Front shcoks: Traditional or am I pissing in the wind?

My malevolent roadster.
I am running '39 Ford front hydraulic shocks up front for that 'traditional' look. I like the way they blend in with the rest of the car.
Compact, yet, functional.
Or am I wrong?
They don't seem to want to act like a shock at all. One is 'stiff' and the other, not so much. Consequently, that's the side that acts like a basketball.
Balancing the front tires has helped, but I still can't get to hiway speeds for fear that the front end will unglue it's self before my eyes.
Should i just find another '39 Ford front shock to replace the one that's 'weak' or should I just 'do it right' and replace them with tube shocks and F1 shock mounts.
I think I can get them crammed in there.
What's the experience of those in similar delimas?
r

 

You shouldn't bounce, even without shocks.

What kinda tires ya running?

Rich

 

Agree, you have a problem and a bad shock is allowing it to express itself freely. The car should actually be fairly driveable with no shocks at all under reasonably smooth driving conditions.

 

Swap tires side to side, or front to rear if not too different, and see if problem stays in that location or moves with tire.

 

Tires are the ribbed Firestones (speedway) and '35 Ford wires.
I had one side balanced (passenger) on the car and had to replace the other wheel (driver's side). I have not got back to have that side (driver's) balanced, but the most bounce I get is from the side that's already balanced (passenger).
Keeping up with me?
r

 

sounds like you need to have the shock rebuilt...

 

Have you tried rotating the air in the TIRES?? I know I know lets bag it put an IFS frontend on it w/ DISK BRAKES....then we can but some boyd billet wheels on it then it will drive smooth as glass!!!

 

Get back to work COS.
Oh and thanks for getting your naked arse out of bed to bring me gas for the roadster this morning when I ran out...
r

 

Check for roundness: Jack up that corner, put a cement block next to tread and very lose all the way across, rotate the tire and see if gap changes visibly.

If round, swap fronts and see what happens.

 

I already know they are not round.
I thought the balancing might keep them planted...really...somewhat...Am I back to attempting to get them shaved?
r

 

I worked in a Bug shop recently, restoring older sports cars. Shaving the tires was part of the method of getting front ends dialed in. Otherwise, Bruce L. nails the issues each time! Any looseness to the front assembly? Including tie-rods?
It would be interesting to swap sides w/the shocks if possible, given how one is tight.

 

Or at least try putting some fluid in them?

 

I tried putting more fluid in the offending shock, but it was full aready.
I kow the ires are out of round, but have not found anyone near KCMO to shave them.
r

 

There you go. They would be much better on the front of an 8N than any street vehicle.

 

Get both shocks rebuilt if you like the way they look. One of the worst things you can do to a car's driveability is have different damping rates side to side. And if you only rebuild the offender, you're just moving the problem around. Get em the same, then investigate the other stuff.

Good luck

 

I had a set of those ribbed Firestones and although they looked totally cool, they just wouldn't balance. Had some uncanny bounce. As soon as I got new tires, the bounce went away. Do you have anybody close you could borrow some wheels from and find out if that is the problem?

 

I try not to be negative here, but I really don't know why anyone would try to diagnose a shock problem when they know their tires are out of round.

It's kinda like the old adage about diagnosing a poorly running engine: 1st do the electrics then do the carburation.

I would do the following in order:
1. check to make sure all front end parts are tight and in proper working order.
2. check that tires are not out of round.
3. make sre tires are correctly balanced
4. start diagnosis of shocks

those old Ford shocks were never very good. Back in the day just about the first thing any serious builder would do is switch to aircraft type tube shocks.
Kirk just posted pics of his Desorta modified with Armstrong knee action shocks. A possible good alternative.
Ted

 

Ford Houdaille lever arm shocks were being used on hotrods, and early Fords, from "the day"(when ever that is?) with great success.
1928-1948 (yes, some Fords and Mercs in 47-48 had tubular airplane shocks also by Houdaille) production and use say something about their working or not. Also, remember the roads they were made to dampen shocks on were far cries from the concrete sheets we ride today.
If you like the looks and want to spend the money, get those bad boys rebuilt and ride on.

 

There are a few shots here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=199766&highlight=kirk

 

The Ford shocks, with restrictions resized for 50/50 instead of 60/40 usually, were standard issue on Indy cars into the early sixties...
Anyhow, quit yakking about shocks and find out why wheel is hopping and kill that. All any shock could do is damp that hop a bit...the car should be able to drive pretty smoothly with NO shocks on a decent road.
Round is generally viewed as a real good trait in tires; Smokey Yunick once said something close to "ÿou can balance a cube, but it still won't roll..."

 

Well, I wish I had an alternative available to swap out the front tires. but I don't. I wish I had someplace pegged that could shave the tires round, but I don't.
I don't want to sound whiney, but I guess I am.
I guess I'm tired and looking for an easy solution.
I'll be looking for a couple of steelies that I can mount some 'newer-tech' tires on to see if that fixes the problem.
r

 

Find a pair of newer Ford pickup wheels and tires (they still have the 5.5 BC up into at least the 80's, maybe newer) and to a test run. You gotta have a friend in town with a newer Ford pickup, doncha?

 

Well, I don't but it is good information that should help me proceed.
I do have a friend that has a car lot. Maybe he'll have something I can barrow.
r

 

Call, Randy Davenport of Missouri Legends Cars. If there is a tire shaver in the state he will know where it is. 417-840-2616

I don't know him, my father was the statewide 600 Racing distributor for Alaska at one time, and I worked for the dealership (and went to college and had a 40 Hr a week job, uphill both ways, 20 ft snow drifts, etc.. ) and they shave the tires at an angle (camber cut) for more contact in the corners (and sometimes even to 'tweak' the final drive ratio, sort of). Any of the shavers I have seen though you could set them for a straight cut (they were made or modified to be adjustable).