I was contemplating while looking at the various methods... I see a lot of suicide front ends, is there really a reason other than the "look" some people are after? I have seen a few T's that didn't have the typical setup, yeah, the front wheels sat a little farther back, but it wasnt like some of these hacked up mustang II atrocities that are running around, rather, it was a pleasing departure from what everyone else and their dog, neighbor's dog, and ex brother-in-law is doing...the suicide style might be an easy way to get a lower stance, but I'm over my low-rider phase anyway. I guess I should stop rambling and just ask my question, "what are the advantages (other than aesthetics) to a suicide front end?" this might be a life-saver
Makes it easier to run "sprint car" style, FadT style, outside the frame headers without the wheels hitting them on turns. Puts the axle out far enough ahead of the engine, the easiest way. other way would be engine setback or a longer frame. Also puts the wheels out at the extreme end so the car doesn't "steer like a bus" and there's no weight penduluming/swinging out and then back in on turns. That affects "moment of inertia" and how the car handles in slalom type fast turns and esses. Putting the wheels at the extreme four corners is what gave the original Morris Mini and Austin Cooper S cars their legendary great handling.
its also a way to drop a car HARD in the front with out using a drop axel. i think the term suicide mounted gets mis used alot, most of the time i see the term mis-used in refering to a bull dog mounted front end. were its a only spring perch style not a suicide set up. a suiced set up can have any multitudes of crossmemeber or perch styles involved what makes it suicide is basic one, alright lets say two things. the first is that the spring it self is mounted not to the axel diretly or to the ends of a wishbone or hair pin BUT mounted to the tube of the wish bone. in the length not the end. the other peice of the equation that makes a suicide set up is that there is no frame infront of the spring mount therefore if you spring mounts on the ends- your shackle mounts- fail there will be nothing from keeping your car from noise diving into the dirt and x many miles an hour. if there were some frame ahead of the cross member/over the axel, if the shackles came loose then the frame would drop to ontop of the axel and keep it from digging into the dirt
Ok maybe wrong but if there is frame over the axle its not what is considered a "Suicide" front end,after all if it wont hit the ground when it breaks you are not "tempting" suicide.....LOL!!!! BTW pics of both setups please.....
What if a guy was to put casters on the frontend of the frame? less apt to 'dig in" when the 'bough' breaks?? Semi-suicide? Semi-hemi-homo-hippie-side?? sorry too much Vicoden.***** Sparkles******
Vicoden makes me mad as hell when I'm on it... What do ya plan on puttin the suicide front end on anyways?
In the early 20's when the modifiction was being done on "speedsters" they called it "Underslinging" which is also confusing since it's different from an underslung parallel leaf axle that is above the frame.
lol, well, I was referring to the spring being mounted on a perch out front of the forward most crossmember, the style in which if something breaks, stick your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye.... I like the looks of the more traditional suicide setup, sure....just curious though why there are some who do it that way, and some who mount it all like a model A with the spring and axle darn near under the radiator. I think I am going to do mine this way, and if dont like it, redo it in a couple months... I'm just ready to get this thing on the road thanks for the answers!
BTW....I will get some pics of everything mocked up into place a.s.a.p., but for now, i will try to describe it as best I can. the body consists of the rear portion of a 23 T roadster, the cowl is from a 28 Willys sedan...narrowed two inches and cut down to look more like a roadster, I have no doors, will have to make them, no biggie... the frame is a boxed and x membered T frame, reinforced where it counts front axle is a '50 Ford truck item... yes, it's a conglomeration of parts I had laying around, it's gonna be ugly, but it's a practice run for the son's TT truck that we are going to finish this winter. His will be more of a planned out deal than this little heap of mine is going to be....
Mine could have been a suicide real easy this week!! I have a suicide set up on my coupe and I walked out in the garage the other night and found my spring was broke about 6 inches from the eye on the main leaf the spring snapped and luckly hit the top of the axle and kept the car from hitting the ground. Just think what could have happened if I was driving it?? I am ordering a new spring in the morning. My lesson this week is not to trust a 50 year old spring.
I am going to go ahead and use that kinda front end...I think...but, I am going to make damn sure I have some way of keeping the frame from digging into the pavement and making my own version of mythbusters.... My spring is one from a horse trailer, with a couple leaves removed, at least out front..my rear spring is a gennie Model A front spring, I am using it to keep from having to Z the rear of the frame so much, if at all...it too will be mounted so if anything breaks, I can limp home and fix it without having to stop off at the hospital or morgue.
true suicide was mounting the spring on top of the perch with just u-bolts,or 4 bolts holding everything up
Suicide front ends, are a permanent solution to a temporary problem! ................................................................................................... On a quiet night you can hear a Ford rust.
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