I just removed the frame from my 29 phaeton and counted the leaves on the rear spring. There were 9 including the one what has the eyelets for the shackles. I thought that a phaeton should have a total of 8 leaves for the rear spring. The leaves on my spring look like they are correct, i.e. stepped from one to the next - no duplicates. There is a pretty small leaf at the top. I thought there were 7 leaves for roadsters, 8 for coupes & phaetons, 10 for tudors & fordors and no model A's with 9 leaves. Does anyone know if there were model A's that had 9 leaves for the rear spring, specifically if phaetons did?
Rear springs for 29 phaeton
- Thread starter wrndln
- Start date
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
Didn't you also have the frame that has the rear crossmember stamped P9, or was it R8? I remember seeing a frame at your house that didn't jive with known information for the number of leaves.
Yes, your Phaeton should have 8 leaves. I'd guess someone added a leaf, or used a sedan spring with one leaf removed.
Yes, your Phaeton should have 8 leaves. I'd guess someone added a leaf, or used a sedan spring with one leaf removed.
Ron in Quincy
Well-known member
As Tom said, the correct spring is an 8 leaf; the 28 Phaeton I use to have also had the 8 leaf rear spring.
It also uses the same bottom spacer bar as used on the coupe and roadster; so the spring is pulled up tight in the cross member which is very important.
Ron
It also uses the same bottom spacer bar as used on the coupe and roadster; so the spring is pulled up tight in the cross member which is very important.
Ron
I bought a 30 Phaeton, originally from Argentina. It too had 9 leafs, with the short one on top and all looked correctly fitted. Wrndln, was your car foreign assembled? Is this something unique or was it standard on some models? Can the non-US guys shed any light on this?
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
OK, I found the picture of the R8 stamped on the right rear of the rear crossmember. I still wonder if the "R" or "8" was a mistake, or if maybe a Roadster with a rumble seat could be ordered with an 8 leaf spring?
Ron in Quincy
Well-known member
Tom,
Although I can't seem to locate the article amoung my litature; It was an anouncement by Ford in 1931 that the 7 leaf Roadter rear spring would no longer be made; the article went on to say to use a 8 leaf spring and told which leaf to remove.
Of course you would still have to put a short spacer on the bottom so the lower mounting brackets used for coupes and roadsters would pull the spring tight into the cross member.
Has anyone else ever seen this article ?
Ron
Although I can't seem to locate the article amoung my litature; It was an anouncement by Ford in 1931 that the 7 leaf Roadter rear spring would no longer be made; the article went on to say to use a 8 leaf spring and told which leaf to remove.
Of course you would still have to put a short spacer on the bottom so the lower mounting brackets used for coupes and roadsters would pull the spring tight into the cross member.
Has anyone else ever seen this article ?
Ron
The picture Tom W. posted of the R8 is from the frame I am using for my special coupe. The original frame was junk (welded/many extra holes and a 30/31 frame to boot), so I needed to find a better one. I found a very nice one. I was told it was from a 29 roadster, hence the R. I posted a message on the old Fordbarn, but never got a good explanation of why there is an R8 on the frame instead of an R7. Now I have a frame on my 29 phaeton that is also very nice, however the rear spring has 9 leaves on it. There is no stamp on it like the frame with the R8 on it. I wish I could find a document that shows the length of each individual leaf, then I could determine if I have an "extra leaf" somewhere on it. BTW, my phaeton was a Canadian built car, it that makes any difference. Thanks for the responses.
Tom Wesenberg
Well-known member
Marco has an excellent spring chart he drew up and posted. I think you can slso find the chart on his website. If not, let me know and I'll see if I can find it in my photo's and I'll repost it here.