Does anyone know of someone or some company that is making the "raised" spindles for the 55-57 chevys like they did years ago? I had a set that raised the car around 6-6 1/2 inches. Bought a set, made a jig, kept it for many, many years and then evidently threw it away. Idiot.
http://www.racingjunk.com/Chevrolet/2516025/55-CHEVY-RAISED-EXTENDED-SPINDLES.html Not sure of anyone making them currently. Going gasser style?
You should check with Nate-- jnt1957. His father in law was going to make something like that I think.
Already gone crazy with "gasser style." My two street gassers, 41 Willys and 55 Chevy both have straight axles. Love'em both. This is for a friend that doesn't want to dive off the deep end and go "all straight axle insane" but wants the gasser stance. Thanks for the responses........I had already found the Ft. Worth set and passed that on but I am sure the set I had raised it much farther. Anybody else got any suggestions? How do I get ahold of the "Nate?"
Wow!, is it just me or did they alter the camber angle? As far as more suggestion's I would go with taller spring's and upper ball joint extention's. Not the Alum. type extention but the "C" style. That's good for 4 plus inch's of lift over stock and more traditional that Street Freak high in the sky stance.
Went back looking and found what I was looking for. Click and see http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5716320&postcount=3
Perhaps spindles for an S10 might work. I think it was "Pimp My Ride", they used raised spindles for an S10 pre-runner to built a Monte Carlo/Olds Cutlas with 24" rims.
Well, nobody makes the lift spindles anymore because they got a nasty reputation for being unsafe. openwheel44: Should he go this route, tell your buddy plenty of gassers "back in the day" didn't run straight axles, no matter how many hipsters try to tell you different.
Not all that true. All you need is 2 set's of spindles and a welder that knows how to weld them correctly. I don't care for them because the wider track you get from them.
Johnny, I agree about the wider track. Looks like an eagle. I had two friends that had the welded spindles on their cars, both 55 2dr hdtps. They put the springs on top of the rearends and swapped the shock mounts side to side on the rear. Looked really spooky to me. One went back to stock and the other still sits in the shed since 1970. Lippy
Just repeating what I've been told by some guys who used to race these cars. Personally, I'd just go straight axle, if I were to go gasser. That puts a lot of stress on the spindles I would imagine. With as popular as gassers are now, I've got to think there's a reason they're not being made anymore.
I have looked at these spindles on a car at a show. No way would the lower ball joint hold up to the leverage that these will put on them. Ball joint extensions and 63 impala 409 wagon springs are the trick I am going to try on my next one.
Years ago, when I was in high school, I owned a 57 chevy. I tried the longer springs and upper ball joint extentions. No doubt the springs I used were probably wrong.....to stiff even though I had put a 396-375hp in it. Front end was a bitch to align since it swung the lower arms in as they went down. Didn't like the system at all. About the time the "reworked spindles" became available. I bought the set as mentioned above. Yes, they set the wheels out but nothing like those shown here. Plus they raised the car 6 inches....not 3 1/4 inches. They were professionally done. Nice heavy gussets and excellent welding. Drove the car for years. Never had a problem one with the spindles or any alignment issues. I raised the ass end by changing to coils and my own special trailing arms/sway bar. Being a kid....I hot rodded the hell out of the car everywhere and it did just fine. I lived to tell about it........amazingly. Thanks for all the responses guys. But "lower" the car? Seriously? That is so "yesterday." LOL Pictures of my two gassers are on www.openwheel44.com if anyone is interested.
Before I comment here, what type of ball joint extention did you use? The Alum. spacer type that fits between the balljoint and upper A-frame or the "C" style that fits between the upper balljoint and the top of the spindle.
My old system had the C shape upper fixture. It apparantly offset the holes to compensate for the front end alignment but it didn't get it like it should be. At least not back then. Maybe the new ones are layed out better to allow for easier front end alignments?? At any rate, the guy I was asking this all for has decided to go the Leggett Machine route. Spacers and extenders. Says the car will go up 4-6 inches depends on small block or big block. His car has a big block so he is considering "heavier" springs due to the additional weight. Thanks guys for the comments.......
i have 3 " lowering spindles on mine , and they kick the wheel outward 1 1/2 and they are a two piece design , im thinking if you took a stock spindle , cut off the axle part , drill a hole where you want , like two inches downward , heat up the spindle and freeze the new axle , and i believe you can buy these separete , and press that bad boy in there ! weld it up and there you go ! just a little work , not rocket science !
That's what I was going to comment on. If you clock the C type wrong you never get the camber right. Same goes for the Alum spacer ones if you go way to high with tall springs.
What about the wheel cylinder/upper backing plate bolt? Not to mention the mess match hole below for the backing plate and or caliper bracket if you go disc brake.
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