So I'm thinking of building a car with a Q.E. set up all around. The donor is an old F-1 (sorry the shock mounts are spoken for), crazy mods, tiny bed, keg tank,scratch frame. wanna know if I can use the I beam and steering gear. Can I use the F-1 springs? What is a good angle to set the spring mounts at? This is going to be a barn clean up. Poncho 455 w/ a muince 4 that's broke. Just curious. Any help appreciated.
Damn, seems this shits a mystery to everyone. I think I'll muddle my through it, what the hell, I got nuthin better to do.
Check the Zipper webpage; has some pics of their QE setup. Overall, I think the engineering and look is elegant, but there are not too many cars built with this particular feature. The outfit that builds the other lakes modified rolling chassis (with Model A body) also uses QE springs, on the front at least. Cornhusker used QE springs on the back of this year's NSRA giveaway roadster pickup, as well. There have been a few articles about it within the last few months. These should give you someplace to start. If you are really interested in historical stuff, the August 63 issue of HRM had an article about Hugh Tucker's record-holding street roadster. It has QE springs on the back, and some decent pics of the setup.
Animal, Thanks for responding, I've had this up all day, and you're my first hit. The QE set up looks good and has proven to be a solid suspension for both front and rear, so why not both? I dug up ome old (70's) catalogs that my dad had in a box, and I wanna try it. They use QE on Freaking rock crawlers, so I figure it's pretty bullet proof.Plus I might be able to push the front axle way out. Kinda F/A lookin. What about some air craft shock absorbers? I don't know, maybe too many beers. BTW anyone good at TurboCAD? I'm trying to design my frame, and have som Q's.
I started my Touring with the same thoughts, chaep and easy. To do it up right take a ot of time and braincells. 1/4 Elliptic can work well, I now believe that standard stuff is easier
Ya man, put it together and hit the road, thats what I want.And like Animal said, It's supposed to work good on the strip too. Looking to spend about 2500 for initial build up. Most of the parts are just laying around waiting to be put together. My Caddy is cool where it's at, and I need something else to mess with. building a chassis sounds like a good way to pass the time.
It just occured to me that Speedway used QE springs on the back of their 32 Lowboy kit chassis. Just another passing thought, but probably not a bad source; those guys seem to have a lot of information that they might share. If memory serves me (ok, maybe this is just a guess.....) they used pretty lightweight springs, from a Pinto, I think?, cut down. As I recall, they set it up with springs replacing the upper bars of a four-bar setup. That chassis has been for sale for a long time; I'm sure they have figured out how to make it work by now.....
And heres the front of the Anglia Gasser , Injected Hemi , straight tube , spindle mount 12 spokes , original chassis boxed and drilled extensively , 57 Olds rear on box section ladders , Q.E. Jag springs , etc etc. The job spec was build it like they used to , make her look like a survivor not a new build.
So whats the lowdown Gary, can someone just cut thier springs in half and have some holes drilled or is that to easy???
We tend to use springs that were already quarter eliptic...old MG's had them but we use Mk2 Jaguar and Daimler. You can cut semi 's but we dont.
I'm using 1/4 ellips on the front of my car. Here's a couple of pics, if they come out. Not too clear but they show a bit. The springs were a full leaf spring that I chopped in half with a grinder. The seat for the spring was gas cut from 1/2" steel and just welded under the frame rail, asnd happens to line up dead with the engine mount, for a bit of aesthetics. The springs are held in by two U bolts, with neat little spacers that I found at some swap meet. There's a shackle to join the spring to the axle, as the spring is not part of the axle retaining gear like some guys use. My hairpins almost meet under the tranny, as I'm using a tube axle and wanted to stay away from all that twisting/breaking action that apparently happens with hairpins on tube axles.
