40 Ford coupe rear height

Sid

Sid

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I am trying to figure out how low my 40 ford coupe is from stock. I am thinking if any one has a stock 40 coupe that is stock height maybe measure from center of axle to lower lip of rear fender would give me an idea where I am at. Unless there is another better way. Mine has possibly 1 or 2 leafs removed. Also has any one used Bob Drake tube shock conversion on a 40 Ford rear. I know there was once an outfit in Calif. called Weed Eater that sold kits also but I'm sure they are long gone now. From the center of axle to lower edge of fender is about 15 1/4" and lower edge of fender to ground it is 29". This is with a 28 1/2 tall tire.
 
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Weed Eater is still in business in Red Bluff, California( do a google search). I haven't used the Drake kit, but I did use the kit from Pure Hotrods who do run ads on this site. Their lower brackets are two inches longer than the stock Ford brackets. It allows for a lowered car with stock suspension and banjo rear end. I was very happy with their kit. I used a Pete and Jake kit on the front end. All this was put on my '40 in my avatar.
 
TJ said:
Weed Eater is still in business in Red Bluff, California( do a google search). I haven't used the Drake kit, but I did use the kit from Pure Hotrods who do run ads on this site. Their lower brackets are two inches longer than the stock Ford brackets. It allows for a lowered car with stock suspension and banjo rear end. I was very happy with their kit. I used a Pete and Jake kit on the front end. All this was put on my '40 in my avatar.
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I tried Weed Etr in calif but just keep getting answering machine. Tried Pure Hotrods and goes to a cell phone that don't seem to be working. On the Pure Hotrods kit is it complete or do you just buy a shock stud for the top and drill your own hole? Has anyone dealt with installing Bob Drake kit with a stabilizer? HR18000-K or the BD18000-K> I think both kits are the same,just diff. length shocks.
It looks like C&G in Calif. sells the Weed Etr kits. Does anyone know if these kits are installer friendly? I would be mostly concerned about the positioning of the upper bracket for the shock angle.
 
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To ME, it sounds like you're interested in RAISING the rear of your car with shocks. Just beware that shocks do NOT support weight...springs do. Shocks control vertical movement of the chassis on those springs. DD
 
Pure Hot Rods uses just a stud for the upper mount. I had some old brackets off an old Chevy pickup and modified them to work on the top. They were a three bolt mounting plate with a stud.Since the rear crossmember has a slight angle to it I used some shims to tip it outward so the shock eye lined up with the stud so it was straight for the eye of the shock. The single stud may be OK, but I liked my three bolt mount idea much better.
 
No....Not wanting to raise the car at all. If anything I would like to lower a 1/2 inch to an inch or so. Especially when I put radial tires on which are almost 1/2" shorter at 28" high vs. 28 1/2". So I may just reverse spring eye. I just want to find out what the stock height is of a virgin stock unscrewed with 40 Ford coupe is so I can figure out weather to go with a new Posie lowering rear spring or just reverse the eye on mine. When I order a tube shock kit they will ask me how much the car is lowered so they can give me the correct length shock. If I order a 2" lowering spring I do not want the car to set higher than it is. The existing spring appears to have 6 leaves at this time but does have good arch.
 
Just a note: if you use the shock kit from Drake, you will have to do some minor frame-flange trimming in order to get clearance for the shock body. Also you'll probably have to re-route the exhaust to exit either in front of the rear wheel or have a custom piece bent up because where the stock exhaust route over the rear end (the relieved piece in the frame) is right where the shock goes. A cheap angle grinder from Harbor Freight is a real help in trimming the frame. Also, you'll have to remove the rear brake drums in order to install the lower shock mount.
 
39wagon said:
Just a note: if you use the shock kit from Drake, you will have to do some minor frame-flange trimming in order to get clearance for the shock body. Also you'll probably have to re-route the exhaust to exit either in front of the rear wheel or have a custom piece bent up because where the stock exhaust route over the rear end (the relieved piece in the frame) is right where the shock goes. A cheap angle grinder from Harbor Freight is a real help in trimming the frame. Also, you'll have to remove the rear brake drums in order to install the lower shock mount.
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Thanks for that info. Is the frame that needs some trimming or the cross member that needs trim? I am going to install new dual exhaust as soon as I figure out which way I'm going with the shocks. Leave stock or go tube. I am aware need to pull drums and have everything as far as tools. I just have a problem spending over $500.00 to rebuild the rear shocks when that money could be spent elsewhere. At this point not sure weather to go with the Drake kit with stabilizer or go with the Weed Etr kit. They are probably about the same kit just one has the stabilizer.
 
