Good day all, I have access to a (free) complete front axle/springs/steering assembly from a '54 F1, and am wondering if this would be a good choice for replacing the front suspension on my olds. I like that there are disc brake kits that are available for the Ford axle that are WAY cheaper than converting the olds to disc up front. I realize that the handling between the IFS and straight axle will be very different-and on that topic, anyone with advice for avoiding bump steer etc (I know I have to set this thing up properly right from the get-go, but this would be my first attempt at such a modification). Obviously, there's a lot of fabrication to do to make it work, but I'm wondering if it's a good choice strength wise (can it handle the Olds?) and trackwidth wise (I assume I can compensate some with wheel selection). <O</O The car:<O</O '54 Olds Holiday 88 with a 394 under the hood. Right now I'm working on putting a new floor in it, and the 394 is soon to be at the machine shop for boring etc. I'm trying to set the car up according to the rules for 1963 cars as I've seen here: http://gassermadness.com/Gas_Classes/index.htm I don't know what class the car will be just yet, because I don't know my weight per CI yet (don't know how much the machine shop will need to do to clean up the 394). I know I'm asking a million questions, but anyone who can share info on rules and classes for 1963 will be a big help to me. My wife and I decided to try to set the car up for '63 gasser class/rules. I know the 394 isn't exactly light (and neither is the rest of the car) so do I need to worry about the F1 axle? This car will see the street (it's going to be my backup car for when my wife is using our shared daily driver) so I want to make sure I choose a good axle. Basically, I'm looking to the expertise of this group to tell me I'm hairbrained and headed in the wrong direction, or that I'm hairbrained, but if I heed the warnings of the wise that this will wind up working nicely. Thanks in advance!
In '63 you could not run a straight axle under that car in Gas class. You would have to run in altered or some sort of experimental class. Or perhaps a match race car. Gas class rules stated OEM suspension and not body or suspension lift to gain traction. Some guys squeeked by, by bending the rules a bit and knowing someone. That said your '54 Olds should actually have a king pin suspension and not a true independent suspension. Not that it makes any real difference for all intents and purposes it will still handle different than a truck. Best way to see if the axle is a good fit is to measure the track width of the olds and the track width of the truck. Or get yourself a flange to flange measurement from the truck axle and from the olds and see how close you are. It will probably be close enough to use with adjusted wheel offsets. The 394 Olds is not going to weigh much more than the flatty in the truck if any at all. Those old flatties were not light, if anything you may find the springs a little stiff. Basically yes the truck axle will probably work you will know for sure when you get the tape measure out.
Porknbeaner, Thanks for the heads up about the front axle. That may be a deal breaker... Duly noted also about the king pin not being true IFS. I can't seem to find what year the straight axle would be allowed. Basically, '63 was the earliest year we (wife and I)wanted to try to match, because the engine is out of a '62. I have read that not all gassers had straight front axles, so it's not a necessity to convert the car, in my opinion. My main motivations are that this axle is free to me and is in really good shape, and the current front suspension is shot (and not cheap to fix up) so since I've got a lot of time, and not a lot of $$$, the F1 axle is appealing. The disc brake kit $$ is also a factor (I've redone a few old ford trucks to disc, so I know how and know it's not too bad money wise, especially compared to the Olds). I think this is a really sharp car, and am pulling some inspiration from it (I want to keep the front bumper on mine though):
Figure I should share a pic of the '54 (sorry no progress shots. Need to remember to take the camera home from the shop so I can start a build thread).
I put the F1 (1950) axle under my 55 along with a 4 3/4 disc brake kit and the track width was just about perfect . I also used the speedway front springs and mounting kit, the F1 springs are the same width , 1 3/4" so the speedway ones bolted right in place on the axle. I did have to make an upper steering arm for the rh side because I used my original gearbox and it's rear steer and flipped the calipers to the front of the axle. My build thread has plenty of details and pics... And they wouldn't have had disc brakes either is 63....
I could take discs off a '63 Avanti. But that would just be weird. If I learned anything from reading about Smokey Yunick, there are things that are banned in the rules, and then everything else is OK. I figure discs are OK I'll read up on your build thread, thanks very much for posting it!
not seeing how kingpins make it something other than independant suspension???? one side goes up and down while not effecting the other side. sounds independant to me.
You didn't say how awesome your build thread is. I'm including a link to the build thread, so I don't lose track of it later. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=501387&page=4 Thanks again!
The rules state a suspension from "A" auto manufacturer not "the" auto manufacturer, so your left to your own interpetation on front suspension. The 1966 car crafts built a A/GS willys and that car bent a lot of rules including running gutted front brakes because it said you had to have brakes on four corners, but did not say they had to all work.Ohio George also messed with the suspension rules when he ran coil over shocks , but was allowed when a auto manufacturer used them on production vehicles.I am by no means an expert but the rules are more or less guidlines.
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