IFS, Dropped I-Beam, or Front End Clip???
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IFS, Dropped I-Beam, or Front End Clip???
Posted: September 07 2002 10:51 PM
 
Larry Loiselle (aka loiselle) [ View ] [ ditvenet@hotmail.com ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ]
Manor, Texas
(512) 272-5770
 
I have a 1930 Model A pickup on a modified Model A frame with the guts from a 1988 Olds Delta 88. It has a Buick 350 V8, TH350,Olds rear end, Olds power steering and column, and Olds power disk brakes on front. The guy who built it used the front disk brakes from the Olds, removed the A-arms (maybe ball joints) and bolted that spindle to the I-Beam. It uses the Olds steering linkage. This setup is shaky and maybe dangerous. The Olds power steering (hangs way down under frame) and

column have to go. I guess that means a new column, steering box and linkage. I see three possible options. Any suggestions?


1. Find a better spindle to hook to the Olds front power disk brakes, get a dropped I-Beam, and front leaf spring, or


2. Get a Mustang two system with different rotors or find spindle to bolt on Olds rotors, or


3. Get a front end clip from some other car or truck.


What would the pros and cons be of each option? Which would probably be the best solution for ride and handling?


Help? Thanks.



Larry

larry_loiselle@hotmail.com
 
 
Comments
 
Posted by gm46  -  09/04/2002 07:58 PM
No question, when in doubt rip it out. That is particularly sound if safety is in question. Lots of pros and cons. I have had sub framed cars that were as nice as could be when driving but they were fat fendered and low. To me the model A looks bad with anything other than the old straight axle but that is my oponion. I think the whole thing boils down to how you want it to look and what budget you have. I now have a straight axle car and while not the comfort of the sub framed fat fender it rides ok and looks good. My friend had two 34's first with independent, second with straight axel. First thing he was going to do wastear out the straight axel until he drove it awhile, now says it ain't that far off and it is still there looking good. Unless you really know what you are doing I would scrap it and go with new parts of your choice. Personally, I do not try to save money with junk yard parts on steering and brakes, but again thats just my thoughts. Good luck, I like those A bone pickups.
gm46 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] (location not given)
 
Posted by greggggg  -  09/04/2002 08:28 PM
i'd go with a new chassis....after all those shaky modifications,i might be easier to start from scratch....i'd also go with a dropped I-BEAM axle,they look right on a hot rod...mustang II's don't work out well in model A's...too wide and too high.....setting up chassis is not hard or expensive,you could buy a chassis already done from many places(TCI..PETE & JAKES..ETC)..or you could do it yourself...box an original frame,get a used dropped axle(they are for sale all the time because of guys going independent)..split wishbones....8" ford rear...depending on your skill and access to equipment,it can all be homemade....on the attached picture,EVERYTHING,frame,4-bars,ladder bars,motor mounts where hand made(except the superbell axle).....how is your car set up now? channeled? fenders/fenderless? do you want it that way?is the frame boxed? what about the rear suspension? is the original model A front crossmember still in it? are you happy with the rest of the chassis? but,you will have to decide what works for you and how to get there...hope this helps.....
greggggg [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] owatonna, Minnesota
 
Posted by 16buick  -  09/06/2002 01:52 PM
The advice above is all good, one thing I would suggest though if you are going to buy a used I-Beam, take a straight edge with you, one customer we had wanted to use an old mor-drop axle, so we set it up in the frame only to find out that as we set up proper caster the drivers side was at 3 degrees (which is good) the other side was 6 degrees. Be careful buying used parts, you never know what kind of abuse they have been through. Axles are cheap ($190.00 for a Chassis Engineering which by the way is forged).
16buick [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Ionia, Michigan
 
Posted by loiselle  -  09/07/2002 10:51 PM
Greg asked how the rear of the Model A pickup was set up. Well, it has the 1978 Olds Delta 88 rear end (2.73:1?). It also has leaf springs and air shocks. The gas tank is mounted under the bed behind the rear axle.


It is running a 1978 Buick 350 V8 with TH350 auto.
loiselle [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Manor, Texas
 
Posted by greggggg  -  09/06/2002 07:40 PM
16buick...you are right about used parts..you have to be carefull...i made my sugestions because i think he wanted to keep the price down,a good safe chassis can be made for a reasonable price if you use you head...the model A chassis in the attachement in my last post was built in 1989 for a cost of under $1400 including coilovers and front shocks not shown...it now has over 30,000 miles on it....i saw the car its under in louisville this year and it's still holding up
greggggg [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] owatonna, Minnesota
 
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