Looking for info on this front suspension...

I recently acquired a t-bucket body and frame here in Dayton, Ohio and i am looking for information about the front suspension. It definitely looks unstreetable... but what I was wondering is it garage wall art/dust collector material, scrap metal or would anyone have a use for it? I was told by the previous owner that the chassis was constructed in the early 70's (not certain, just what i was told). So im not sure if it was a kit of some sort or simply homemade. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

looks home made. It appears that the smaller flat stock bars were going to be used as friction shocks. pretty neat idea.

 

Looks like torsion bar dragster type stuff to me.

Think vw front suspension too...

But those 4-bars are junk and will bind terribly.

Try to save the axle maybe.

The frame looks ok.

 

Looks like you could build something better using most of the same parts. The four bar arrangement is all wrong , and I don't like the look of their construction. Everything that is welded to the axle looks very questionable too. Someone could probably use the frame,torsion bar, and the axle and start over and have something decent.

 

There are two different pivot points.....will not work at all. I don't think it's even wall art.......

 

yeah the geometry is a not right... i was told once it may be front engine dragster stuff or style... def no movement with the four-bar setup and the torsion the way it is...

 

It would appear to be a torsion bar suspension(torque arm inside front tube) with hair pins for locators. If the welding was done poperly, it could be strong enough.However it looks like a race axle setup and may be setup with too much kingpin angle/camber for a street application. I would guess that it is a purchased axle and hair pins, along with a purchased frame with the torsion bar setup already in it. It would be beyond what most homebuilders would have been capable of at the time. There were some chassis builders in your area at he time like S&W race cars, etc that may have done that sort of thing.
Big Jim

 

Look closer....not hairpins. I can't imagine that part of it being an item that was ever marketed.

 

Geezzz!! Nothing wrong with the set up except for 2 missing links. Think shackle link between flat bar coming out of front Tube and the Axle mount. You have a working unit. That is "IF" there is a torsion bar inside the Tube. Now as far as quality craftsman ship who knows. Maybe just some grind and clean up is all that's needed there. Your call.
The Wizzard

 

Drag race front end, old torsion arm. It would be good for somebody building a fed or and altered etc. I can't speak for the welding but the componants are ok.

 

If you must use it, add a couple ball joint extentions between torsion setup & the axle & tune-up the hairpins/wishbones

 

I can't remember the name of the gentleman that I was told put it together... wanna say Dave Volk (but def not sure). The frame itself is a decent piece, the front suspension i knew wouldnt work, but yet intrigued me... The front axle doesnt even have the kingpin locating pinch bolt holes...

 

The funny car chassis I had under my altered used a torsion bar setup similar to what you've got, but the the torsion arms pointed to the rear and the radius rods ran forward to the vertical centerline of the torsion bar , angled out toward the spindles. Very limited travel, which is fine for a drag car but I think I'd stay away from it for a street setup.

 

I love torsion bars, they are a fantastic suspension design. If I ever build a non-buggy sprung hot rod I'll likely use torsion bars front and rear.

Everyone is correct about the four bars binding in that configuration.

As long as the welding looks good I think moving the lower four bar mount down so its parallel with the top bar would fix the suspension binding.

 

Yes, it definitely needs the links between the axle and torsion arms, plus an improved set of radius rods. Even if you change the radius rods, the torsion arms will be fighting against them as they are now.

 

Maybe would be good for a static display, such as a cackle car.

 

Def not gonna street use it... Im more of an I-Beam kinda guy... With some corrections it could be used... i figured even up the spacing between the 4-bar mounting points and a shackle off the torsion, but ill save that for another day. The torsion and 'funky' bent front tube axle are what stimulated my interest.

 

Shackle the torsion bar so it just handles the springing, and get bars that can handle the twisting from their geometry problems, and you would have a start. I think geometrical problems now are trumped by those rod ends...I think they would all snap off by about the third bump in the road!