[nice work on fordor can you give me the number of thrust bearing that you used for the -32 spindels? thanks Stefan SchroderQUOTE=NealinCA;8145747]My wife and son think it needs a dropped H/L bar...and no cowl lights. I am still undecided. If I do, it will be a gently dropped original bar, as I don't want it to look to "street roddy". Haha...I am enjoying the cheap labor! The info came from years of looking at other 32's and talking to car owners when I see something I like. Plus I have done some experimenting on my own with my RPU and the old Fordor drag car... Road ride is fine with one or two people in the car...people in the back seat cause it to bottom out. I may have to do something there...but having "the look" is sometimes made up of compromises. The tape measure was used to set the toe. We first set the wheels "straight ahead" using a framing square against the axle and backing plate, then kept measuring front and back outside tread width, while adjusting the tierod length. I had set my RPU up with 3/16" toe in, and it worked well, so that is what we did here. Ok, Larry it's your turn. I usually start at the top and take out every other leaf. Both the front and rear reverse eye springs I picked up from friends and just left them as they were. I just lucked out this time. They are 2-1/2" center to center, rather than the stock 2", so they lower the car another 1/2"...plus the added length makes it easier to install a reverse eye spring. I think someone did already, but with the thrust bearing being on top for a 32 versus under for 37-48 makes the difference in ride height. Yes, and to clear the drop in the axle. I use Torrington needle thrust bearings under the axle along with 37-41 kingpins. I used this same set up on my RPU. No way Bubba! [/QUOTE]
Stephan - Here is the info that I have in my notes. Bearing - NTA-1423 - 2 each Thrust Washer - TRA-1423 - 4 each These are .875 ID and 1.437 OD, which from memory should be correct. Hope that helps. Neal
Surprised that HotRodPrimer (HRP) didn't post a picture of his old 4dr. It was a classic and another with a perfect stance. Frank
Just found this Neal and going to use your info to lower a pickup. How does it handle with the 5.50`s up front?
Very nice stance. Can you put a degree wheel on the frame somewhere and tell me how many degrees of drop you have going toward the front? Am working right now on trying to get that figured out on my A on 32 frame.
Good job!---You done good!---I noticed in the one pix on the right side you left the stock "extra"on the spring perch with the "eye". I cut mine off & smoothed it over to make a clean look before plating. If you incure too much "heel over" when cornering on curves & mountain driving, Posies makes an excellent conversion to semi eliptical kit, then you won't burn those nice fenders! Enjoyed the neat pix, especially your son helping & learning "hands on" experience with Dad. My son also helped me in building my roadster when he was 12----He's now 56.
Great job on the 32! Did someone say no fenders? Just kidding, it's a private joke. Glad to see your son into it. This is a very good thread. Thanks.
Dredging up a post from the past with some updates on this car. Other than changing the wheel color, I've driven this car for the last 10 years with no other mechanical upgrades other than lowering it, replacing the steering box with one of my Nash conversions, and 2-97's and headers on the stock 32 21 stud. It looked sharp on the outside, as the 45 year old enamel job still polishes up well, but the drive train and brakes needed some love. The radiator was leaking and wreaked havok on the engine and firewall. I was going to repaint the engine in place, as well as the firewall, but one thing led to another and I pulled the engine. Since the engine was out, I decided to replace it with a rebuilt 36 LB I had picked up a few years ago. It was going to get a Ford green rattle can job, but that plan changed too. I ended up painting it the same maroon as the wheels and the firewall gloss black That got the engine compartment cleaned up, but the chassis still needed some work.
The car had hydraulic brakes installed by the second owner, about 1953. The conversion was a little "janky", as it used the mechanical brake cross shaft with the M/C mounted on the passenger side. It hung down low on an ugly bracket, so that was the first thing to go. out with the rearend as well Viewer discretion advised, as I'm not sure if my Model T truck axle housing jack stands will meet internet approval I cleaned up an painted the chassis and brake parts. Rebuilt some 46 rear backing plates. If you buy brake lines in bulk rolls, one of the tubing straighteners is a must have! They work really well and are worth every penny I had picked up another rearend out of a friends restored 5w with 3.78's to replace the 4.11 that was in the car. I added a torque tube seal from Danny at Bruce's Rod shop, as well as the 46 brakes and brake drum retainers. Cleaned up the K-member, which is still wearing some original Ford black paint. The transmission is still the original 32 case with matching frame number on the bell housing. I doubt the transmission has ever been out of this car. I used one of Dennis Lacy's Early V8 Garage master cylinder and E-brake kits, which are a nice bolt in assembly. I redid the front brake lines as well and added a much needed adjustable draglink while I was in there. I just need to bleed the brakes and get it back on it's wheels
We just got back from Oklahoma after attending the Gathering at the ROC. What a great event, amazing cars and an even better group of people! I had a local detailer polish up the 40+ year old enamel before we headed out We had a great time in Oklahoma catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. A highlight for me was receiving an award from Cory and Ashley Taulbert. The award was completely unexpected and really means alot coming from people that I really respect and admire.
I'm not a 4 door guy, but you might have changed my mind. Well executed from your garage once again. I love reading your posts; they have so much early Ford info.
@NealinCA such a beautiful car! Mind if I ask what the color code for the maroon on the engine and wheels is? Been thinking of a color very similar for the flathead in my roadster and after seeing this...I'm in love haha
Thank you. The color is TCP Global Burgundy https://tcpglobal.com/collections/acrylic-urethane-paint-Burgundy
I've been reading this to plan my '32 Sedan and some pics recently went missing. That's a bummer because they show a lot of details.
I decided it's time to refresh the front end and do some more upgrades. I had already pulled the bumper, speader bar and apron when I snapped this pic. The spring had gotten pretty rusty from the leaky radiator, so that is getting replaced, along with a dropped 32 heavy axle and original 41 Lincoln brakes. The front crossmember had been repaired years ago, and while it is s sound repair, it's not very pretty. I plan to cut out the center an replace it with a section of a SoCal dropped crossmember. Accomplishing 2 things, cleaning up the crossmember as well as lowering the car a tad more.
I also wanted to finally address the roof insert. I had saved an original tack strip for this car, as the insert was just finished off with this "Hide-em" strip. I assumed I would find the tack channel when I ripped the fabric and trim off, but much to my surprise... I found they had nailed in a piece of galvanized sheet and then leaded it in, covering up the tack channel, so it was basically a filled roof with foam glued to it and fabric nailed on over. I started cleaning the foam off and pulling nails and think I have a plan. I bought a couple of 1/2" wide aluminum roof trim strips for a Model A. These are surface mount, so i think will be a better option than the fabric Hide-em trim that was put on in the 70's. I started by annealing the sections that need to be bent. We made up a plywood buck from the original tack strip. I found a flat 3 wire light cord in the junk drawer that fit perfectly in the channel. I think it's going to work. It will stick up a little more than the original, but once painted black should look way better than what was there.
The Jalopy Journal
