Posted this in a response but thought someone searching my have better luck finding this post. Nothing fancy but though it might help someone out with a 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 Chevy or anything that has a 1.75 in. spring. Made up some lowering blocks a few weeks ago for less than $30. I know they're not that expensive but once you tack on shipping you could be saving $50 making up your own. Plus, it's a good way to for a less experiaced guy like me to practice my fabrication skills. I used 1.5x3 in. box tubing. I welded 1/8 in. plate to each side to resize it to 1.75x3. Ground the welds down then cut the blocks to 4 in. length (I made one long piece to start out with). Find the center by scratching the metal with a set of dial calipers on the top and bottom. Drill a 1/2 in. hole in the bottom and 3/8 in. hole in the top. Bolt a 1/2 in. axle bolt in the top 3/8 in. hole then cut it down to a height of 3/8 in. and put a small radius on the edges. You'll have to get some longer square bend u-bolts. I looked at a trailer supply shop but the longest they had was 5.5 in. I went to a spring shop (in Kansas City General Spring or American Spring) and they bent 1/2 u-bolts while I waited which included thick washers and tall nuts. Install and torque to 65 ft/lbs. Metal -- $6 U-bolts -- $24 Total -- $30 I didn't capture pics of every step but here are a few. The last show my cars stance with 3 in. blocks in the back and 2.5 in. dropped uprights in the front. The first pic shows the dimentions of the blocks available from Chevy's of the 40's, which is where the pic is referaced from.
You got the stance on the money. In the past I used some 1/4" wall rectangular tubing to build some lowering blocks similar to yours. Eventually they started to collapse. Keep an eye on yours, may need to box the ends too.
I thought about the wall strength but though since the weight of the car basically hangs from the u-bolts then there would be less load on the blocks, though when you're suspention is moving road forces would be transferred through the blocks\ When I went to buy the metal I ordered some pretty thick tubing but they cut the wrong size, I didn't really notice it unit I ground off the metal than hangs on the edge when it's cut. And of course the metal supply shop is on the other side of town, closes at 12:00 on Saturday, and I wanted to get it done that day I won't be running them too long, I want to do an T5 conversion and I plan on putting in a 4x4 3.73 Posi S10 rear end and a 2 in. Chassis Engineering rear leaf kit. I have the T5 and the rear end, just need to order the the adapter plate and leaf kit and find myself some time. A break from the +100° F heat would be nice too.
Good work and at a perfect time. I just bought a '53 the day before yesterday and the first thing I want to do is lower it. ...plus this is fab work I can actually do.
I was checking you some pics of your car in your album, your 50 is super nice. Can you tell me about your skirts, I don't know much about those. I thought I heard someone referring to them as "Hollywood Skirts". They look like the skirts on early 50's Merc. Are they a custom one off or can a guy pick them up somewhere?
I have made several set's in my 50+ years of building and have alway's boxed the end's of each block. Have never had a failure. Thank's for posting your work. They look nice an clean.
I have used the rectangular tubing before (with boxing) with great success. I like the bolt idea, I used a allen head with a 1/2 head. I used a longer block and incorporated the rear sway war mount also. great job
Howdy. I am new here. Have had a 50 Chevy for about 2 years. Drove it a lot, just starting to tear into it. Came across some virtually free Fatman uprights, and want do the rear as well. Do you bottom about a lot work 3" drop?
You should be fine if you are running the stock leaf pack. I have 3in block and they were fine until I removed some leafs. Im running air shocks for when I plan on having passangers in back.
Hey! There's a familiar name and photo. Great to see you here as well. I may do that then... Or make 2.5"s. I think I like the idea of the back being raked down from the front. I am beside my self work excitement. When I found a recently rebuilt front end from a 54 a guy was removing for mustang ii/ps/pb/v8 I couldn't resist. Got it for an unbelievable bargain and gained Bendix in the process. I got it home and neighbor helped me get it into a pallet and I noticed Fatman dropped uprights. Simply cannot wait! Now just to find the time....
I made my last set from aluminum bar stock I had left over from a job. Local truck shop had the u-bolts in stock. Think it ran me $12 plus my time. Good tip regardless.
I was discussing this a bit on Chevy talk and still am not sure - do we have to have square u bolts for 49-54 chevs? And I'll have to check out truck shops - I'm all about doing things as cost effectively as possible. Adds to the story and the wallet
I never had any issues other than a couple drive way approaches hitting the lake pipes. The rear axle never bottomed out. No harm in boxing them. That's one hell of a score on 54 front end with the Fatman dropped uprights. Swapping out the entire front end is cake and can be done in little time.
Yea I couldn't believe it! The only pain in the butt is that my motor front mounts on the front crossmember so I have to drill the new one and weld on some square reinforcements. No big deal but it will be a circus act supporting the engine while dropping the old crossmember
A friend looked around swap meets and all over for a 'lowering block kit' for his '52 Chevy. I asked why he didn't just make some. Offered to cut/weld some tubing for him, but he said he couldn't even find 'U' bolts. (he's stubborn, reluctant to listen...) I finally convinced him to pull the rear springs, we'd do a 'trick'. I reversed the arch on the main leaves, and flattened all the rest 1.5". Easy work on my press, (made a gauge for height stop) he took over and did all the rest. Cleaned/painted the leaves, installed new center bolts, hung springs/rear end...4 hours labor, 12 beers. Beers were Rollin' Rock longnecks, $7.50 a 12 pack, around the block at Walmart. Recommended. Dropped the skirted Chevy 3.5", he was pleased as punch. (probably the longnecks)
Unfortunately, I don't have a press. In my rear springs are in the condition that I think they would easily come apart anyways. I suppose that begs the question why I drive down the road on them… and what do you mean by reversed the arch?
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