need to make my 35 drive better

Don

Don

Well-known member
My 35 roadster drives great on the open highway with the columbia plenty of power,but on the back roads it doesnt handle very well around the curving roads ,wants to raise up on the curves and hard to steer, Ihave a 38 steering gear to install,.what else would help make a better ride ?
 
How is the ft end alignment?? if the toe is off the car won't feel good.

have you thought about radial tires??

How are the springs, have they been taken apart, cleaned and re-lubed?---or is there rust dust drooling out of them making them stiff (if your shocks are bad the stiff springs help)

How do your shocks work, have they been tested ??
 
Don, I think you'll see a big difference with the newer steering box especially at lower speeds.Are you running bias ply or radials? Tires make a difference too.
 
Don,
I put a `37 steering box in mine too and the alignment checked and it still doesn't feel good in a turn at moderate speeds. My theory is we never knew any different in the old days as we had nothing to compare it to. The modern cars have rack and pinion steering with a great suspension and it spoils us.

Our `37 coupe had much better steering than the `35 even after the steering box swap. But it too leaned in a turn.

Bud
 
My 35 runs 37 'box, tele shocks, radials and is lowered. Handles great, minimal body roll, but rides a bit harsher owing to the amount I've lowered it [dropped axle, reversed spring eyes and lowering blocks at rear], however, simply fitting reversed spring eyes will lower your old car by one inch which makes a considerable difference to the body roll you're experiencing.
The best thing you can do to improve driving quality all round is to fit radials, then that later steering box. Be like having power steer. Brian
 
Don,
You are going to howl at this suggestion, this is however how
I got my '35 2 dr sedan to behave.
Installed a '37 steering box that I set up slightly on the
snug side at the neutral (middle) position
Install a set of shocks built by Mr. Bill Wzorek in Mass
All new shackles with urethane bushings
then the humorous part.....
disassembled the springs and cleaned them, ground most of the
track worn in each leaf by the leaf above it then soldered a
PENNEY on the tips of each leaf on its under side. The penney
provides a bearing between each leaf but also adds a drag
between each leaf. This is important...teflon leaf liners available
everywhere are great for parallel leaf springs but in my HO
allow our buggy springs to slide too much.
set the toe in at 1/8".

You'll throw stones at your new car.
Charlie
 
In addition to the above comments, check your king pins and bushings and all spring shackles/bushings. Radial tires and rebuilt shocks by Bill Wzorek made a huge difference as to how my '35 fordor handled. Before that I was bouncing all over the road especially during turns when I hit a slight bump. I was taking hairpin turns coming down those mountains on the BRP Tour like I was driving a Porsche ;):rolleyes: LOL
 
Charlie ny said:
Don,
You are going to howl at this suggestion, this is however how
I got my '35 2 dr sedan to behave.
Installed a '37 steering box that I set up slightly on the
snug side at the neutral (middle) position
Install a set of shocks built by Mr. Bill Wzorek in Mass
All new shackles with urethane bushings
then the humorous part.....
disassembled the springs and cleaned them, ground most of the
track worn in each leaf by the leaf above it then soldered a
PENNEY on the tips of each leaf on its under side. The penney
provides a bearing between each leaf but also adds a drag
between each leaf. This is important...teflon leaf liners available
everywhere are great for parallel leaf springs but in my HO
allow our buggy springs to slide too much.
set the toe in at 1/8".

You'll throw stones at your new car.
Charlie
Click to expand...

Charlie, Great stuff!
Now what year(S) penny? And, how often replaced??
You say...bah, what's the difference..'what year' penny. Funny thing is that in 1982 (?) penny copper content went from 98% to 2% copper (economics..bs they said):eek:
Copper is soft, but 98% not as soft as 2%. Ergo, mabe 2% needs to be changed/added more often..kinda like oil change..wear out idea,eh:cool:
 
hardtimes said:
Charlie, Great stuff!
Now what year(S) penny? And, how often replaced??
You say...bah, what's the difference..'what year' penny. Funny thing is that in 1982 (?) penny copper content went from 98% to 2% copper (economics..bs they said):eek:
Copper is soft, but 98% not as soft as 2%. Ergo, mabe 2% needs to be changed/added more often..kinda like oil change..wear out idea,eh:cool:
Click to expand...

