I picked up a really nice 28 Sedan this weekend. I had intended to build a fenderless traditional A on 32 rails but after getting it home I'm having second thoughts. The car is complete and solid. The original fenders and running boards are rust free and straight as is the hood and sides. I am now wondering about building it like the one below. I see that people are building and selling model A frames that are already boxed, have all the right mounts in all the right places, etc. What needs to be done to get the stance like this one? I'm guessing dropped axle up front but what else would I need. I have a 350 engine, 350 ****** and would source a 9" rearend. Any direction would help alot!!
Run a dropped axle and reversed eye spring in the front. In the back there are a number of options, using a T spring in place of the stock A spring, you can add a slight Z to the frame to drop it more.
With the dropped front axle, you will also need dropped spindle arms. To get it lower, you might want to swap in a '32 style front crossmember and notch the frame for spring clearance.
Louder....you've gotta imagine that sedan pictured without fenders. The frame isn't over the top, or out of the ordinairy low. If it was a fenderless car, you'd probably think it looked a little high. What I'm getting at is...you won't have to do anything extreme to get your lines that low...if you run full fenders and running boards. Looks like a dropped front crossmember with a dropped axle and reverse eye spring...like others have said. That's a pretty standard approach for the front. Stock steering arms can work with some dropped axles, but will put your tierod above...between your wishbones and the frame. Aftermarket dropped, bolt on steering arms will put your tierod below the bones. It's done both ways, but I prefer to have the tierod below. The options for a rear suspension setup are endless. Some guys will Z them, like 31Apickup said. You can Z it, and change the rear crossmember to a flat style and use a lower arch spring...like a 40 front spring. You can bob the rear frame, and use quarter elipitical springs or coilovers. It's really a wide open realm back there. Most traditional way to lower the rear would be to Z the frame and use a model T spring. But if you already have a model a spring, you could reverse the main leaf...giving you a reverse eye spring. Pretty sure there's tech articles on here about reversing a spring. Personally, I think that sedan is sitting a little flat on deck, and could use some more rake by getting it a few inches higher in the rear. just my opinion. Like I said...you've got options...but keeping it as simple as possible is always the best solution. You won't have to re-invent the wheel on this one. Good luck, Steve
You don't necessarily have to drop the spindle arms when using a drop axle. I have a 35-36 5" dropped axle from Okie Joe. I picked up a set of F1 dropped tie rod ends from Speedway, puts the rod sufficiently below my bones yet not below the bottom of the axle. Check out my "Faux'dster build and you can see some pics towards the beginning I think.
If you're going to by an aftermarket frame, expecting to just bolt things up and make it easy...you're going to pay out the *** big time...especially when you add all the extras up. Ladder bars, springs, new vega steering box, shock mounts, shocks, new spindles for hydraulic brakes, or discs...the list goes on...and it adds up. Even when you scrounge original Ford stuff and do your own work, it adds up. I'm just saying that you might want to consider doing as much as you can yourself before jumping on the phone and ordering a frame. There's alot of resource material on here, and if you can weld...you can box and modify a frame.
He's got wishbones now...I'm just thinking about funds. Aftermarket hairpins vs bolt on steering arms. Poboy's option is a good one too. Cheaper even still
In the rear you can extend the frame to the inside tail of the body, mount the spring back there on brackets behind the axle tubes like 32-48 with the spring eyes lowered to get the drop you want.
Don't mean to be the guy that corrects everybody's stuff, but you have that backwards. On a '32, you swap in a Model "A" type front crossmember to drop an extra inch. If you were to swap the other way you'd end up raising a Model "A" one inch.
4" dropped front with reversed eye spring, 4.50 Firestones z'ed rear 7.50 Firestones had a Chevy 4 banger
Actually the Model A cross member sets the car lower then the 32 crossmember. That's the reason they put Model A style cross members in 32 frames to get them lower. Louder50 one key to getting the Model A as low as possible is running the proper size tire and getting it centered at the right spot in the fender as the blue car in the photo does.
<---I have a 4" drop axle ,reverse eye spring and 1" flatter model a crossmember. in the rear a 3" frame z and coilovers . i can't go any lower with my wheel and tires and still be driveable( i rub alot now).
This was a stock A when I started, as it sits, has NO frame mods at all,has reverse eye springs front and rear,2 1/2" dropped original axle, 500x16s and 700x16s. doesnt take a lot to get a stock fendered A sitting nice.
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