Would you put a solid axle under a tri-five Chevy?

I thought I'd never have to ask this question... 'cause I'm not one to mess with the suspension on street machine type vehicles. Sure, a Pre-48 Ford hot rod should have a solid axle... cars like Falcon's and Mustangs are cool with them... but cars like Tri-fives, Camaros, Novas... naaaaaa.

But after looking at a lot of the "g***ers" on the HAMB, I kinda like the idea of it.

I'm not into the sky-high g***er look... stock height and level for me... but having a solid axle under my '55 just seems like it'll add some points to the cool factor.

But is it worth the h***le?

The car is a pretty nice old race car... and at one time, actually HAD a '40 Ford suspension under the front crossmember...

But is the ****ty ride worth the aggrivation?

My favorite is Shakey Puddin's '55... he did a neat little trick, or the owner before did...

They took the front frame horns off of the stock frame... The ONLY thing they are there for is to hang the front bumper, and I'm not going to run a front bumper.

I think I may have answered my own question...
But what do you all think?

Sam.

 

I think you answered your own question as well. But, if you're doing it just for "looks" and praise from on lookers. I'd leave it a one if I were you.

 

Come on DO IT, Whats better than ****ing up a perfectly good grandpa car anyway, and yers was a racer already. I hate when this happens "Oooh cool g***er......but they left the STOCK front suspension on it....."Wuh wuh wuh, see what I mean. It is like a fake flathead or fake rocket motor.

Just my .02

FLIP

 

ABSOLUTELY!
Just like you propose...low and clean.
I'd use twin parallel spring ***emblies...don't like the look of a transverse setup on a 50's or later car. Personal choice...

 

ian, I know you probably haven't seen the **** I've built... but I'm not into "shock factor" cars... or praise from other people.
I do this **** for the love of the iron and the quest towards automotive PERFECTION.

I got a looooooooooooong way to go!

But I got a handle on it enough to know what I like, and know what I don't.

I guess I'm just torn about something for once...

you see, I tend to err on the conservative side... not too low, not too high... not chopped a lot...

I like the end result... but it's not "perfect".

The perfect '55 g***er-type car would have a solid front axle under the front.

But in the quest for a "perfect" '55 Chevy, I'm considering moderate driveability...

I want to drive this thing to the track, and run mid 10's...

I've owned and driven several solid front axle cars... and one '60 Falcon "g***er" with a solid axle.

They all drove pretty good... but the Falcon ****ED ***... it rode like a bucking bronco... it was a car I bought as a solid front axle car.

I just think I can achieve the look I want without cutting the front end off and solid axleing it. But then again, I'd enjoy fabricating the front end (axle, wishbones, coil over mounts, shock mounts etc.).

Coil overs? Yea, late 60's g***er stuff... 4 bar, coil overs... like a high-end g***er would have in the late 60's.

I guess I could add a sway bar too!


But is it worth the h***le?

I'm thinking "no"... when you consider the ride quality would go in the toilet.

Or would it?

I guess that's what I wanted to know...

Sam.
p.s. One of these days I'm going to let my hair down and build something WILD! Like a RAT ROD!

 

Do it like the Two Lane Blacktop/American Grafitti 55...it had a straight axle, but no ultra noseblled stance. Looked tough as nails without going overboard.

 

Sam, DO IT.

I like solid axles because of the fact that they are simple. They look simple, they are simple to work on, and....dammit, they just look cool.

Do is all a favor though and kick the front end up a few inches on that car. Don't go to all the trouble of putting an axle under it only to not show it off.

Don't go too high, I agree, but you HAVE to kick it up a few inches.


....and why do straight axles NOT belong on Novas??? The only cool Novas at all are the early 60's ones WITH straight axles....in my opinion. Hell, I'd like to see a later muscle car nova with a straight axle.

.....then again, I just do this stuff to create real world Roth style monster cars. Actually being tasteful doesn't really ever enter into the equation.

TINGLER

EDIT: Oh yeah, RIDE QUALITY will NOT go into the toilet much at all. At least it didn't for me. Its a little stiffer, but really it rides much smoother than I thought it would....FWIW.

 

my fender wells were already cut out... so we should probably combine our efforts and RULE THE ****ING WORLD!!! Wuhahahahahaha!!!

I hear you though, Flip.

I'm a ***** when it comes to "over the top".

Sam.

 

Tingler... I'm talking '66 and later Novas...

The '62 Chevy II's, however, HAVE to have a solid axle under the front of them!

You're right, it's the only way.

And Mustangs? I'm trying to get my older brother to build something like this:
Sam.

 

Sam,

You want to do it. I can tell. Just go for it. Tool around with different spring and shock setups till you acheive the desired ride quality along with stance. I can hear a chant coming on in this thread...DOOO IT..DOOO IT..DOOO IT. Haha, Good luck. Keep us posted on your progress if you decide to go through with it.

 

I'm not so sure that ride quality ****s with a solid front axle. I redid the front of my truck last summer and replaced everything but the steering box. The improvement was remarkable.

With your skills and thoughtfulness when configuring for a solid axle, I think you will get the roadability that you want as well as the coolness.

