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non-suicide frame plans?

Ok guys...
I had this front axle given to me last evening. Actually there will be another one just like it coming along soon.
I know it isnt much but there really isn't a lot to choose from around here and money is... "tight".
Pleae excuse the cell phone picture quality..
So.. is something like this usable?
Opinions/suggestions welcomed.
 
Useable???

TOTALLY!!!

split the wishbones. you can adapt F1 brakes to the spindles OR get a set of 37-48 ford spindles and put 40's ford juice brakes, F1 brakes or disc brakes. you can use the spring as is or reverse the leaves or buy a lowered spring with reverse eyes. find a model A restorer who wants the left overs.

from experience...

you'll probably wanna put in a new set of kingpins and spring perches no matter what.
 
Yup .. it's usable .. for free it's verry usable. You're gonna wanna find some later spindles, but tha's a good score.


Ron
 
Thanks Ron!
Yes, I've been reading your (and other folks) posts about putting in other spindles.
Here's a question for you...
Are the suggested spindles the same as far as "offset" or height position or whatever word/phrase is appropriate?
If so I can do a lot of mock-up with these originals. It could be a while before I run across the proper ones.
Thanks.
Joe
 
Yes you can do the mock up with these spindles. The bolt pattern is 5 on 5-1/2" so you can use the 15" rims off of a Ford pickup with tires the size you want to run to check clearances and ride heigth.

One thing I'd like to comment on is the kick at the front of the frame. This area can get real "busy" with everything that goes up there, like shock mounts, headlight stands, etc. I would strongly advise to put the kick just behind the firewall, especially if you are running full fenders. Build a toeboard into the floor (as Henry did) and you can hide the kick under it. It will be much cleaner looking. JMO

Ron
 
Thanks for all that good info.

I was telling "the guys" last evening (Tuesday evening car-guys) how great you all were here compared to "other" boards.

Yes, a kick up in the front would complicate a complicated area.
Behind the firewall mess up too much for a full fendered setup?
I may be able to live with the height if I put in a "lowering" crossmember and adjust spring and tire sizes.

At this point I have a set of 30-31 fenders for an A truck that I'd like to do before I die, but no 28-29 fenders around that I have found.
But I have an English wheel and a plannishing hammer (each cobbled together by me) and a MIG welder. A buddy of mine has a shrinker/stretcher and a bead-roller.
I've beaten tin for a long time so the thought of making them doesn't "scare" me. Much.

I'm not looking to build a show car, either for looks or money. But I don't want a franken-T either. A show car in my part of the world might as well be a trailer queen.
A 4-banger would be enough for me but I have the running gear from the S10 so, in traditional hotrod style I will use what I can get.

It's been so muggy here for the past week that I haven't gotten much done. Over 90% humidity. Whew.
 
If you use 3" tubing for the frame you could run the aprons off the bottom of the front rails and off the top under the body. Then build a hood to cover the front rails.

Ron
 
Thanks. That sounds reasonable.
Yes, I have 2X3X3/16 tubing for this. Done that right anyway. ;)

I'm going away for a week starting Saturday so things will be at a stop as far as "doing" but plenty of time for thinkin'.
I'm driving about 8 hours away (to Cape Breton, the other end of the province).
A friend there knows of a fellow who has "old car stuff" at a private slavage yard so we'll see what he has to offer.
He's the same friend who found a decent flathead for me so I trust his eye. :D
Amoung other things, this will be a recon mission. I'll go back up in a month and by then have a trailer to bring home any goodies I may find. Body panels, radiator, spindles, steering boxes.... I'll be looking hard.
I'll be re-reading as many posts as I can so I can get an idea of what to look for.

I suppose I should start a build thread, shouldn't I?
It just seems strange to have "build" thread at this early stage with so many decisions up in the air.
 