Hey everyone, thanks for the pix and ideas. Sorry I haven't checked in for a while. I've had buisiness that i've had to take care of. I have the frame pretty much sketched out, and will soon start construction. As for the 455 pontiac, it seems that my stupid brother wants to keep it on the shelf for another 20 years. So it looks like it'll be an SBC for me. I have a few laying around, but would rather not use them in this car. But, I'm on a budget, so i'll have to swallow my pride. I'll keep you posted on the progress, and if I can figure these damn computer thingies out, maybe I'll attatch some pix. Thanks again to everyone.
anyone got the pictures harlan posted abouta year back about his frontend quarter e build up. damn thing runs bitchin from personal experience even though some people on this board told him he had his angles wrong.
Dooster, I'm lookin' to use QE on the front of my mod, do you know of any european cars that ran qe springs? Jags, MG's and Daimlers aren't found in wrecking yards here, and when they are they certeinly aren't parted out.
Btt.... TimeBandit might have some input here? I know regular leafsprings can be cut and drilled,if you dont find any original stuff from some odd cars.
I used QE`s up front on my A modified. I found the springs in the wrecking yard here in Norway. They are from the rear of a 80`s Toyota station wagon.( Please dont tell ) I cut away 1/3 and used the rest. Works fine, but you need modern stiff shocks to avoid straight axle wobble at high speed.
Timebandit, it looks like you managed to hide the big, bulky spring mounts, can we see another picture of the mount? I'm going to run a deep track nose and don't want to have two chunky spring mounts ruining the look.
Timebandit is that the car that was featured in Custom Car? If it is it's killer, did you use the stock spring perches mounted on your axle? Closup pictures from every angle of every part would be greatly appreciated
Yes it was fetured in Custom Car some years ago. Sorry, I dont have any more pics of the details at hand now. I have sold the car so I cant take new ones either, but I can try to explain. Each spring is mounted on top of the frame rails with 3 bolts. I welded tubes through and at the sides of the rails. The rear single bolt is through the springs in the original Toyota center hole and then through the rail. The front mount with two bolts each side of the spring also functions as bracket for the head light stand. The spring perches are original 32 ford mounted trough the I beam. They were shortened and retreaded.
Thanks for the info. Are those Toyota springs 1/4 elliptical stock (and if so what Toyota what year?)or did you cut 1/2 ellipticals? I keep hearing that 1/4 aren't just 1/2's that are cut, they're fabricated differently, but I'm still in the dark as to the what/how/why of that. Anyone care to shed some light?
No the Toyota springs are semi eliptical. I cut off the front 1/3. I cant see any downside using this methode really. My car weighted about 800kg. 50/50 each axle. I got a relatively comfortable ride with good cornering caracteristics. I even raced a 30`s Bugatti once and won.
[ QUOTE ] I keep hearing that 1/4 aren't just 1/2's that are cut, they're fabricated differently [/ QUOTE ] You can not cut semi eliptical springs in half,and expect to get a pair of 1/4 eliptical springs. Even if you drill new holes to bolt the leaves together. Semi eliptical spring are typically stiffer on the front half,than the back.This is to help combat spring wrap up on acceleration. It's easiest to leave the stock center bolt intact,unless you really enjoy drilling toughened steel.
Timebandit, the picture helps alot, I'm planning on using an F-1 axle with the springs mounted with a pin to brackets welded to the bottom of it. the perches will be inboard of the frame and covered by the grill shell. The question I need answered is, do you mount the springs perpendicular to the ground/frame or do they have to be angled up a little. Also should I use a wishbone/hairpin or can I get away with a single radius rod from the top of the axle to the frame. At the rear of the car I plan to go with the spring attatched to the axle tube and at a 45 from the bottom, perches are inboard of the frame and a two link from the bottom of the tube out board of the frame. does this sound good or will the shit come apart on me the first time I get on it? BTW couldn't get the frame sketches attatched, so ya'll just gotta wait till I get a digicam.
I`m not sure if I understand it all correctly,but the springs must be bolted to the frame and the perches must be on the axle. You dont want that extra unsprung weight on the axles. The springs are attached perpendicular to the frame. I guess you can skip the wishbone if you use radius rods on top like a 4 link setup. But then you dont use shackles on the springs.
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