Front Axle intentification

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I have a Dago Axle that my Uncle had done in early fifties it was dropped by the Stewarts who lived in San Diego, hench the name Dago. It doesnt have any stampings or numbers on it but original for ford script. No identify marks at all, my Uncle paid a whopping $35.00 dollars to have it done. This was alot back then considering he bought the 29 roadster body for $25.00 at Junk Yard !!

 

Rude, got ant pictures of your axle where the drop was made? I'd be interested in seeing a known Dago axle. I'd like to compare it to the axle I've got.

 

I would like to see what it looks like too! HRP

 

Tommy I dont have close ups of axle, If you like PM me with address and I will take close up photos and mail them to you direct

 

"Dago" is a generic name for a dropped axle "back in the day". They were popular in the area......Or da go this way or da go that way. Take yer choice......OLDBEET

 

Tell that to my Uncle he is 67 and still hot rodding and racing at Irwindale Raceway Ca. He will say your wrong

 

Dago's ere made in San Diego hence the name DAGO!

 

I understand they were made and popular there. But I've never seen or heard of a labeled "DAGO" axle. I could be easily wrong.....SHOW ME!!....OLDBEET

 

from what i understand there were quite a few people dropping axles in the old days but axle stewart and mor-drop being the most prominant the only identification ive ever heard of was a couple of axles i saw that had okie adams stamped on the webbing , at the shop we just refer to one thats dropped nicely as a mor-drop however those pics of titus's axles looked pretty damn nice and if he hadnt let his secret out he could probely be selling them on e-bay for big bux as old dropped axles there is also a guy doing nice ones in az that you wouldnt be able to tell from a mor-drop , ive heard of complaints of a lot of mor-drops having the perch and king pin holes stretched during the process resulting in poor fit , ive personally see wallowed perch holes but its hard to tell if its from that or wear from not having the axle tight from the way titus does his it looks like he is able to consentrate the heat away from the holes and that wouldnt be a problem, that could be a way to tell?

 

on the orgin of the name.... according to what ive read mosly buy the guys that were rodders back then and the oldtimers i talk to dagos were named that because of location.. you would go to dago and pick one up from axle stewart, mor-drop is in oakland.. eventually however it becam slang as in "that car has a dago axle" wheater it be mor-drop, stewarts, or whoever..

 

Thank you, THIRTYTWO............OLDBEET

 

This axle came from socal in the 50's. instead of being stretched it has hammer marks were it was reshaped by a blacksmith. The end is actually thicker than a stock axle. I always thought it was a "Dago" axle. Meaning it was dropped by the Stewart family from San Diego.
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This axle came from Reno not very far from the mor drop facility. I suspect it's a mor drop. No signs of any hammer work. This proves nothing but I find it interesting.

I agree the term Dago became generic over the years just like welded 35 Ford wires are often refered to as Kelsey Hayes.

 

One other guy I talked to said the Mor-drops were cleaner while the Dagos usually had hammer marks & thinner areas...

 

Tommy my axle looks the same

 

Thanks. So as far as I'm concerned it's a gen-yooo-ine "Dago". That and a buck fifty will get you a cup of coffee at 7-11.

 

The guy in Phoenix, AZ is Steve Syzmanski who I think is a Hamber. Not sure what he charges for a dropped Axel, but I know he's a lot faster returning your axel than Moor-Drop. And the Result is the same. You send him your A Axel and he sends you back a nice dropped job. Let me know if you need one done, I'm sure I could get a phone number.

 

tommy, you have excellent pictures of the difference between the two big players. Stewart started dropping them first and they show the thinner web and thicker upper and lower parts. The Mor-Drop manages to minimize the squeezing of the web by using a different method. As for the name Dago, That was the slang name for San Diego where the dropped axle look started. There were a zillion sailors in and out of San Diego to tell the rest of the country about the "Dago" dropped axle look. Others made dropped axles but most weren't up to the quality look of these two companies. A lot of them used to weld plates on between the perches and spindles to cover up and hopefully strengthen the mangled area. Hard to tell from that lower pic tommy but it looks like some hammer marks. May not be a true Mor-Drop.

 

My sport coupe has a dropped and "filled" chromed axle of unknown history.

When I got the dago I thought about filling it and doing some cosmetic grinding but I think I'll keep it the way it is. It has personality.