The shortcoupled Falcon probably had problems that you could avoid.

do it, himmelberg

 

Get ahold of Richard Ruth if ya can. (He lives out there, right?!). The Two Lane 55 ran 10s and seemed to sit tough and drive right. It used flat paralell leafs and had a killer stance, but was obviously still functional in a drag car!

 

no.

 

Sorry, but I'm gonna post the same damn pic of my Henry J. Parallel leafs and tube axle.


This thing was way high, but handeld and drove perfectly. Lots of thinking went into the castor, Ackerman and steering box/arm/link ***y. Nuttin you can't handle.

I've seen transverse leaf on 55s, but I they look kinda funny...

By the way, your 55 looks killer the way it sits.

-Abone.

 

I have to vote no... but then again what do I know I'm putting disc brakes on my roadster...

 

Just go ahead, torch off all that heavy iron in front of the firewall and splice in some rectangular tube rails. You're gonna need a roll cage to run tens and tie it through the firewall to the front rails anyway. Transverse spring or longitudinals with a tube axle, lose the inner fenders, fenderwell headers, tilt front end, yeah, now that's a g***er.

 

sam did ALL old g***ers have solid axles? I've seen pictures from that time of 55 "g***ers" that didn't have a solid axle. I've seen kits to raise the front end with the stock suspension, in fact I've seen 2" lift spindles for tri-five chevys. I didn't put one on mine cause its my daily driver and I didn't wanna give up the ride quality even though people tell me I should put the damn solid axle under it. my opinion though, if your not gonna be driving it everyday. do it!

 

Hmmm...actually, I think you'd get a better ride using the straight axle than with the original raised.


Mutt

 

i cant say that i have heard of that before ,model a sus*****on on a tri 5.

 

holy **** i just hit 100 post now i can inspect Grenade's !

 

Hot Rod did a "How To" in the Feb. '64 issue.


Mutt

 

One of the Prettiest '55 I saw was a lift ... think it was in a 1960 Drag magazine ... I've kicked the lift idea around because it would be easy-enough to change ... once ya cut that frame ? ....

 

In 1967 when I was in high school we put a straight axle under a '57 chevy. There is nothing like it. Hell we thought our balls were so big we couldn't sit down for a week.

Truth is it changes the complete dynamics of the car. And if drag racing is what you like, you will like the change.

It's not about comfort, it's not about handling, it's not about logic. It's about the quarter mile. Do it.

'sides, you can always change it back. Live the dream, you'll be glad you did

 

I don't really want a sky-high g***er... at all.

I think wheel placement is very important too... a lot of them seem like the wheels are in too far.

Richard Ruth... he built the TIG welded bars for the rear suspension on my Model A... and then we straightened my rear end housing out after I bent it welding it all together about 10 years ago... so, yea... I could hit him up for some advice. he used to take his pro street tri-five Chevy pickup to swaps and sell his wares... but I haven't seen him in about 7 years... hmmmmmm...

Anyway, I may do this thing in stages... If I do the solid axle, I want it to sit like a stocker, but when you pop the hood, I want you to see the solid axle and all the suspension stuff in all its chromed glory.

I have a line on some polished Magnesium 15 x 4" five spokes... and I have some 8.5" ers for the rear.

I'm thinking straight-*** Black body, chrome front stuff, gloss black frame and rear end, Ladder bars and floaters and then paint the center of the five spokes GOLD and leave the lip polished. Oh yea, waffle pattern interior... chrome mouldings, SW gauges... tach on the dash, bench seat, roll bar (you don't need a cage to run 10's, just a five point roll bar... I'll do a six point)... hmmm, I think I answered my question to myself!

SOLID FRONT AXLE!!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!!
(or maybe not)

Sam.

 

My dream is to get it running 10's... then take it to the HAMB Drags, and raffle off a free ride to raise money for this place... either that, or sell rides for $100... with the proceeds going to the HAMB.

The flaw in the last brainstorm I had to show someone what its like to go like hell was... I was going to turn the keys over to them (bad idea).

This deal would be, you get to sit in the p***enger's seat, and beg for me to let off the throttle.

Sam.

 

Sam do you remember that cover shot on "HOTROD" mag. red 55? that should awnser your question...........OLDBEET

 

I can't believe you had to ask the quetion...

Hack nailed it, with pointing out Two Lane Blacktop. Tri-Fives should look like that. That car is ***s as it is, but it is fun to m***age ***s.

 

I use my palms not my nuckles............OLDBEET

 

Straight, Sam, 'cause it's just what makes a real '55 g***er. True form follows function -- sole purpose being to reduce front-end weight in the era when hard slicks had to work OT. One of my all-time favorite 55's is Gene Moody's 4-time Indy Nationals Winner (had pleasure of seeing it many times). And what was he runnin'? '40 Ford V8-60 front axle.

 

"The car is ***s the way it is, but it's fun to m***age ***s"
-Dusty Knuckles

You, my friend, are a poet who didn't know it... I'll have that line wore out before the weekends over!

Those '55's aren't mine... the black one with injectors is our very own ShakeyPuddin's...

This, is mine...

Sam.