'35 Ford project...need help, tips, suggestions..

O.K. guys, I got tons of questions for you. I am fairly new to this early Ford stuff and am learning all I can. Some questions may seem elementary to some of you, so feel free to set me straight on anything in my plans that may cause problems down the road, or anything unforeseen/overlooked problems that I may run into.

The project is a ’35 Ford 5W coupe (with ’36 front fenders and grille, in case that matters). I’m trying to plan what I will be doing with the suspension. I want to lower the car as much as possible using traditional style suspension components while keeping proper geometry and maintaining driveability.

Plans for the front suspension are I-beam or tube axle with a stock or aftermarket reverse eye, de-arched spring. Magnum has a 5” drop tube axle (48”) with stock perch width that would work since I’m not planning on splitting the wishbone. Or I could go with a variety of aftermarket 4” drop I-beam axles. What are you thoughts? Could I combine the 5” drop tube axle with a Posies 2 ½” drop spring, or would this be TOO much drop? Any clearance problems of any kind? How far can I drop this thing to maintain driveability and proper geometry? Any thoughts on Magnum’s single leaf springs?

As for the rear, I would like to drop it as much as the front for a level stance (or close to level) I’m thinking I would like to use another de-arched transverse spring setup with a raised crossmember. Would C-notch the frame for clearance. Can I get the rear low enough doing it this way? Any tips/suggestions for raising the crossmember? Would parallel leafs be better?

Any and all suggestions, help, hints, tips greatly appreciated. I like to plan things well in advance to avoid troubles down the road.

 

i can show you how to reverse the main leaves on your springs
i think thats all you'd need really besides removing a few leaves
but if you want a bit lower then you may have to gain some clearance with a dropped axle or Z'd frame in the back

look at turkey rollup's posts about his 35 i think one of them shows how he did the back
its a real good 40's custom look to it in my opinion
heres a link to his threads
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=2691161

i think the top needs to come down a bit too like he did

of course it'd save alot of effort to just drop it off up in Piketown
let me know what i can help with
Zach

 

You think I would have to "Z" it in the back rather than just a C-notch?

I was talking to a guy at Posies that told me that their parallel leaf kit will lower the rear almost as much as their front end kit with a 4" drop axle and their 2 1/2" spring. That is a bolt-on kit with no other mods, so I figure for an extra inch of clearance (if I used the 5" drop tube axle) that a C-notch would be sufficient. Or am I over-simplifying this?

I don't really want to go the route of bolt-on kits. More fun to use as much of what I already have and make it work. At the same time, I want it to be done right, and be safe to drive.

 

i dont think a C-notch looks traditional
but i think the main problem would be in the wishbones having enough clearance
i have some books with pictures showing thats how they did them back then
take a pie cut out of each rail...tip it up, move the crossmember back to suite
i think going 5" down in the front is a bit drastic
look at period pictures and look where the wheel sits in the fenders on the front....then take yours...compare the difference and thats how far down you want to go
heres a couple ideas

 

It's hard to judge how far it needs to drop down for two reasons:

1. The front fenders, grill, hood, etc. are not on the car right now. Long story short, the guy who sold it to me wanted the '35 front end for a roadster project he was building, so he kept the '35 stuff (minus the fenders) and gave me '36 stuff that he had.

2. Even if the front end was ***embled (which I could easily do), I have no way of knowing how much sag is in the stock suspension due to it's age. So I have no reference point to start from to know how much drop I need to get the look I want.

I basically want the look of the pics you just posted.........fenders coming down slightly over the top of the whitewalls.

I want the car to either sit level, or have a slight negtive rake. Don't want the rear end higher than the front.

 

i would just bolt the sheet metal on there...fill the radiator with water and see where your at
then lower the stock springs as necissary
its easy enough to reverse the main leaf...and then add or remove leaves untill it sits perfect
saves buying some new looking spring

same thing in the rear really

if the stock springs sagged down...thats just an added bonus to getting it lower without trying as hard

id bet you dont even need much more then spring work in the front
or maybe someone on here the drops axles could get you one with just a slight bit of drop
dont want it too low!

now the back...thats gona be where the effort is needed

 

Thanks for your input.

Dave, I will look into that spring kit.

Anybody else have any suggestions?

 

Post some pics!

 

"I want the car to either sit level, or have a slight negtive rake. Don't want the rear end higher than the front."

Personally, I like the level look (although my '36 definitely has a front rake). '35/'36's look great sitting really low and level. A rear negative, to me, looks like the car has weak springs.

 

If you are considering parallel leafs in the rear, the Weedetr kit will get your rear lower than other leaf kits. I've seen cars with posies transverse spring kits in the rear and they don't sit really low. If you are sticking with the torque tube, parallel leafs might not be an option.

Dave

 

Which brings up another question.....can I even go as low as I want to in the back with the stock running gear? Since "pinion" angles will be changed, can I use the torque tube rear?

 

This is all I have for now. These are from the guy's garage where I bought the car. I have it in storage right now, and plan on getting it to my garage soon.

 

Great score! Looks real solid!

What I would do for that 35 grille shell! Those things are hard to find man! Mine is a little messed up and missing a bar on the roll-under.