 

I have a dropped axle, I dropped it on my toes, it hurt like hell.

You guys arguing about nomenclature are being so ridiculous, because there's always been regional differences in what things are called.

In England you could belong to a club called "The Back Alley Cruisers" but if you had that name in NYC, you'd better be wearing crotchless leather chaps.

And because of egay and the renewed popularity of all things vintage some crudely dropped axle that you couldn't give away 20 years ago is now worth $1000.

 

FWIW I have a dropped axle Like it? it cost me about $20 max. I bought a rurned 32 axle with the ends cut off. I had some spindles where they had cut the ends of the axle. SOOOO I made a goose neck from 1 1/2 plate and welded. A jig made it so both sides are the same. Cheers!

 

No offense Andy but I don't know if I'd trust a welded axle like that. I know that some tube axles have welded ends but they're at least sleeved and rosette welded.
I'd like to know more about how you did yours.

 

yes,i agree with nads...i don't think i'd trust that axle either. i'd at least have the welds magnafluxed.there is a lot of stress out on the ends.i know a guy who narrowed an original axle in the center,he was a pipe fitter with superior welding skills.

as long as we are talking about dropped axles here, and there is another thread going about dropping your own and safey of them...has anybody ever heard of an original dropped axle failing?.... or a new CE,magnum(both forged)?.....superbell (cast)? ...... i heard about a tube axle with welded ends(butch's rod shop) failing years ago...but never an I-beam. i think as long as it's cooled slowly,an original forged axle should be safe to drop

 

FWIW I have complete confidence in the axle. The stresses are really low because of the depth and thickness.. I would trust it before I would some of the bent and stretched jobs. It was quality welded on a jig. Alternating sides and cleaned and ground between passes. I didn't know it before but the king pin hole and the perch holes ara paralel. I made two bars and welded them to a plate using the axle as a line-up. The axle would slip on and off this jig. Putting it back on between passes assured that the axle was still straight. Also assures both ends are the same. Also I'm a retired certified mechanical engineer.

 

Andy is the car finished yet?
Have you driven it on the road?
I'm just curious to see how it holds up. I believe you do have faith in it but I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you.
Again no offense intended but I imagine that making multiple welding passes can create multiple areas of stress.

Please don't take any of this the wrong way, I'm trying to bury my asshole past.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Again no offense intended but I imagine that making multiple welding passes can create multiple areas of stress.

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Making multiple pass welds is the proper way to weld a heavy piece like that.

My bother has an old axle that was dropped like that. It came out of a 34 5w race car. I don't think it be much more than a wall hanger from now on, but it saw it's share of track time and held up OK.

Neal

 

Nads, Your kind thoughts for my safety are much appreciated. The axle was stess relieved with a rose-bud. This thing has a cross section of 2 by 1 1/2. No problem!The car got put on the back burner when I fell into the never ending project of a 60 Chevy. I call it Moby Richard after the great white whale.
The line up jig would be something that would be usefull checking axles for bends, bad drop jobs, etc. Cheers!

 

Cool deal Andy.
The reason I ask is because I had an extended springer fork on my HD chopper and I shortened it back to stock. I used a circumferential brace around the rear leg to strengthen it, works but looks damn ugly. The back leg is hollow. I had the front leg drilled, pegged and braced by a professional welder because I didn't trust myself, or my equipment. It's a solid bar.
Good luck on the project and what kinda '60 Chevy do you have?

 

The only axle that I know of that was accused of failing was a welded tube axle similar to the drag axles. A king pin boss welded into the fish mouthed end of a heavy tube axle.

A jerk pulled up along side my buddys 31 Chevy. He was so enamored with the Chevy he forgot to look where he was going and forced the Chevy into the median strip. Everything was ok until he hit the concrete drainage basin at the bottom. The impact ripped the axle tube in half behind the weld. (the weld was fine) The local yokel cop put down mechanical failure as the cause of the accident, but the axle was fine until it met the concrete basin. The basin didn't look to good either.

It sounds like Andy knows what he is doing. The next time you see a nuclear power plant...remember it is held together the same way. That doesn't mean that everybody with a buzz box should try the same thing.

 

It's a 2-Dr Bisc. Originally white and will go back white. SBC and 700R4, PS,PB,Radio deleat,Wagon wheels and dog dish. Had one in high school. Cheers!