V8-60 front axles: an appreciation

I polished one for use in a sprint car a couple years ago. This one had a thin parting line on both the top and bottom. I may be going out on a limb here, but I think they were probably cast steel, and not forged at all. I know cast steel has a bad rep here, but most suspension parts are cast steel rather than forged, and have been for many years. I'm guessing that this was an early effort on Ford's part to replace an expensive forging with a cheaper casting.

 

Some history threads...most info is from production letters shown in '38-9 resto books. They were definitely used in 85's and some 1940 60's. Earlier 60's not at all clear, quite possibly nothing in 1937.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=191569&highlight=tube+axle&showall=1

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202649&highlight=tube+axle&showall=1

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=268766&highlight=tube+axle

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=350871&highlight=tube+axle

 

Our FED runs a double dip mopar with Mopar spindles flipped over for tie rod clearance.

Pretty neat set-up.

 

Common folk lore is that is was to save weight in those grossly underpowered V-8 60 cars. The truth is it only saved a marginal amount of weight.

Your story rings truer for we all know Henry was one cheap SOB!

 

Holy shit, in the end I hope heaven looks a lot like this..

 

Yes, that thing's lookin crazybadass,dig the shield.

 

For the guys with original cars with the Tube Axle do the cars also have the narrow wheel rims that V8-60 powered cars are said to have?

 

here's one in a 60's T I had. of all the cars I ever sold that is the one I want back the most.

 

There's one in my 39 standard.

 

That is what is so neat about early Ford parts... Parts that were never really supposed to be seen under the car have so much style and engineering in them.

I had a V8- 60 axle in the front of my old T.

 

here's the one going on my HA/GR

 

I'd like to know this as well for there are still a good deal of 3.5" wide five rims out there.

The steelie 3.5" came only on the '40 and I'm assuming only V8-60 powered cars. But you know what they say when you assume

 

Whats a V8-60 axle worth?

 

Here's the one on the Hollish Bros car. It killed me to drill it

 

There's one under the 39 Standard original 60hp car we have as well. I plan on stealing it for my 27 track T project.

The wheels on ours look just like any other wide 5 rim I've seen, they really made a 3 1/2" wide 5?

 

Yes. It is really, really hard to tell the difference with a tire on the rim. You can see the difference when guys use the 4.50/4.75 tire on a 3.5" vs. 4" rim.

The "new" trick is to buy a wide-five 3.5" rim, cut off the metal rim, and take the center section from a '40-style steelie and graft the two.

Instant 3.5" rim and you now are a hipster along with your high clearence wheels out back.

 

The Ford tubular axle perch/axle bolt holes had the mounting seats welded to the axle body on top and bottom. A friend of mine has one which has one of the upper perch hole bosses popped loose. They were obviously welded to the tube but not stick-welded, something along the lines of fusion welding Ford loved so much.

 

They are a must for a 50s style T. Bought mine for $75 in the 80s I've seen them lately for $375. A bargain.

 

When is someone is going to post a buncha close up naked pictures?

 

Here is one a buddy used in his T

 

Are you sure? I thought the dude (know as Wheelkid) was making these from this exact same recipe?

 

Nobody come near mine. I am running them as intended.

 

I love V8 60 axles ... Lucky Burton has a really neat old chrome one that I drool over..

Also Johnny Cola's dads roadster has a dropped V8 60 axle... its pretty bad ass

 

For the "more information" department. I bought a rolling '40 chassis about a year ago from the man that bought it as a complete '40 V8-60 coupe in the early 70's. He put the body on an aftermarket frame and sold the 60. The chassis had all the 60 items one would expect: front tube axle, 60 front engine mount plates riveted to the front crossmember at the 85 front engine mount area, rear end ratio of 4.44, and best of all the rare 1940 3.5" solid wheels. Here's the odd part - it had 3 of the 3 1/2" wheels and the 4th one was a normal 4" wheel.

Yes, I still have the tube axle & two of the 3 1/2" wheels and no they are not for sale.

 

That is like the one we saw at LARS on the green roadster. Like 296v8 said earlier in this thread its an early bell! But notice how the ends are longer than a V860 and the middle is narrowed. I still cant figure if they used a v8-60 middle section "narrowed" and king pin boss' changing the tubular ends or did they make a whole new axle. Basically is it a modified v8-60 or did they do their own?

 

Scan from an old mag'.