Welcome to Club Hot Rod!  The premier site for everything to do with Hot Rod, Customs, Low Riders, Rat Rods, and more. 

  •  » Members from all over the US and the world!
  •  » Help from all over the world for your questions
  •  » Build logs for you and all members
  •  » Blogs
  •  » Image Gallery
  •  » Many thousands of members and hundreds of thousands of posts! 

YES! I want to register an account for free right now!  p.s.: For registered members this ad will NOT show

 

Thread: Front suspension i.d.
          
   
   

Reply To Thread
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    volksnut's Avatar
    volksnut is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Winter Park
    Posts
    7

    Front suspension i.d.

     



    I just pickup up this Volksrod T bucket and for the life of me haven't seen another front suspension like it. The guy that built the car back in the 70's was a chassis builder and used Fiat wheels and it's possible the spindles too, but does anyone know of any production car that used the other components? Any pictures of the suspension if so, because I can't find any.... thanks
    Attached Images
    Last edited by volksnut; 06-01-2012 at 03:44 PM.

  2. #2
    HWORRELL's Avatar
    HWORRELL is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    ST.LOUIS
    Car Year, Make, Model: 31 FORD 5 WINDOW,69 442, 305 sprint car,
    Posts
    1,410

    Ain't never seen nothing like that ! Looks like the leaf springs are the lower control arms ?

  3. #3
    RestoRod's Avatar
    RestoRod is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    In the Boonies of Ontario
    Car Year, Make, Model: 40 Graham Sharknose :58 MGA/Ford V6
    Posts
    1,307

    Unless I'm mistaken, that looks like a stock Fiat Topolino suspension. It was used on a number of early formula 500 racing cars including the very first Coopers in 1946.

    .
    Remember, Freedom isn't Free, thousands have paid the price so you can enjoy what you have today.

    Duct tape is like 'The Force.' It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

  4. #4
    volksnut's Avatar
    volksnut is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Winter Park
    Posts
    7

    Very close, on checking the Coopers with the Fiat 500/Topolino suspension, the spring is used on the upper side with tubular lower control arms.

  5. #5
    lurker mick's Avatar
    lurker mick is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    west point
    Car Year, Make, Model: 32 Ford roadster pickup & 32 3-window
    Posts
    261

    Not positive but Opal used a front end similar to that. I remember seeing them used under some street rods in the 70's.

    Mick

  6. #6
    echnidna's Avatar
    echnidna is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Garvoc, Australia
    Posts
    71

    euro cars used that setup a little bit, maybe an old volvo
    Regards
    Bob Thomas

    "if aussies were to steer from the left like the yanks, that would mean our women are always right!! "

  7. #7
    RestoRod's Avatar
    RestoRod is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    In the Boonies of Ontario
    Car Year, Make, Model: 40 Graham Sharknose :58 MGA/Ford V6
    Posts
    1,307

    Quote Originally Posted by volksnut View Post
    Very close, on checking the Coopers with the Fiat 500/Topolino suspension, the spring is used on the upper side with tubular lower control arms.
    Happened to be watching the TV show "Hard Parts South Bronx" and they had a shot of a 1957 Fiat 500 (needed a steering box) that had the spring on the bottom like that....so I googled 1957 Fiat 500 and found this: Fiat 500 'Nuova' - Motorbase

    It includes this in the specs: "Suspension: Front: Independent with lower transverse leaf spring and wishbones."


    .
    Remember, Freedom isn't Free, thousands have paid the price so you can enjoy what you have today.

    Duct tape is like 'The Force.' It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

  8. #8
    volksnut's Avatar
    volksnut is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Winter Park
    Posts
    7

    Quote Originally Posted by RestoRod View Post
    Happened to be watching the TV show "Hard Parts South Bronx" and they had a shot of a 1957 Fiat 500 (needed a steering box) that had the spring on the bottom like that....so I googled 1957 Fiat 500 and found this: Fiat 500 'Nuova' - Motorbase

    It includes this in the specs: "Suspension: Front: Independent with lower transverse leaf spring and wishbones."


    .
    That looks like it, the 126 has the same type as well but with disc brakes I believe, I also found out the dampner/shock is a Armstrong unit, but looks like a custom upper control arm
    Attached Images

  9. #9
    thigh19 is offline CHR Member Visit my Photo Gallery
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    portland
    Posts
    1

    I have a 50 Willys 2wd wagon that has that same setup. It's called a Planar Supension. Parts are near impossible to get, or very expensive.

Reply To Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Links monetized by VigLink