Projects '30 Desoto burnt destined for scrap...can it rise from the ashes?

Ive been building something like this the last few yrs and got it on the road this year. I have less than 2k into it.
I am by no means an expert on anything but I will give you a cpl cents of free advice from where I'm sittin. First, tack or screw as much as you can together while frequently measuring to make the body look good. I had to remove my drivers rear quarter and reset it 3 times before it was right and I wished I had taken more time earlier on to do allll the figuring. Next, for running gear, keep it simple! Just stick with some ford stuff, its cheap and easy to find, easy to rebuild, easy to align and wont tank your budget. I check marketplace all day everyday and when I find the right part, if I dont like the price I ask em if theyre open to trades! Be patient.... the right parts will fall into your lap and you have PLENTY of work to do til they come. The last thing I'll tell you is before you start making inner structure and all of that, wire wheel everything inside and spray bomb some primer on it, you will thank me later, I just mean on the inside in the hard to reach areas. Once the body is in its final shape, set it on a sheet of plywood, trace the inside bottom in marker and cut it out, then set that plywood on your frame, use it as a template and build your floors and do a good job bracing, then set the body on and attach THEN build your inner structure and attach, doing it in this order will make it smooth and keep in mind rear axle location to rear wheel well, engine to firewall, trans hump etc. Its a cool build man! Subscribed!

 

Thanks @oliver westlund ! Your little roadster is a real inspiration ...I know LOL I have to keep reminding myself Keep It Simple Stupid!

 

Love your work, will follow along with interest

 

The F-1 axle is pretty heavy and clunky for a hot rod. If you are interested, I have an early Dodge PU axle that someone CHROMED years ago....would look good under there. Also have a wavy tube axle available. PM if interested

 

Another popular swap for early Fords is the use of 1953 to 1956 Ford F-100 brake assemblies. Assemblies from model year 1953 through 1956 will work. Other than pickup backing plates and hubs, the only additional parts needed are new inner bearings and seals. Early Fords and F-100s use the same outer bearings and cups (Timken PN 09067 bearing, Timken PN 09195 cup), but the inner bearings differ. F-100 spindles use a larger inner bearing, so a bearing with a smaller inside diameter is required. The replacement bearing needed is Timken (PN 14116). Its inside diameter matches that of the early Ford spindle with the correct outside diameter for the F-100 hubs. The stock F-100 inner cup (Timken PN 14276) uses a Victor seal (PN 49195 or CR PN 15761).

 

Thanks @Outback 'preciate the support!

 

woah that would look really cool! my main goal with the Buick axle is to get the front tires inside the fenders ...early cars like the DeSoto were built on the old horse and buggy track width of 56"...they arent easy to find but shipping such a large item over the border gets expensive and tricky too...

 

So to that end I managed to find an F-100 front axle which came with a rear axle...they're pretty wide being truck stuff but they look like they were from some kind of hot rod as they are painted bright red oh well they're practically rollers except the last guy took apart one rear brake and lost all the pieces I have another F-100 rear axle...(ironically under the trailer I'm robbing the springs from) I spent a bunch of time putting that axle under it so it would roll around the yard and doing it was so sketchy I'm lucky I survived! now I have to do it again alas it too has no brakes
Anyway what do you guys think of putting the axle over the front springs? It would lower it a couple extra inches and it seems like at least 5-6" of travel room between the axle and frame still

 

I don't see a problem doing that if you have enough travel above the axle before it hits the frame. Also check the scrub radius, so if you blow a tire, the wheel still rolls on the pavement and not the bottom of the spring.

 

My task this weekend was to get these old springs out from under this trailer...this is the trailer that just keeps giving...i've already gleaned a pair of ugly welded '39 spindles/hubs from it...I had an absolute gong show of a time getting the '39 axle out from under it with a jack-all and a floor jack!! ha ha ha...then I wrestled a free '56 ford axle back under it for the purpose of rolling it around the yard....

It finally emerges ...after falling off the jacks 10xs ha ha ha ha

Then I got the springs loose finally...those 95 year old bolts sure did put up a fight!

Shiver me timbers and blow me down! lookit those springs will ya! Finding new replacement springs in this width is nearly impossible...with custom springs being the expensive option

measuring the springs on the trailer and frame was difficult but having them out revealed as I suspected that they were almost identical in length give or take a 1/4"....buuuut the "new" springs have the centre pin right in the middle at 27" whereas the DeSoto springs have the pin further toward the front at 25"s ... the other issue is that the original springs had a reversed eye at the front @Moriarity pointed out that the mounts could be reversed...I've been looking at that a realised that if I put them in the stock position they will be hanging under the frame 3" or so and some kind of bracket will have to made to prevent flex....

 

I got the front axle under the car and decided I didn't want nose bleeds but can't afford a dropped axle...for some reason I couldn't find a lot of info about putting the axle over the springs...seems like a no brainer to me...but I'm guessing there's a reason why it's not common?

the scrub line is pretty close but with a flat tire between the rim and ground it should be ok...the steering rod is close to the spring but that should stay static...if anyone knows a reason that it wont please let me know...I think if I reverse hone the hole for the tie rod ends I could possibly flip it to the top...
Don't worry there is a plan for the wide truck axle! I have a '30's axle that's narrower but needs some modifying so for now I'll get 'er rolling as is

 

when I had the axle free I noticed that although the drums were missing there were some brake parts hanging there! driver's side too! It wasn't great the linings were all ripped off the shoes...except the very one I needed!