Model AA Truck Questions

Please excuse my noobness on AA's. I'm considering purchasing a great (partially disassembled) AA in Denver. However, it's something i'd like to rod, not restore to original. I know the model A and AA front suspension is very similar, but can i use model A parts (drop beam, etc) to lower an AA in the front? Also, for the rear, can i flip and remove a few leaves to lower it similar to how you can do so with a buggy spring on an A? I don't see any reason why either of these things won't work, but i figured i'd ask to be sure and see if anybody had advice on doing so before i make a purchase. I'll probably shorten the frame too, among other things. Any advice on any of these subjects would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

-Rudy

 

Yo Rudy, check out this AA. I don't know anything about it 'cept I found it somewhere on the internet for sale. I saved it because a friend of mine bought a '34 AA for his son to build and I was using these pictures to try to influence their build. I really dig this truck. Good luck on your project.

 

I love that stance, i wonder how they went about lowering it. Thanks for the pic, gives me some ideas to kick around.

 

Dare to be different, this could be a practical dual purpose vehicle, unless you already have a p/u. I like the flat / stake bed look, not too certain of the correct terminology.

 

If its an early AA the front axle is the same as the A's. The 30-31 AA's have larger axles, bones and spring widths. You can use typical hotrod front suspension components, but you will have to modify the front crossmember with a spacer to work with the narrower spring. The rear suspension is not usable as a hotrod without some modification. The rear has cantilevered parralel leaf springs that float at both ends. The big ass torque tube locates the axle front to rear and the springs hold side to side. I put a ford 9" from an early f150 under the 31AA I used to have. I located the axle with a long torque arm and let the stock axle floaters ride on the axle housing between guides.
If you plan to shorten the frame you would probably be better off coming up with a different rear suspension....parralel leaves, buggy spring, coils, coil overs, truck arms......etc. The AA chassis makes a nice stout platform to build on and it will hold up to most streetable powertrains.

 

It's a '28, so that's great to know about the front suspension, thank you. I'll keep that in mind for the rear suspension. Do you have any pics of how you had the rear suspension and 9" set up? I like the idea of keeping it a leaf set up, and i've always been a fan of the buggy spring, so maybe i can figure out a way to make that work. It seems like a great frame to use for just about whatever you want to do. I guess i just need to decide if that's a route i want to go.

Thanks for you input guys!

 

Sorry, I don't have any pics of the setup, and I don't have the truck anymore. I used a home built torque arm that looked like a longer version of Pete & Jakes style ladder bars attached to the back of the old torque tube crossmember. Chevy truck arms would work just as well. The key is keeping the foward attachment close together.