Can't wait to see what you do!

BTW... if you DO end up going all out and switching out the stock running gear, I don't recommend going with parallel leafs out back if you care about the ride. 4-link it. I'm running parallel leafs from Ch***is Engineering on mine and yes, it's easy to lower, but it rides like **** and traction ****s. That body is easy to pull off to do the work and the fenders are huge on these cars, so if you ever decide you really want it low, go for the notch and 4-link it. Everthing is available and should be too hard to pull off. You might have to address gas tank position though. You'll probably have to raise it up, just guessing.

IMO, I like that you're going to make it *** low. 35/36's look great this way and if I ever get mine back in my garage, I will be doing that to mine for sure!

Good luck and I expect a full pictures series ASAP! I will be following this one for sure!

Cheers!
Scooter

 

man that looks solid!

 

If you're going to use the '36 front fenders, hood, grill, etc., you really ought to get some '36 rear fenders, too. The cab, doors, trunk lid, running boards are the same for '35 and '36, but the rest of the sheet metal and much of the trim is different. Pick a year and stick with it. Good luck with your project.

 

Yeah, that '35 grille is just UGLY!!! Why don't you send it to me for a proper burial

 

Those things are so damn hard to find. 10 years ago we were looking for a potential replacement and the ****py ones were going for like a grand THEN! I can only imagine what a straigh 35 grille goes for now, none the less one that has good original chrome to it! Wish there were more 35's around to look at. One of the nicest, "period correct" traditional ones I've seen lately is Steve Cab's 35 3-window. Beautiful car!

 

The average guy will not be able to discern 35 front fenders from 36 rear fenders. There is a difference but not too obvious.

 

I second that. I didn't know the difference either until Django corrected me awhile back. The ridges are slightly different I think. Maybe he can elaborate for us again.

 

cool car . good luck with it.

 

Actually, you got the best end of the deal when he insisted you take the complete 36 Front end stuff for the car. The 36 Ford stands out as one of the 5 Top Designs of early Ford V8s, the others being the 1932, 1933-34, 1939Dlx.-40, 1949-51.

You'll have a beauty when you're finished!

 

scooter,

I've always wanted to build a car based on Edsel's Model 40 Speester (the one Bill Warner found), but with a '35 grille- kind of like the Ford Miller Indy cars. Blows my mind how expensive the repops are!

How's your build going? It has been one of my favorites since I started lurkin' a couple years ago!

 

To all you guys inquiring about the '35 grille.......


The guy I bought it from bought the entire car just for the '35 stuff, so he has the grill, radiator, hood and sides. He didn't want the fenders, so I still have them, as well as a set of '36s. (They need a little bit of work, and he said he was just going to buy gl*** fenders????? I would have put the work into the steel fenders myself, but it's his project) He wanted the '35 stuff for a Roadster project that he will never complete. Doubt he will ever even start it, truth be told! Every time I see him I keep telling him that I'll buy the '35 stuff from him when he's ready to sell it. So maybe I'll be able to get my hands on it again some day. Personally, I would be satisfied with either front end. Kinda lean towards the '36 grille for it's looks, but on the other hand, the '35 has plenty of appeal just because everyone else has, or likes the '36 better. I'm happy either way.

 

It's not bad. Driver's side is pretty solid. On the p***enger side, the lowest 2" or so is rotted out on the door, and back into the rear panel, and the bottom of the rear fender. Not really a big deal, though. Most of the floor is solid, but there's a bad section on the p***enger side, underneath and behind where the seat is mounted. I'm told the car was stored in a car port, up against a building. Animals got in there and built nests, which held the moisture and that's what caused the rust in those places. It's a shame, because other than that, the car would really be in good shape. But then again, if none of that ever happened, I may have never gotten my hands on the car.

It amazes me how rust got the better of some parts of the car, but yet the original wood toe boards are in good shape, as well as the wood on the seat frame, and the wood roof slats.

 

That rusty area behind the seat on the p***enger side is probably where the drain tube from the rear window left water. Those drain tubes rotted or got brittle, then the water ac***ulated in that spot. I had a little problem there in my '35.

 

I sure could use some of that front end! My grille is just "ok" but I'd love to have a pair of those headlamps.

 

Thanks man! Which one? The Murray or the 35? Shoot me a PM! I'll fill ya' in.

 

What a coincidence! I just bought a black '35 this week myself, but that's where the similarity ends. Mine needs about a billion hours of sheetmetal work on the outside plus floors and some subrail work. The car spent much of it's life on its roof in Montana, so you're doin alot better than me!!

Its funny your asking about how to drop it low, because thats how I found this thread! I'm in the same boat. The Magnum axle looks good, but they don't offer a 5" drop for 35/36. Not sure if it doesn't fit the spindles or if you can't use the 35/36 bones. Ch***is Engineering says that there are tire clearance problems because they're wider. It would **** to have to buy 37-48 wishbones, we'll see...

Keep in touch, let us know what you do.

 

I had the chance to buy a NOS 35 grille a couple of years back for a reasonable price but skipped, I'm still kicking myself!!

 

My idea... listen to Zach. Dont make a s****er, stay cl***y.