A-V8 Roadster
- Thread starter Deuce Man
- Start date
Chris
Well-known member
Thanks, I am shooting for an early A-V8 car. Other then the steering box it is all pre 48. The steering box is an F-1 modified to fit the A frame like explained in the Tardell/Bishop book. The F-1 crossmember and pedals actually started in 1942 pickups.
FL&WVMIKE
Well-known member
DEUCE MAN ......................
A better way of reversing the eyes is to reverse the ARCH of the main leaf instead.
Trace the original arch, in chalk, on the floor and use a press to REVERSE the arch, to match your tracing. It works and does not affect the temper. Try it, you'll like it !
MIKE
Joe AZ
Senior Member
I had a '33 spring redone the way Mike describes.....can't get anymore complex than that. You can also choose to "not" re-arch the spring as much as stock...lowering the car further.
Joe
I don't see any way that you will be able to correctly re-temper the ends of the main leaf; I think you will have a main leaf with "dead" ends and it will never work properly.
Regardless, fabricating a fixture and doing it yourself (time/labor) or finding a spring shop to re-roll the eyes for you ($) seems like a long way to go for the small amount of drop you will achieve. In post #15 Bassman's frame is Z'd; all Model A frames will require some fabrication and welding anyway so think how you want the car to sit and Z the frame accordingly.
Regardless, fabricating a fixture and doing it yourself (time/labor) or finding a spring shop to re-roll the eyes for you ($) seems like a long way to go for the small amount of drop you will achieve. In post #15 Bassman's frame is Z'd; all Model A frames will require some fabrication and welding anyway so think how you want the car to sit and Z the frame accordingly.
FlatheadTed
Well-known member
I think the 1" you will gain could be had with lengthened the shackles ,but then you will need a stabiliser bar , By Removing three leaves then adding stiffer shocks could drop it down more, I dropped a 34 ,2 1/2 " by removing 4 leaves.
MN Stumpjumper
Senior Member
I have reversed a rear spring useing the method and homemade jig from the HAMB. It is alot of work! I don't think I would do it again, You are right , that is alot of arch to turn around.
If you don't get it all the way to original shape it will be too long and hit bottom when installed. Some use model T springs with success.
Chris
Well-known member
You cannot run a longer shackle on an A because the spring sits right over the rear end...not behind it. Longer shackles would make the spring hit the axle.
FlatheadTed
Well-known member
Yes Chris I didn't think of that .
Bassman/NZ
Well-known member
What he said. I spoke to a spring specialist about this and he said rolling the eyes the opposite way is bad practice, they can crack.
Deuce Man
Well-known member
Took my stock Model A rear spring apart. Removed every other spring leaf then as recommended traced the main leaf on my workbench, not on the floor! Too old to bend over that much! With my arbor press I reversed the bend in the spring- not to bad a job. Next pre-loaded the spring to 750 lbs. which is what I guessed it will carry. Spring compressed 5 inches and grew 47" eye to eye. Does this sound right? My gut feeling is...I need that second (next to the main) leaf back. I have 5 now. What do you guys think?
Deuce Man
Well-known member
Tacked in the rear spring hangers, after calculating how much the spring will spread under load. Seems to be in the ballpark. Dry fitted my center crossmember bottom. This will bolt to flange on original crossmember. There will be an extension going forward to locate the wishbone torque ball. Brake and clutch pedals next, with forward x-member legs. Then finish weld everything. Boy do I need practice welding!
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gerrald meacham
Senior Member
a bearing press will reverse the spring u have a good ideas 3 peaces of round stock and start bending i have done lots with a press copy it on the floor first nothing but sweat
flatjack9
Well-known member
What sort of adapter did you use to mount the transmission? I use the same ******, but I have only mounted it behind an 8BA block. Makes a great driving car. I have one in my 39 and grafted the 39 lever to the box. Shift lever is within 1/2" of the stock location.
It looks as though the main leaf is now longer after reversing it, or at least the eyes are further apart. The shackles have no load (weight) on them, yet they are closer to vertical then they are to horizontal. With the car completed and sitting on the ground with liquids and passengers the shackles will not work properly. Loaded I'd want to see the shackles near a 45* angle.
I save a lot of stuff and I've got measurements that put the spring eyes (spring on the bench) at 46" CC and the hangers on the rear end at 49" CC. I'm posting this not to be critical, but I think you should think this through, my only intent here is to help.
I save a lot of stuff and I've got measurements that put the spring eyes (spring on the bench) at 46" CC and the hangers on the rear end at 49" CC. I'm posting this not to be critical, but I think you should think this through, my only intent here is to help.
Deuce Man
Well-known member
Thanks fordors as you saw in the previous picture I pre loaded my spring by lifting with my forklift. there is a load cell under it. I measured how much the spring spread Duplicated that with the bar clamps. Believe me those springs are stretching the bar clamps for all they are worth ! So actually they have the equivelant of 750 lbs on the spring If I let off on the clamps the spring eyes come together 6 inches and the spring grows in height by 5 inches. hope this makes sense to you this is what happens when a boat builder builds a car. Different path but we arrive at the same place.