Thread: how much should i lower my customline?

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I have a 54' customline that is becoming a traditional greaser 50's sled. Now I would like to lower it, but cant afford bags right now. So what are my best options? As far as i have reaserched, cutting coils for the front and lowering blocks for the rear. I would like to do this for the cheapest possible amount. I even found some lowered coils for the front, so i might go with that option aswell. So my prob is a 2" drop for the front and 3" for the rear good?? i think thats the lowest the cut coils and lowering blocks will allow? will 3" in the front and 4 in the rear be overkill, and get me scraping every drive way i get in? what is the setup up that is a norm in sleds...?? thnx guys, and pics woud be great, if u have any?
manny

In my opinion 50's cars do not look good lowered but, lowering it 2" in rear and 1" in front might look tasteful. you could give it a racer look and lower it more in the fromt than in the rear say 3" in front and 2" in the rear. I personally like a 57' Chevy with a blower stickin out the hood and 28X9.5's in the rear. Have fun lowering it and let us know how u did it when ur done.

Is it the stock suspension, if so what kind of shape is it in? Is this a long term car or just a beater? If you have a long term goal fer the car, lowering it cheaply may cost you in the long run. I am payin fer someone elses (mine fer byin it) impatience with my 50's sled. It is fun having only a cigerette pack fit under yer ride fer about a minute compared to the 5MPH speed limit it inflicts when you talk about cuting coils (especially old worn stock ones) and body sway(wich is already a factor at stock height) with lowering blocks in the back. I'm not sayin it cant be done cost effective and road worthy but 2c to ponder.

I've seen the spindles flipped and reversed, but they tend to bend like this and really kill allignment and Ackerman principle.

Sure you'll hear more as a lot of people on here are riding inches from the ground!

SCRAAAAAAAAPE!!!

The scars on the framerails are like trophies to me, pal.

I had to add steel 3" I-beams, tapered at both ends, to my frame rails since I'm channeled so nicely.

drop the bags at 35mph and watch the lightshow!

well, it has stock suspension. it looks pretty good, as the previous owner cleaned and painted the undercarraige blk. this car is going for the long haul(will hopefuly give it to my daughter some day), but it is a beater in the sence that i wont really car what is done to it, cuz it will always be mine. but i can dish out the 150$ for new droped coils in the front. so that would help out some. and u talk about "body sway"?? can u elaborate? what suspension problems are u having with your shoebox?? and what do other 75% lowbudget sleds running around, what do they do to lower there cars?? i know they arent al running around with bags?

I lowered my buddys 53 Ford for him. I cut three loops out of the coils in the front and that dropped it about 5 inches. Its now too low, the bumper hits the sidewalk. But we put on some supposedly Ford ranger pickup gas shocks in the rear and jacked up the back about two inches. It never had the problem of "rolling" around corners after that.

On my 55 fairlane I used dropped spindles and 2 inch lowered springs on the front and on the rear used posies 2 inch lowered leaf springs and it sits just how I want it,a little lower in the front than the rear. I dont like them lowered more in the rear,I have to have the front down more. Jeff

On my buddy's 50 ford we put drop spindles and good lowered springs for the front. In the back de-arched springs and a small lowering block and it handles good with little sway in corners.

On the other hand is my 54 plymouth with heated springs in the front putting it almost to the ground and 4" of lowering blocks in the back. Body sway is when the (in this case the rear) body swings (feels like its rolling) in turns or when breaking. kind a like the feeling ya get on one o those front porch hangin rockin chairs IMHO drop spindles and apropriate springs are the way to go for a lowered look and good handling. It's worth the few extra bucks.

Madgrinder, I'll be goin the channel route soon and lovin every reinforced minute of it, see ya when the sparks are flyin.

Great info guys. Now a few more info about the height of the car to give u guys a better picture. I measured the height of the car from behind the front tire and it was about 9 1/4" and checked the the rear from infront of the rear tire, measured 9 3/4". So the front is lower by about 1/2 an inch. I will have to even that out when i make my final decision. But i do have new shocks, so that may be the reason its a bit high. Ok, so about cutting the front coils, im ok with it being bumpy. I used to have a lowered crx so im used to driving in extreme ends.
Justin94117: so do u drive your 54 plymouth daily? i can live with with swinging in a rocking chair, and not handling good. my car will see the roads once in a while, but not daily.

suedeplymouth:damn 3 coils, it looks like they have about 7 total..haha but thanx for the tip, i will cut about half a coil off and see where that leaves me. then go from there...
alright, so i guess i can dish out some $ for the dearched rear springs. where can i find some for my 54? junkyardjeff, where did u get urs, and for how much? or can i go to some shop that does suspension??

Eaton Springs has springs for every app. Jus give em a call an they will run you through some questions about curb weight, desired ride height, and so on and give you what ya need. Their web site is helpful as well to prep ya.

Justin94117: so do u drive your 54 plymouth daily? any major probs with speedbumbs and drive ways?? i can live with with swinging in a rocking chair, and not handling good. my car will see the roads once in a while, but not daily.

I did drive it daily and it was a huge headache slowing for every bump. Right know I have it tore down for a chassis swap, and channel. There are lots of ways to lower yer ride, I was just using mine as a "how not to do it" example because of my experiance of hating how it handled and the fact that it was jus plain dangerous to drive.