Front Shock/Mounting Question - 28-34 Ford

I am getting ready to mount shock on the front of my 32 chassis. I have two questions. One is about the shocks themselves and the other is about lower mounts.

- Does anyone sell a small chrome shock with a dust cover? I need a shock about the size of a P&J shock, just with a dust cover.

- I need to figure out lower shock mounts. I have a pair of modern lower shock mounts that bolt to the bottom of the perch, but they look too new to me.

I like how the Bishop/Tardel roadster had a welded lug on the axle, whick looks nice, but I have also seen the axle drilled in the web just outside of the perch. Any thoughts on that? Any other early 50's period correct methods?

Neal

 

I'm using the newer type of lower mount on my '32 with the P&J covered shocks. I'm using cut down F-1 upper mounts that ended up only about 3" above the frame. I don't see why you couldn't use the F-1s but make them longer and bolt the shock to the axle like you were saying. The shocks have a running height of about 11-1/2". Would that work for you? Good Luck, dug

 

I guess I need to get out more, I didn't realize P&J had a covered shock. That should work.

I am using F-1 uppers. Do you see any problem with drilling the axle and bolting through? Or should I just weld a lug on?

Neal

 

Either way would work. You'll need some king of a spacer on the axle whichever way you go.

 

I'll have to check the book. What's the Bishop/Tardell set up Neal?

 

Yea, you are probably right. The welded bung would be alot cleaner and easier. I guess I am just, for some reason, not wanting to weld on that really pretty old dropped axle. I need to get over it. That is the best way to do it.

Now are there any cheaper chrome shocks besides P&J? I just looked on-line and chrome with dust covers...$80.00/pr. Ouch. That is more than I have in my whole front end.

Neal

 

If you drill outside of the spring perch boss, The shocks will "lay down". You can see how far away from the frame these upper brackets are to get a decent angle for the shocks to work. This was some old hot rodders idea. The lower mount sandwiches the axle with a through bolt through the axle web. I modified the upper to get a better angle. Shocks look stupid to me laying down.

 

I just dumped the $80 myself. Couldn't find anything chromed but I have some gas shocks I found at a swap meet that are the same dimension, don't know what they're from though. I don't have any idea where you'd find an oil shock anymore. Gas shocks don't work for shit on a light car as I sure you know.

 

my old original 50's 32 chassis had the lower shock mount built into the shackle.The shocks did stand up a long ways.
Look in the old mags it was done like that alot.
I switched over to the modern lower bolt ons.I could'nt bring myself to weld on the axle for the bung mount.
(Dug,you got the shocks already?)

 

I like the way the front end of the Joe Nitti roadster looks (minus the high headlights). The shocks are mounted kind of high and I think it has a real neat old time look. Any body know how these shocks are mounted?



Neal

 

That's the way my old chassis looked.It had really tall shock mounts,I think Seaholm has the old mounts.

 

And one more question for you NW guys. Do you know if these are Pete and Jakes shocks?



Neal

 

If I remember the aplication correct Chevy truck 72-78 front shocks are a good choice. It may have been Dodge van of same years, not sure. They were about the shortest we could find. They worked well with F-I upper mounts. Welding the stud to the axle was the rest of the job. Now if you want to do chrome the old school way go get 2 exhaust tips and slide them over and "walla" there chrome. If your luckey you can find ribbed tips, Way Kool
The Wizzard

 

Tommy, do you have a side view of that and with a bit more focus?
I used F1 uppers and a welded bung on the coupe but that was just your basic Mor Drop axle.
Want to avoid welding on the nice dropped & drilled axle I got from ElPolacko/55 Safari that will be going on the roadster. Got more F1 uppers for the top.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Now if you want to do chrome the old school way go get 2 exhaust tips and slide them over and "walla" there chrome. If your luckey you can find ribbed tips, Way Kool
The Wizzard

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, cool idea. I like that, being the cheap skate that I am.

Neal

 

That's our buddy "fish" roadster.As I remember those are P&J shocks.Dug,do you remember?How about another picture of your coupe?

 

Here's a local T roadster under construction.

The upper mounts are F1's bent a little different.

 

Here's the best shot I could find of the lower mounts.
A pair of tabs welded to the wishbone.

 

On my T I didn't want to weld on the axle so I made two pieces of metal - one fits snuggly in the recess in the front of the axle, one behind. These had a bolt at either end thru the axle, with the third hole in the middle for the actual shock bolt. I welded a nut on to the back plate and then used a jam nut. Figured just bolting through the axle, it would work loose. - Yes it looks a little cluttered but I can live with it. Will e-mail you a photo later.
Under my brothers 54 Desoto a while back and noted his shocks were about 11 inches eye to eye with the weight on the wheels - Thinking of using them on my A -a bit chunky, but period.

 

I have the lower mount like on Tommys'roadster,only turned around backwards.I don't like the look of the shock in front of the axel.Flipping the thru-bolt mounts side to side and putting the shock mounted low & behind the axel looks cleaner IMHO. Charlie

 

Speedway has some very nice chrome plated front shocks.
$66. and $70. a pair.
No covers though, the operating rod is exposed.

I bought a pair of their rear shocks, also chrome.
They are very nice and the shock is made in Canada which tells me it should be a quality piece.

AV8 recommended SoCals front shock as being the one to get for roadsters.
I got a pair of these, chrome plated and they are very nice units.
Haven't used them yet, but I note they are also made in Canada.

What you may want to do is hit a parts house that handles Monroe.
Monroe is making stock replacement type shocks - IE: not gas - and you may be able to find a pair in the length and stroke you want by perusing the measurement section of the catalog.
They're not chrome, but paint's cool.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Tommy, do you have a side view of that and with a bit more focus?
I used F1 uppers and a welded bung on the coupe but that was just your basic Mor Drop axle.
Want to avoid welding on the nice dropped & drilled axle I got from ElPolacko/55 Safari that will be going on the roadster. Got more F1 uppers for the top.




[/ QUOTE ]

You want focus too?
the mounts aren't very pretty but someone creative could redesign them. I will run the Houdalle shocks on the replacement frame.

these are the uncut f100 uppers with the 1-800 lower mounts. It took a long shock to span the gap bu, I already had them and I'm cheap.

Home made shock dust covers.

 

I guess this is where I got the idea to drill the axle, although it is alot easier to do on a 32 axle.

The old R&C roadster...



Maybe I just need to mock it all up and see what looks "right".

Neal

 

I had a job interview several years ago at the place that makes all those oddball Canadian shocks.Would have been a decent job,building and developing prototype shocks,but they wanted someone with more computer skills.

You can find different size shocks,with different ends,here: Monroe

 

Hey Unkl Ian, How about a heads up on who and where. Might save going to the states for something made in Canada.

 

They are down on Lakeshore in Mississauga.Half the company manufactures aftermarket exhausts.
The other half specializes in shocks for small volume markets,like the Humvee,buses,Grumand UPS trucks,stuff like that.
I think they make the shocks for Carrera,since they are also stamped Made in Canada.
Unfortunately,they don't sell direct.

 

Hi
I bought a pair of schocks at swap meet they are cromed. I don't know if they came that way or not. They fit perfect on my dago axle thats on my model A coupe. They are the covered ones the part number on them is GABRIEL SHOCKS #17176, it also has a smaller number stamped p1043. Dont know which is number to order, maybe with that number you can go to parts supplier like NAPA and have them look it up. Hope this helps

 

Anyone have a Gabrial catalog,or a link?