i've got this 409 that needs a home and i was thinking a 30/31 tudor would be a good place to put it. what i'm picturing is an aging restoration stocker as a starting point. full fendered, lightly chopped, buick drums up front. only modify what needs to be changed to make a hotrod out of it. 60's era build. what i need info on is mainly the front and rear suspension, front needs to stong enough to suport the heavy 409, rear needs to strong enough for the HP/torque. i've been reading various threads here but it's easy to get bogged down. so if any body has real world experience and wants share some advice or maybe point out a thread that pertians to what i'm asking i would appreciate it. here's an artists rendition of what it might look like when done.
I was going to sell the 409 to help finance the hemi plym in my avatar, but I fell in love with the "W" again.
how much heavier is a 409 compared to a SBC? if you used headers instead of cast iron exhaust manifolds and also used an aluminum intake how much weight would you save? either way i don't think you should have a problem with it in an A. i have a friend building a `29 Tudor with a 348 and know of a guy with a 396 in a `29. box the frame and build some sort of X or K member as for rear end strength , that depends on how heavy your right foot is and how your rear tires hook up
The 409 is probably about the same weight as a bbc, I've got a 59 Edsel 9" that would probably work pretty well. Would the stock A springs and front axle be ok? I saw a couple books mentioned here I need to order them and start reading. What about steering ?
An early frame should be boxed or at least partially boxed even if you run a small block so 36's suggestion is right on. I can;t imagine a W motor weighing more than 70 lbs more then an SBC. Outside most an added leaf on the front suspension and one has to remember even those old bangers that came in the A were not super model light so the stock spring should get you close. I would makes the '60s switch to tube shock and cheat and run a decent gas shock if it were mine. rear suspension is going to be a toss up, ladder bars and a cross leaf would be my choice but today there are so man options. Again if I went wotih a cross leaf I would make the jump to tube shocks. Another 60s option would be coil springs, not coil overs. Maybe something out of a light car like a 'vair (or the modern equivalent). If you mount the spring behind the axle (daytona mount) it takes less spring to control the axle so you can keep a decent ride and still have enough to keep it planted on launch. Good luck the W motor is a good choice in an old rod.
Kind of following this. I have been kicking around the idea of a W motor in my 34. I have a flathead in a 37 so looking to do something different. I figure I would box the frame in any case.
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