Yes, If you do the penny trick make sure you use the real copper ones that were made in '82 or before. The new ones are thinly copper coated/plated zinc. They probably won't solder too well or last that long between those springs. That's an age old trick.
 
Should have said that the front end was all rebuilt when i had the body off.spring was taken apart ,sb ,worn spots ground down and a small amount of heavt grease applied, steel type shackel bushings, k p all redone. Ilike the idea of a torsion bar plus the 38 gear box,Is it a big deal to put on the torsion bar on the 35? The shocks were good when i put them on and havent see any leaks from them.Hate to spend the big bucks for radials when i have good tires .Is there an after mkt torsion bar,
 
I guess i was calling a sway bar a torsion bar,i think there is a difference.Sorry
 
I just removed a sway bar/tube shock accessory from my 36.

It was an aftermarket deal, was on the car when I got it, but I wanted to go back more original - installed a set of Bill Wzorek shocks.

It allows the use of tube shocks and provides a stabilizer bar. No holes to drill; it uses the front bumper bolts and one of the original shock mount holes. Pretty neat deal.

You can have it for the payment of shipping.

I have no info on it, nor do I know what other models it might fit.

Pretty much all the hardware is there.

PM or email henry.horrocks@comcast.net
 

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You hate to spend the big bucks to buy radials when you have good tires? That's the thing; you don't have good tires; you have crap 1930's technology tires, and everything else suspension and steering wise. And you've also got the same handling. You want better steering, ride and suspension, whilst remaining relatively stock? You've been getting much the same solutions from a number of guys. Brian
 
I have a 39 Std coupe. I installed a sway bar from a 40 Deluxe. It required replacing the perch bolts and adding the bar. I had to remove 2 existing rivits and replace them with bolts. Made a dramatic difference in the handling of the vehicle, and it was essentially all a bolt on affair.
 
I have bias tires on my 39 and they are fine. I had radial ties on my model "a". I replaced them with Coker bias tires. I like the Bias tires better than the radial tires. Old Fords are not designed for the different stresses that radial tire apply to the suspension. I like body roll. it makes the car look like it is going fast around a corner or curve. I am thinking of lowering the 39 with longer shackles. This should increase the body roll.

I love the way old cars handle when they are in proper working condition. If you want to drive a Mustang two, you should buy a Mustang two.

When you drive an old car you should not over drive the brakes and steering. This is just common sense.
 
Install Mono leaft springs front and rear, install sway bar fronty and rear, 37 up box, install radial tires, install good shocks, It will ride and handle like a new car. Walt
 
Tp qipte Sturgis39 "I love the way old cars handle when they are in proper working condition. If you want to drive a Mustang two, you should buy a Mustang two.

When you drive an old car you should not over drive the brakes and steering. This is just common sense."

I enjoy the old car feel as well. That to me is what it is all about. My 2¢
 
Don-

Let me add to the list others have made to improve '35 handling and ride that work for me. First, make sure the "normal" parts are in good condition. This includes tie rod, drag link, king pins and springs. Given that, this is what I did to my '35 to make it a "civilized" driver:

'39 steering, '37-'40 front wishbone, Lovejoy shocks (all four corners), '40 swaybar, '37-'40 rear transmission frame mount, '48 brakes with a remote '57 T-Bird vacuum booster. 3.54 axle and '39 trans.

The car is a breeze to drive, has minimal road vibrations, minimal body sway from crossswinds and/or curves, nimble steering and brakes that would rival a lot of newer cars. Yes, I do get some criticism from others (especially "purists"), about the changes I have made but at the end of the day, the car goes home with me, not the critics! :)

Tom
 
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