When I woke up this morning, I took the 55 Ford out for a little spin. I had retarded the timing a smidge because I thought that I'd heard it pinging. I drove for about 20 mins, and while taking off from a stop light I head a very loud bang, that I could feel in the floor. I assumed that it was a backfire of sorts, and I felt it in the floor because the exhaust actually touches the frame at this spot. About 15 mins later, when I took off from another light, it made the same noise, but it still drove alright. I advanced it a bit, and I took it easy until I got home with it. I got under there, and checked the motor and tranny mounts, just in case. Nothing out of the ordinary. A few hours later, we left for a cruise night and I really got on the throttle, to see if it would backfire again. When I got right on it, the car SEEMED shift to the left, and when I backed off, it would shift back to the right. It wasn't the usual rocking from the torque of the motor, this felt as though the nose of the car wanted to shimmy to the left. We parked it and drove Munson's late model. I met Daveydeuce at the cruise and he said it sounded like my leaf spring center bolt broke. So, when I got home, I took a look back there. HOLY SHIT AM I LUCKY... 3 out of 4 leaf springs SNAPPED at the spring pad on the driver's side rear. Munson took some pics so we'll post them a bit later. Crazy shit! It's a good thing we turned around. That could have been UGLY.
Deyo - If you need, I still have the springs off of that rearend I sold you. I am not sure if they are the same as the ones on your car, but they are yours if you need them and can get them from here to there. Neal...inCA
Deyo, I've said it before and I'll say it again. 272 cubic inches of radical ford engine is just TOO MUCH torque for a normal passenger car. You coulda wrapped the frame up like a pretzel! Take the 2 barrel off and put a restrictor plate under it. Hey, it works for Earnhardt Jr. Might wanna wire the heat riser closed on that single exhaust too to "de-tune" it a bit.... Naw, all seriousness aside, this was always a common problem on any leaf spring car. Busted leaves, busted shackles and snapped center bolts happen. Gotta get under there every so often and check 'em over just like dad and grampa usta....I always replace those weeny little 5/16th center bolts with stainless steel ones after the old ones rust away....
Radshit, yorg and K&R, Amen. NealinCA, I Pm'd you... Rocky, I guess that's what happens when you play with FIRE! Only mine has a 4 bbl AND dual exhaust. I was just askin' for trouble! The pictures will come, stay tuned in the next couple of days. It blows my mind that one lone spring is holding it all together on that one side. After I saw that tonight, I'm kind of sketchy about just letting it SIT there, and I was driving it like that!
Whoa Nelly! I'm glad to hear that the situiation didn't go catastrophic for you, coulda been some really bad ju-ju. I had the same thing happen with my Comet. Luckily I was close to home. I scrounged a big hunk of wood from a nearby field, jacked the car up and wedged the wood between the frame and the axle. Then I drove the two miles home very slowly. I bought a brand new pair of springs for the Comet from ESPO Springs and Things, they sell suspension components for all kinds of old cars via internet mail order. My springs cost only $120.00 for the pair, pretty reasonable and a good investment I thought. Might be worth checking into. Since you gotta replace them anyway (well, at least one needs replaceing), maybe better to have new springs rather than another pair of nearly 50 year old ones.
About 20 years ago at the drags, I pre staged my F-1, did a pretty hairy burnout, and got that killer bite. Pulled into the lites, and some guy bangs on my window and says "your tire always rub like that?" I had broken a main leaf during the burnout. Really lucky I didn't make that pass!! Vice gripped it up and took it home........OLDBEET
Mike, I have ESPO springs and things under my RR, they are very nice to deal with. I paid $170 for the hemi style springs for my year car. I haven't had a problem yet. later plmczy
I just checked the Espo site and it looks for MY application it's going to run me anywhere from $210-$300 for new ones. I might check out Valley spring, just to see what they say, but in the next year or so, if this gasser dream goes into the works, I'll want to toss a 9" in there. If I get new springs now, it will mean I'll have to find a 1957-58 9" for it to bolt up with no problems, othewise if I get a different 9" I'll need to get new springs again, (right?). I'll get something figured out. Thanks for the advice.
Here it is, a picture of the destruction taken last night. That one spring is hanging on for dear life. I was actually driving on it like this.
DAMM yer LUCKY .. Bummer about the springs , but now you can just go down to dunbar spring here in town and have them make ya a new set . As a bonus have them dearch um and lower that car . If you have blocks then you can toss those.I know when i redid my rear spring they took 1/2 the leaf pack out and dearched on the truck .50+ year old springs or new ones hummm i pick new ones , shocks too . Glad you and the car are all in the same shape , that coulda been ugly .
Yeah, Scoot, I want to keep the same height that it WAS in the back, so I'm not sure what I'll have them do. There were no blocks under there before, but I really liked that height. I'm wondering if new stock springs and 2" blocks would bring it down to where I had it. I guess I'll call around, Steve has always recommended Valley spring, then I'll call Dunbar and compare it to what the Espo place is. Usually, when stuff breaks, I just get really pissed off, but there is NO WAY you are going to hear me complain about this. This could have been catastrophic in so many ways. I'm afraid to back it into the driveway to fix it. Hell, I just threw a jackstand under the frame in case the last one lets go.
Don't stress, I may be able to help! I went out this evening and checked my stash, I thought I had a matched pair of 56 Merc two sedan rear springs that I took out about 20 years ago when I parted it out for the 312 and overdrive that was in it. Well guess what, you are in luck, I found them in that 101 degree heat!! I don't want to sell them yet, for they are for a 50s project I have. I wont need them till at least the first of the year. If they will fit, (I'm sure they are the same) you are welcome to borrow them until you finalize your rear suspension. E mail me if interested. Davey <font color="red"> </font>
I forgot to say, These have 6 leaves and if you E mail me some measurements I will compare them!! GOOD LUCK!! Davey <font color="red"> </font>
Dave, I sent you an email...Thanks. Which brings up an impotant question...How DO you measure them? Just eye to eye? How do they know what curve to give it? I'm sure they'll tell me tomorrow on the phone, but if someone knows now, it might give me an idea. Thanks
The Jalopy Journal
