Ideal '36 Ford Traditional Front Suspension?

It would be to easy for me to put a MII in my '36 (been doing IFS swaps for 30+ years) but want something more traditional so what would be your ideal front suspension for a '36 Ford Roadster keeping in mind steering, handling & braking, sittin kinda low?
Axle?
Front cross member?
Brakes?
Steering and box?
I have all stock '36 front end parts to start with or will by whats needed. Pic's or build links would be great also!

Thanks

 

I don't know if it is ideal; but I'm using a CE 47" axle, narrowed reverse eye spring, split '37-'40 bones, F-100 brakes, Nova steering box, stock crossmember, and a '35 column.

 

'37 Stock dropped axle, '37 stock split bones, F100 column/box, F100 brakes.

 

And the '37-'40 axle and bones are better than'36 because?

CE means Ch***is Eng. Inc.? if so their web page maneuvering ****s, can't find a thing!

 

My '36 rides on a 3" dropped axle, 6 leaves removed from the stock truck spring pack, which originally had something 13 leaves..., split wishbones (still located at the center X member), disc brakes, and a Vega box....I'd not recommend the Vega, though... a '37 box bolts in and is essentially the same as an F-1 box with a recirculating sector....(I plan on making that switch this winter..)

It's not and MII but I'm happy with the ride, which is no different than any other transverse sprung car I've driven, better than a lot.

 

Maybe I need to ID what I have first just to make sure, is it all '36?

 

37-41 axle and bones, maybe someone up dated to juice brakes?

Or maybe someone swaped in a whole later front suspension?

 

53-56 Ford pickup brakes are self energizing, which are much better than the Lockheeds on there and you can add the self adjusting parts

 

The spring perches on 36 bones extend outward and with the narrower axle limit the room for tube shocks, sway bar, and may also get close to the tire on sharp turns. It also seems easier to find 2-1/4" perch boss CE axles.
I've used CE's web sight so many times, it seems pretty easy to find stuff with their index page .

 

Those are 37-41 axle, wishbones, early spindles and juice brakes.

 

How about just staying traditional. My 35 has a stock axle with posies reversed eye spring, tube shocks, lincoln brakes and 37 steering box. Stock wishbone, with a flathead you don't need to molest it.

 

I don't think dropping axle and splitting wishbones would make it a none traditional build!
Besides the blown baby Hemi will require splitting bones I believe!

 

OK, so drop the axle I have, split the bones, upgrade to self adjusting self energizing brakes, reverse spring eyelets, flatten out the front cross member and a '37 box, is that the plan?

Rich B, it was me that ****ed, I figured out how to navigate the site..............

 

The axle you have is limited to about a 1-1/2" or so drop. An earlier or aftermarket axle will get you lower.

 

I didn't need to hear that!

 

Modify the cross member, reverse eye spring, less springs, drop axle and abit smaller tires will get you more than the drop you want.

 

Dropped 32 to 36 axle
35 or 36 wishbone
Your spring w reversed main leaf and a few removed




Id say mine sits fairly low for not being fully loaded w this setup.

 

I will be copying my all time favorite '36 as far as stance and wheel/tire combo...................
Don't believe I have seen your 3/W before 296 V8, saved the pic to my '35-'36 folder!

 

split the bone you have,get rest from pete+jake,axle-dic brake-vega-spring
and you will have a car that is a joy to drive
that will put you low also,no need to screw with crossmember

 

I was going to say to send you stock axle to 296 V8 for dropping.

 

try like hell to not split that wishbone. some manual transmissions have enough room to keep an unsplit wishbone setup. some people will just split them for no apparent reason.
don't get caught in the trap of u- joints, vega boxes etc...a properly set up henry ford suspension will ride unbelievably nice.

 

I couldn't agree more with the above comment about the Vega box. I regret installing one in my pickup.... It doesn't handle any better and, in fact, I think it steers harder. Stick with a '37 box that's properly rebuilt and adjusted and you'll have a nice setup.

 

Will F1 brakes fit a 35' axle ? can rear brakes be upgraded while keeping the 35 rearend ?
Bad thing is 35' wheels would need to be trashed, and I like them a lot...

 

In reading through all of the very good contributions to this topic, I started to form the opinion that a 2" dropped '41 axle, '41 spring on a '37-41 wishbone, with 42-48 brakes and '40 steering box would work very nicely.. That is what I have under the front end of my '36 coupe..
Then everything changed when the originator of the thread stated he was going to use a blown Hemi V8.. With that much weight and power, forget trying to clabber together a "traditional" front end.. Use one of the aftermarket front ends, Fatman, TCI, etc.. power rack and disk brakes.. The aftermarket front clips are engineered to fit the early V8 frame, and at the same time provide great handling..
If the car is going to be a trailer queen in lieu of being a good driving car, then you can clabber anything together to make the car a roller..
I have a FatMan front clip under my '39 Plym conv with a 330hp V8.. The car drives like a dream, cruising effortlessly at 75 mph+
I recently up graded the ch***is in my '49 Olds 88 to a FatMan also.. Reason.. Modern technology/safety...

 

Oh my...that sits nice!!! Love it!

 

"Then everything changed when the originator of the thread stated he was going to use a blown Hemi V8.. With that much weight and power, forget trying to clabber together a "traditional" front end."

To clarify it's a Blown Baby Hemi 241, yes more weight than a Flatty or SBC but will also be set back a bit further off the front end center line. I do see your point though!

 

sorry you bought into the hype. i did too. i've done the fatman swap and was totally unimpressed. people have been putting hemis in early fords for years and years. the track record of aftermarket mustang 2's is not very good for the relatively short time they have bedn around either, there were and still are problems. people are quick to write off early suspension claiming safety. i call bs. its important to build it right and balance your drums and tires. most people don't and then claim it's ford. i'm not a purist AT ALL....i'm just a dude who has driven a vern tardel set up ch***is that steered and drove better than ANY car i have driven. is traditional suspension better overall? no. depends on the car. i just happen to think henry did a fantastic job on 35-40 cars and a more traditional ch***is will drive just fine and fit your build great. especially if your build is on the HAMB

 

Specifically what is a Vern Tardel set up on a fat fender ?
I should mock up my motor and trans before I pick steering box at least..........

 

my 35 has a vega box and i hate it,would like to run a different box,but no room............

 

I have 2 '36 fords in the works, both with ford suspension. One will be a period built car with a stock '39 axle/wishbone and a '40 sway bar added. The other will be dropped '36 axle, split wishbone, vega steering and a Ch***is eng. sway bar. Both will have Lincoln brakes, original reworked springs etc.

To answer your original question I think the best setup would be:

1. Forged axle
2. Reworked original taper leaf springs (Teflon/nylon between leaves, ground and dressed etc.
3. Lincoln or F-2 style brakes 12 inch
4. Buick finned aluminum drums
5. Ch***is eng. sway bar
6. Tube shocks
7. Steering would have to be fit around the engine, so Vega would probably fit better. If you can fit a 37-48 for box in there it would be O.K.

My experience with F-1/F-100 brakes is that they are mediocre at best. I have them on 2 cars right now and plan on changing to Lincoln style later...