Thread: best budget suspension set up?

Tweet

I'm building a '35 Ford. Basically all chevy...I'm using a '97 Camaro SS parts car for the rear end at least. The '35 now has mis matched leaf springs, '58 Impala rear end and stock front suspension.

What would be the best route to go for a cheap budget suspension? A new set of leaf springs with the camaro rear (shorten axles i suppose). Or should I fab up the coil overs on the front and rear? What would be the best cheap front suspension...buying a complete unit or paying someone to piece one together? I have little knowledge of suspensions so the work will likely not be done by me which is even more reason to keep it simple to avoid labor costs.

Again I'm going for cheap as the car will just be a weekend cruiser on a budget.

Any input is appreciated...thanks

Depends on what your budget is, lots of different companies making components for the '35's.... Chassis Engineering in Iowa is one of the first companies that come to mind..Check them out.

I had the same thoughts as Dave, Chassis Engineering. I think for a workable, low cost setup, you can't beat parallel springs on the rear and a single spring on a dropped axle on the front. It requires very little in the way of setup, and has a very acceptable ride quality.

There are more exotic setups out there, including coilovers and independant front suspensions, but dollar for dollar, this setup gives you the most bang for your buck, and also just keeps on ticking.

If you scan some of the rod magazines, there are ads in there for these kits that just bolt or weld on. Maybe even Speedway.


Don

I'm fairly positive the rear will just be a new set of leaf springs. would adding a pair of shocks be a good idea?

would the stock front suspension be adequate? do they make brake upgrade kits? I'd like to be able to use the whole camaro rack and pinion front suspension, but I imagine that would take some fabrication and it's not really necessary...i'd at least like to use the disc breaks or similar disc kit. How about lowering kits for the stock front suspensions...blocks, etc? The stock
4x4 look won't fly for the overall "slightly" modified look of the car

Thanks a lot for the help so far.

Get yourself a Speedway catalog, you can order one on line. They will have just about every piece you need. Yes, you will want rear shocks, as well as tube shocks in the front, again, they will have kits to do this.

I learned a long time ago that kits are sometimes the best way to go with these sorts of projects. Someone has done the engineering for you, and they are usually spot on fitwise. I am not opposed to saving a few bucks when I can, but usually the cost works out close and you can get up and running so much faster.

If this were mine, I would put a 4 inch dropped I beam under the front with split wishbones, and a disc brake kit that is made to bolt on your spindles. On the rear, if it sits a little too high, lowering blocks would set things right.

It's just me, but I love to look under the front of these cars and see an I beam instead of independant. To me it just spells tradition. Course, I'm of that age group and kind of set in my ways.

Don


PS: Nice thing about parallel rear spring is there is no fooling around with panhard rods or any of that. The springs do all the locating.

Do you know of anyone who sells parts to upgrade the stock front suspension? Just looking around quick I found complete dropped axle kits for as low as $1200. It might be worth it to just splurge for a new set up instead of replacing parts on the original suspension. I also found several IFS kits similar in price to some dropped axle kits...I suppose this is due to levels of quality (lower quality IFS kits similar in price to an average dropped axle kit). I too like the traditional look of the dropped axle better and that might be the way I go.

What parts are there to start with? Kind of list what is still there.


Don

Just got home from work and have a little while before I go out to dinner with my 2 Sons and my Ex-wife (the things you gotta do for your kids )

I dug out my new Speedway catalog, and they sell a complete composite parallel rear spring setup, with all mounts, shocks, etc, ready to bolt in to a '35- '40 Ford, for only $ 580.00. For another $ 125.00 they sell a kit to split your front wishbones and be able to use a 350 turbo. There is a ton of stuff in here for your '35. Makes me wish I were building one.

You can find the same stuff on their web site, but I still like flipping through the catalog.

You could pretty much build your entire suspension and brake setup from this one source. http://www.speedwaymotors.com/

Hope this helps.


Don


Don

the car's front suspension has been unmolested in it's 71 years of existance. it is the only thing on the car that wasn't hacked away over the years by my father (in the past 40 years) or before. So everything is there. The more I think about it the less I want to replace it all with a new ~$2000 set up. Right now all I want is the front suspension dropped and my '97 camaro front discs. Handling is of little importance since its just a cruiser.

I searched around Speedway online (I too find it annoying to flip through online..). I couldn't find the split wishbone kit?

Just a little background: I totalled my baby ('97 camaro ss) afterwards I bought it back and decided to swap the LT1/T56 as well as other parts useable in order to build the '35 more cheaply as well as save a part of my totalled dream car and put it into my dad's old college car. So this is my first full build since I mainly grew up loving late model camaros (with the '35 tucked away under dust). I just want this thing drivable

I appreciate all the help!