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My '47 coupe came with the two smallest leaf springs removed and 3" shackles. It has only 3" clearance between banjo housing and the rubber pads on the frame, and the spring lays about flat. The top of the fender well opening sits about a half inch above the top of the white wall band on my Coker Classic bias ply rear tires. = I avoid harsh bumps on roads.
 
I used the Drake rear stabilizer kit. Easily (?) installed with proper tools and equipment.
Needed some frame trimming , Took four hours to install , Myself (70) and an Experienced Mechanic (75) With a full shop and 40 years of experience. Car was clean underneath and decent to work on. We were tired when done to say the least. But it Does work well.
 
"Also has any one used Bob Drake tube shock conversion on a 40 Ford rear."


I have the Drake tube shock and sway bar kit on the rear of my 40 coupe and it has improved the handling no end. Easy to fit and money well spent I think.
As others have said the only problem is that according to their literature, the top of the shocks are supposed to be fitted next to the frame rails where the factory exhaust pipes run so I angled mine in a little instead of relocating the exhaust pipes which only been installed a few weeks before.
 

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47Merc said:
"Also has any one used Bob Drake tube shock conversion on a 40 Ford rear."


I have the Drake tube shock and sway bar kit on the rear of my 40 coupe and it has improved the handling no end. Easy to fit and money well spent I think.
As others have said the only problem is that according to their literature, the top of the shocks are supposed to be fitted next to the frame rails where the factory exhaust pipes run so I angled mine in a little instead of relocating the exhaust pipes which only been installed a few weeks before.
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Did you install the sway bar? If so it is well hidden. I am to assume drill 4 holes in the frame flange for stabilizer and 2 holes for upper shock mount. I see Weed Etr does not have stabilizer.
 
Yes, it is the cross member that needs trimming and it's only the chamfered edge (turned out lip) that needs attention. However, I found that the shock body rubbed just a bit on the cross member itself so I would suggest that you enlarge the area just a little. In that I had no shocks at all when I got my coupe (body roll like a MF'r!!), I got the sway bar with the package. Installs with no drilling; you use the existing holes in the frame rail to attach the sway bushings. As I remember, there are no holes that need to be drilled; the included brackets bolt up to existing holes and the shock mounts and anti-sway bar bolt up to them.
 
Yes the sway bar is behind the diff between it and the gas tank.
I thought I used one existing hole each side and had to drill an two extras hole for the sway bar bushings.
 
If you run the sway bar you may be able to lower the rear with longer shackles, which might be a cheaper option if you are watching the bucks.

Long shackles on a rear end without a panhard/track bar leads to problems and crummy ride.
 
Not to be critical because there's a lot of good info here, but wow - this thread went off the original question in a hurry. How about an answer to the original question - what's the stock height for the body from the rear axle? I assume it applies for all models (sedans, coupes, convertibles and wagons)?
 
alt63bird said:
Not to be critical because there's a lot of good info here, but wow - this thread went off the original question in a hurry. How about an answer to the original question - what's the stock height for the body from the rear axle? I assume it applies for all models (sedans, coupes, convertibles and wagons)?
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Yes....I found one that I think is stock height and it is 7 1/2 from bottom of frame flange near the bump stop to the top of the axle. Mine is about 6 1/2 frame to axle over rear axle. I think reversing the eye will put me at a good ride height. Two others I looked at were about 5 1/2 and set good. I am not a fan of shackles extended on any car plus they look like crap. There are too many other options for adjust a ride height.
 
I had a 40 coupe that was lowered with long shackles. It had a home made panhard bar that linked to the shackles on one side. I drew out the geometry and it was terrible, but in the real world, on the car it worked fine. To answer your question, the wheels look best when centred in the fender opening. so to be honest, if you just centre the wheel, whatever dimension you have is the dimension you want. I no longer have my 40 coupe, so can't measure a dimension for you.

Mart.
 
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