Im building a 30s chev coupe and want to see pictures of others that have been hotrodded using the standard front axel and springs set up. ive tryed searching the net but theres not much out there to look at, seems like most of the 30s chevs had the ford transverse spring and axle or independant treatment, i havent got a frontend for the project yet but would like to stay with the old chev one, to try and keep the project simple and cheap
I've got a '29 Chev tourer which is very similar. I wanted to keep the original style front end. After spending a couple of weeks trying to figure it out I realised it can't be lowered enough to get a good hotrod rake. it is possible to have the original axle dropped enough but when you start measuring things you will find there is no way for steering rods to go across. I used a Rodtech IFS made in Australia but there are other units available. The big bonus is much better ride and handling.
If you check out my picture albums, there are some pics of my dad's '38 Chev. sedan. It's got the stock front axle and springs (just don't mind the wheels).
yeah options are fairly limited with the front end, ive heard of guys puting the axle ontop of the springs and notching the ch***is, but that just sounds like a recipe for disaster, in new zealand were not allowed to chop the axle which is a shame. the only other option is to fab a tube axle maybe. ive researched IFS but its not really what i want for the project. i was thinking the old front end may look ok as a high boy or early streetrod/g***er. i gotta respect anyone thats set up a IFS on a early chev ch***is , thats no easy task! i have quiet alot on my plate with rebuilding the A833 gearbox, and mating to the redram poly, and ***embling/fab/reparing the rusty pile of body parts, so im keen to keep it real simple on the front end. i like the way pila38s,s build is comin along cause thats the road im headed down in a few months, but for now its just carefull research .
i used ford 39 new spring ford 31.46 spindeles and volvo amason disc brakes. vw 411 steering box i think 1971.all brackets construktion steel and good qualaty pipes.put a better angle on steering arms and x-ray after heating.left is on right and right is on left side of car.a have 50-50 weight on axle total of 1100kg
Hey, luke13, you can't get much simpler than a dropped, drilled, transverse-sprung Ford axle with split wishbones or hairpins. Posies builds a super-slide spring that really "schmoothed" my '32 roadster ride. Those axles are all over the place.
I did my 33 chevy with an original axle, dropped it and it moved the wheels in to far so I had to have spacers to move the wheels out. The car never looked right, axle was only a couple of fingers off the ground, I used parallel steer, if I ever had the car back, I would rip all that out and build it like a Ford. MO
not that keen on a ford frontend unless i absolutly have to. i have to admit it is a very handsome front end. but im liking the 31s stance with the nose in the air, ive never driven a hotrod before but have driven plenty of four wheel drives with the front diff and twin leafs and found them to be not that bad a handling. and my old falcon had a lowered back end only, and it handled way better than when i lowered the front to level it out. 11 funny i think your ride is the hot ticket.
Have a look at my photo's, also posts that I have made for others re the front end. I haven't got any close up photos but I can take so in a couple of weeks
Thanks. The only thing I would change is the brakes. I wish it had drums. MELTDOWN DRAGS JULY 18-20 2014
I hear ya, im trying to stay with drums, i got some front drums off of a 1971 chrysler new yorker i want to try to mount onto the chev axles, but ill see how it goes.
will you have enough suspention travel? i think the stock chev front end looks good enough for hotrod application, although not ideal. just easyer to set up. circle track guys have been replacing the rear shackle with a device called a slider that has a linear movement as oppossed to a pivot action.
a friend did a few 31s with axles...one uses a Ford, the other two are Chevy, 40s-50s truck axles and 50s drum brakes.
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