how do you shoebox guys slam your rides?

http://www.rodncustom.com/parts_dep/nostalgia/nos3.htm

 

my 49 has 3 inch blocks and cut coils, doesn't ride too well but it looks good

 

They work like the same idea as a lowering block. 1" square tubing the go between the A arm and spring cup. Just grind out the rivets/bolts, slip in between and bolt back up! Easier said than done, atleast for me it was...gonna cut a coil also in the future...

 

Sam, those blocks go between the lower spring pocket and the lower control arm. You grind or drill the rivits out to seperate the spring mount from the control arm install the blocks in between and bolt it back together. They drop the car a fair amount and still ride well. I put them on my 51 Vic turned convertible.

IMHO I would'nt subframe it, the wheels always stickout too much unless you narrow the sub. Besides, a less than perfect ride is what makes lowered cars so much fun to drive.

Billy

 

I just ordered a set of the spacers from nightprowlers-$45.00.I have a set of stepped a-arms I'm gonna use also.4" blocks in the back, which is too much because of scrubb line. I am going to de-arch my leafs in the back and run a 3" block. All the cheap way. TP

 

I was told there is one of two ways to dearch leaf springs. One of the ways will set your rear axle back and cause drive shaft problems. Ultimately it's a cheap quick fix, but over time will cause some problems. Any truth to this or is this a myth? Sounds reasonalbe...

 

Butt, I lowered my '53 by heating the coils 2" and 4" spacers in the rear. I would like to go lower in the front, it's kinda dragging tail (cool though). And the 4" spacers are a tad extreme, it hits the blocks pretty hard and I've cut about 1 1/2" off of them.

I've got an ad for some kind of cushion that, I guess, goes in in place of the rear bumpers, but I can't seem to find it at this moment. When I do, I'll share it. It's gotta be around here some place.

The front end rides great and the car drives great, even with the www radials.

Can anyone tell me if the front-end lowering kit you pictured will also fit the later shoebox? Are the '49 -'51 front-ends the same as the '52 -'54??

I use ta know, but it's the old age thing.

Flatheads forever!!

 

The website says...

[ QUOTE ]

'49/'56 Ford & Merc, '40/'49 Cad, '55/'56 Ply-Dodge-Desoto, '54/'56 Buick.
#2400
$62.95

[/ QUOTE ]

So i would imagine it would fit...

Its the cheaper way... other than spending big bucks on new dropped spindles... plus you retain the original spring length and ride...

I think i might give them a shot on my shoebox.. and 2" blocks on back.

Sounds like a chance for a good tech "how to" for the tech o matic.

Maybe in the spring...

So the site is
http://www.rodncustom.com/parts_dep/nostalgia/

click on the lowering kits on the left (ignoring the big fuzzy dice)

front kit (2" to 2-1/2") for a '50 shoebox is $62.95, 2" kit for the back is 45.99
total=$108.94 ... without shipping

that aint bad

 

i was gonna do a volare clip on the plymouth but have talked myself out of clipping it. i'm gonna order or make a set of spring pocket drops for the front and if needed cut a coil. i'll do a complete step by step when i do it and post pics. i have talked with a few guys who just made their own, but it may be just a sensible to order a set. got 3" blocks in the back right now would like to go about an inch lower but i don't think i can without raising the driveshaft tunnel. i post some pics as i do it either way...ken....
ps butt .... with your skill you could easily fab up a set of those drops and save yourself a coupla bucks maybe.

 

Slacker 53- They will work on your car.

http://www.brockmancustomparts.com/page11.html

As I mentioned above, we did them on my 56 Vic. and they worked out pretty well.

All that said, I want to do my next ride w/ bags & such...the way 59FORD did. Fenderwells, trunk, and the whole shootin match.

 

man luckystiff,myself,personally, im not into subframing unless there are no any other alternatives(read CHEAPER ways )i subframed a 68 chev PU years back.but that was the only one i did myself.