Ron... (or whoever :D ) I was reading other posts and hit on 49-54 Chevy passenger car spindles as being options.
Any comments?
I need all the options I can get since most junkyards were cleared out or the cars rotted away years ago here.
Thanks
 
Thanks.
More hassle.. I don't need.
Not worried about getting brake parts.. just finding spindles without having to stop eating for the week to pay for them. ;)
My nephew works at a parts store and can source backing plates and stuff like that but not spindles..
 
If you're looking at the Chevy spindles you wiil need to get a tube axle for them. It is possible to adapt the Chevy spindles to the A axle but you will be money ahead to use the Ford spindles. Look for a set of F-1 or F-100 brakes. Your nephew should be able to get the rebuild parts easy enough. Speedway has a kit with the bearings and seals now.

Ron
 
Thanks.
I'll stick with the Ford spindles. I didn't see the part about having to get a different axle for the Chev spindles.

I expect that my nephew can get everything except the spindles.
Not that I have ANY issues with getting stuff from Speedway or anyone else. But if they are in the US.. getting stuff here jumps the cost so much it's better to pay more here and have someone local to go bug if things are wrong.
I've know of things disappearing at the border and sometimes broker and duty fees are added that make a $50 part cost $90. No fun there.
I'll go see what he has access to today.

I hope to be able to give back somewhere along the way...
If you folks have computer questions (PC, not much MAC experience) PLEASE ask.
I don't know everything but have been in that field since 1985 and learned a bit.

Joe
 
Someone on here must have the part numbers for the bearings and seals Gizz. If not I'll find them for ya.

Ron
 
Hi folks,

After doing some reading (I just keep rolling through the posts here... my eyes are tired) I believe that I can get away with mounting the front end like Ron suggested in this post as a reply to "railroad":
http://www.tbucketeers.com/forum/f7/spring-shackle-4379/
... as long as I have some type of frame horn in front of the axle so it's not the "forbidden" (here) suicide front end.
I'm thinking that this would allow me to tweak enough to get some lowering without jumping through too many frame hoops. A combination of a lowering cross-member, possible zee-ing and frame notching should give me enough drop.
Remember.. money and parts are very hard to come by here and I'm not looking to get in the weeds. I just don't want to have to use a step ladder to get into the thing.
Thoughts???

edit: Ok... forget that. can't do that here. Love those rules.
I guess I'll have to do this with zee-ing the frame and raising the crossmemeber.
 
Using Ron's plans... Thanks Ron.
I built a wooden frame for mockup. WAY too high without some lowering in the front.
So I zeed the wooden frame and made some calculations. Looked good.
So I made up the frame from 2x3x3-1/16 and zeed it. It looks like it's going to be decent enough for height after I reverse-eye the spring and get some proper wheels and tires.
I'll will start a build thread eventually with crappy pics since I only have a cell phone camera.
Thanks to all who commented so far.

Joe
 
Why does everyone seem to have a problem with a suicide spring perch mount on the front of the frame???

Has any of you actually looked under most of your FACTORY PRODUCTION trucks and trailers? You will notice that most of the trucks have rears and trailers axles have there mounting above the leaf springs and are litterally HANGING from spring U-Bolts. What is the the difference??? Detroit has trusted the setup for a hundered years. Why the hub-bub???

What is so bad about having the front spring mounted suicide style. CCR never had a problem with it!!!

I did'nt know there were any rules in hotrodding besides building it to be safe and reliable!
 
mr27t ... re-read the posts... you mis-understand.
"I" don't have a problem with that setup (in fact.. I don't see many who do have problems with it here).
The "man" here does.
If you can build whatever you like without any engineer getting involved..BE HAPPY!
A lot of us can't just toss something together (and by that I don't mean unsafe) without serious scrutiny.
We need approval of a provincially appointed engineer who doesn't seem to like much.
 
Okay then, This message is for the "Man"!!!

Noah, a simple man built the Ark... A room full of engineers and designers built the Titanic!
 
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