Front coil shocks in an IFS

I'm building a 1939 Ford coupe with a C4 Corvette front end in it.
I recently bought a pair of coil over shocks (at a price I like) for the rear and tried one of them in the front to see how it would look/ fit. I like the black against the polished aluminum.

The question could I use this type of coil shock (with the appropriate spring rating) in the front end.
It is only single stage adjustment, the shock its self is sealed and it has adjustment collars below the coil.

 

Would be more concerned about the frame limiting droop. From this angle there doesn't appear to be much bump travel either.

C4 coil over conversions are in the same position for front, however the conttol arm is located on top of the rail, not inboard, which gives you more room for installation.

Seems like a very limited travel suspension.

 

Mad Mike has valid points. The upper control arms are already laying on the frame, so the only way they can move is up. There doesn't look to be much clearance between the lower control arm and the frame either, so there won't be much upward movement there before frame contact either. Looks to me like someone tried to narrow the C4 track width by moving the control arms inward and lost nearly all of the suspension travel. As is, not much of any spring set up is going to work. Both control arms need to be back outward to the point at least the control arm pivots are directly above, or below the the frame rails. Guessing by the pictures, you will be moving the wheel mounting surface back out 2" to maybe 3".

Then, as long as you can add a shock mount to the lower control arm, a frame mount for the top of the shock, and everything clears, I don't see why you couldn't.

 

Another option would be to tuck the chassis rails in where the arms mount. This would leave the track as is but give the arms room to move/swing.

The exhaust will run above the top of the rail at that point.

 

Here's a pic of what I did. That's a 14" extended shock.

 

Thanks wfo guy.
As you can see below I've got plenty of room for the lower control arm and will have to deal with the frame for the top one.

Back to the original question.
Could I use the type of coil shock (with the appropriate spring rating) in the front end. Per the picture above.
It is only single stage adjustment, the shock its self is sealed and it has adjustment collars below the coil.

 

If I had mine to do over, I would have used a 12" open length shock. I would have lost some travel but it would have made the mounting much easier. That suspension is designed to operate with the lower a arm perpendicular to the ground at normal ride height so set your spindle at what ride height you want according to tire size front and rear and then measure where you want the shock mounted and see if your shock has the correct length. You have an aftermarket crossmember that I have no exp. with. I don't know if the monting dimensions for the upper and lower a arms are the same as the factory cross member.

 

I installed it with the lower A arm perpendicular to the ground at normal ride height With the wheel, tire and fender in place. The mounting dimensions are the same as factory (I had the original crossmember here when I made it all).




I might have answered my own question here. The below ones are from Speedway motors for a Mustang II front end and are single adjustable.