BUT,my dad is all about subframing tho,everything he owns is subframed! seriously.all ive heard the past two weeks from him is that i should SUBFRAME it..i dont give shit about disc brakes, but the powersteering thing is cool..plus id like to get it really dumped without bags...nothing wrong with them,id love to have them,but i cannot afford .

i hope someone does a tech post on those spacer things on this thread,as smart as i like to think i am,i cant figure out how they work!


later

 

Spacers are simpler than one thinks.
The two "legs" of the A-arm have a big plate (underneath)that is riveted to them. That plate is what the bottom of the spring sits on.

The new spacer is placed between your a arms and the big plate. You use new bolts because you've drilled out the former rivets.

So, your springs are in the same place, the big plate is in the same place, but the Arms got pushed up the distance of the spacers. Your wheel went up along with it.

I've had them. To me they are the same amount of work as cutting a coil. You have to take apart everything for both.

 

Thanks for the input on the spacers. For $ 62.95? I spent that must on dinner last night!

Okay, I've dropped the front 2" already, if I do the spacer thing, will my tires rub the fenders when I turn??

Just asking.

Flatheads forever!!

 

spacers are like cutting coils, you reduce travel both ways.

slacker,
My tires rub all the time when turning. One good feature of spacers is you can always take them out later if you have to. Or change the thickness of the spacers to fine tune.

 

could just get ballsy and z both ends of the frame

 

ahh,ok,i get it now,i was having trouble understanding where they went..

thanks

 

Fuel Pump, let us know how that Volvo box and kit works. I need to do something also. My box is worn out and is very sloppy. It's kind of exciting at anything over about 50 MPH! Right now I need to go work on the brakes. They seem to have gone on vacation. HA! Later.........

 

Thanks for the details, Mike

-slacker

Flatheads forever!!

 

Fatman dropped uprights, volvo steering, posies rear springs with 1" lowering blocks. Had to rebuild tranny tunnel and rear seat to clear new tranny tunnel.

 

Any of us that seriously lowered the "box" have hadda redo the driveshaft tunnel and rear seat riser a little...just part of the job.

 

what did you guys do to raise the tunnel? did you use one from another car to raise it, or just roll a new one from sheet metal? i am trying to decide for my 56 ford, and i figure it's probally pretty similar. any info would be appreciated.

 

I admit, I was crude about raising the tunnel. I cut the tunnel open all the way down it's length....right at the top. I bent the top edges back and used 1/2 of a discarded 4" diesel truck exhaust stack for a new tunnel top. Took a lot of heat and beat to get the surfaces lined up to weld it up with my [then] new Silver Beauty wire feed...

 

[ QUOTE ]
Any of us that seriously lowered the "box" have hadda redo the driveshaft tunnel and rear seat riser a little...just part of the job.

[/ QUOTE ]

no kiddin' rocky.....I ignored this little fact when i lowered my '51....

with a car load of people (7 people crammed in a shoebox), a lowered (2 3/4 coils up front, 4 inch blocks with the pinion angle correction GROUND into them) '51 coupe WILL rub the driveshaft tunnel...with an interesting effect on passengers....after the driveshaft rubs the tunnel for any length of time, it kinda gets a little bit hot....ok, RED hot, the undercoating heats up and starts smoking, the car fills with a not-so-pleasant aroma which sticks around for a LONG time...if you are lucky, it wont heat to the point of catching on fire...

hey, I drank at the time, and there were two cases of beer in it for me after the trip....things ya do for beer...sheesh....

next time I lower something that much, it's gettin a new driveshaft tunnel, with lots of room to spare...

 

my car is cut out to clear, i just haven't done any sheet metal work to seal it back up yet. the drive shaft sits over two inches higher than the old tunnel. but the thunderbird rear seat has plenty of tunnel room. my passengers just have to watch thier feet so the spinning shaft doesn't suck them in.

 

yea, no shit. you still owe me a new set of shoelaces ! next time, im callin' "shotgun"

 

yeah i kinda did what rocky did but i used an entire half of a 5 inch peterbilt stack, chrome tunnel