steep, and fun.

My decisions really boiled down to speaking with Mike Goodman (Honest Charleys) and Jason Slover (P&J) and YOU GUYS! I presented the original question on suspension options (4 link vs traditional) because I wanted to get the best ride with what's avail. Maybe I was trying to build a better mousetrap. Stepping back and listening to you guys about it being a hotrod -(it's supposed to handle like one!) rang true to me. Tradition and purist ranks right up there. Maybe down the road I can do another build using a different setup.

Thanks again

Doug

 

I can dig it...I can even get behind the disc brakes You goin with power brakes É (myquestion mark won`t work now all of a sudden) hah

 

Damn....DAMN!

Did I write that?
Nope...but I damn well THOUGHT it more than once! Hahaha

Gospel according to Dubb.....

 

Dubbz, just front Wilwood discs with all the shiny bits/no power

yeah his post kicked ass (mine)

you guys rock

 

So when did the four bar set up come into effect ???? year !!!

 

Not knowing any better when I built my 39 Ford Convertible I split the bones and used a Superbell tube axle,,I only spread the wishbones enough to clear the transmission and heated and reshaped the spring hangers on the end of the bones as per Chassis Engineering recommendations.

They urged me to use one of their forged axles or the original,,but I had already purchased the tube axle.

I drove the car thousands of miles but one day on the way home I hit a pot hole and the car jerked hard to the right,,I stopped and tried to see what happened.

I limped home and got the car on jack stands only to discover the spring perch had snapped,,,I wouldn't run a tube axle unless it was attached to a 4 bar

 

That is a fair enough evaluation of your circumstances, but I am still wondering how many folks out there are running with cast axles and not forged who are under the miscomprehension that their axles in fact forged and they will be OK...