You've got the perfect makings there of a nice hot rod............especially since you have the complete drivetrain out of a car you know the history on. Thiis should go together pretty easy and fast.

SInce you have the complete front end, you could use that kit I mentioned from Speedway to split the front wishbones (need to get some room for the Chevy oil pan and starter) The Speedway kit is # 702-2320......$ 124.95 ( you can put that part number in and search for it on their website, it should come up)
Then I would use a 4 inch dropped I beam axle # 702-2850......$ 199.95. You could use your old spring and clean it up with a body grinder and use one of the teflon liner kits that go between each leaf to give you a smoother ride.

You are going to need new spindles, and I wouldn't mess around with stock '37 to '48 spindles because you need them to be modified, plus the repros are just about as cheap as the ones you can buy on ebay anymore. You say you want to use your Chevy brake parts, and I think you can do that with some of the kits Speedway sells, but I am sort of running to get out of here and actually get to my shop for a day, so I don't have time to research the part numbers for that right now. When you get the catalog you can dig that info out, and you have some time before you get to that stage anyway.

Your Ford already has cross steering, and you can either clean up and rebuild the stock box or maybe substitute a vega or similar. They sell adapter plates for these to make it a bolt in affair. Nothing wrong with the stock box though, I've used lots of these over the years.

The other thing you will want to do is add tube shocks to the front end, and Speedway has a kit for that # 702-2506......$ 154.95.

Pretty much that would wrap up the front end, at least on the main components. Nice thing about this car you are doing is that you can buy just about every kit to redo the front and rear suspension in bolt on form. A simple cleanup on the frame with a grinder and wirewheel and you could have it primed and painted and up on wheels really quick, and relatively cheap. Those $ 2000.00 front ends are nice, but you could pick and choose your parts and come away a lot cheaper than that.

Well, have a nice 4th guy. I can't believe my Son and I are actually going to get time to go to our shop and work on our cars today. For the past 3 weeks we have been working and moving, so no time, but today we are going to change all that. Turkey Rod run is coming up in November, and our cars are going this year if we have to duct tape them together.

See ya.


Don

That last post was the exact run down I think I was looking for. I have a much better idea of what I need to do. One thing I'm confused about though is the car already has a ~'58 Chevy drivetrain with a 283. I believe the 283 is the same dimentions as a 350 so that leads me to believe the new engine should slide right in (after the new mounts are in). Do you know for sure the front wishbones need to be split to fit a 350? I need to look over the car more closely. The car has had some shady work done on it in the past and I'm not sure the 283 was ever really installed correctly.

I hope the shop day went well and you get out and see some fireworks tonight.

Robert

I hope the shop day went well and you get out and see some fireworks tonight.


I didn't get as much done as I hoped...........it is just too hot during the day to really get into it. But I got some more mocking up and ideas how I am going to do it.

As for the wishbone needing to be split, not really completely sure about that. I think it does for pan and exhuast clearance, but if you already have a 283 in there, maybe not. What leads me to think so is the fact Speedway sells that kit to do exactly that, especially with the 350 turbo trans. Climb under it and see what it looks like with the current engine in there, that will give you some idea. I just feel this is something you will need to do, though.

Maybe it is the 350 turbo that makes it necessary to split the bones? What trans is in it now, a powerglide? You mention '58 drivetrain, that is why I wonder.

This is going to make you a great car, and I didn't realize there were so many bolt in suspension/engine mounting parts for it until I started looking in Speedway. Sure makes the job easier. It is also cool that you have such a history with the car, being your Dads and all. That makes it really special and worth doing right, even if it takes a little longer.

Post some pictures of what you have to start with, even if it is a little rough around the edges. Take as many shots as you can of the engine room, suspension, etc. Not only will they be nice to see, but will help in any advice I or anybody on here can give you.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

Maybe it is the 350 turbo that makes it necessary to split the bones? Don

BINGO!!!!!! Actually just about any auto trans because of the pan.

nope it's not a powerglide...it's the 3 spd manual.

Bob: would that explain why the 283/3spd. would fit in without suspsension modification...since it's not an auto?

I have a few pictures I'll post up if I can figure it out. I'll have to try and snap a few more soon of the suspension, but I don't have any now.

it took me a while on my dial up connection, but here's a few pics. one shot of the engine...the rest just for fun. I'll try and snap a couple pics under the car and post those up soon.

http://www.clubhotrod.com/photopost/...500&ppuser=758