I am building a 51 F1 with a Mustang II front end and a 9 inch in the rear, SBC and a 700R4. My question is to get the stance I want (about 5-6 inches at the rear running board and 4 or so inches at eh front valance) an axle flop would get it too low in the rear (I tried this with the stock axle last week and I would have to C notch the frame to keep it from hitting) so after looking and asking around it seems I need to flip the rear spring mounts over so the spring/shakle is heading up instead of down. From what I have seen I just need to drill out the factory rivets and flip the brackets over. The truck I saw had only 5 leaves in the rear springs does this sound correct? A friend told me to get S-10 springs and brackets but if I am going to go to the pain to do that I would rather put a 4 bar in it with coil overs.

Thank you for any help, Mike

 

in stock form, the rear has more leaves than 5. As an alternative, reverse eye main leafs might help. To get exactly 5-6" at the rear, I don't know off hand, but someone will chime in. Just hang in there. (no pun intended)

 

What wheels/tires will you be using? That needs to be factored in. Do you know how much you need to change the rear end in relation to the frame from stock?

 

I did three changes to lower my rear. I reversed the eyes myself on my stock springs, rotated the front hanger 90 degrees and relocated it up on the frame as far as I could and went to 5 leaves. I have not fully assembled the 49 since doing the work but it looks lke about 3 1/2 inches of change will be the end result. I expect that it will settle a little bit more with time.

 

The springs have 10 leaves in them now and I am going to 5, just in the spring pack that is 1" not taking in the weaker spring so I am guessing another 1/2-3/4". The hanger flip looks like 2" just in the rear and maybe 1" in the front. I have a 15X10 American racing Hopster and I will be running a 28-29" tall tire. I think I can get colse with this setup we will see.

Here is a link to the truck I was looking at.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/87972680AKmAvl?start=0



Thank you, Mike

 

That's Novatattoo's truck. He's on here every now and then.

 

Speedway has rear springs they claim will lower it 3". Saw them in tha last catalog they sent me. Try their web site. I have a friend tat used later model ford pickup rear hangers and had new springs made to get the ride hight he wanted.

 

used 51 frame but i z'ed the frame 7" because i used 93 camaro front susp.lt1--700r4
-same 93 camaro rear, gave me everything from frame down 93 z28, also 4 wheel disc.
did away with rear springs and hanger, installed 86 s10 springs and hanger, the way hangers are made the springs are under frame which gives you clearence for 17 1/2"wide tires with small tub.rear-end on top of springs no c-notch needed. s10 springs i think are 7" longer ---4 leaf and gives a great ride and handles like a dream,
running 215-55r16 on front==285-60r16on rear which are 33" tall.
front valance is 5" at bottom--running board 6 1/2 front and 9 " at rear ride height soft ride because springs are just 4 leaf and 7" longer plus gives room for some radical rubber. THATS HOW WE DO THINGS IN KENTUCKY----HAPPY HOLIDAYS.....................

 

Well I did the hanger flip today it was pretty painless, the holes in the hangers are drilled on a square patern so you can just flip them with no other mods except drilling the holes to 3/8" from 15/32 so you can bolt them back in. Then after cleaning 50+ years of grease off of the spring eyes and shackles etc. we ran into a small problem. The springs eyes are wound over the spring so when you reverse the hanger they hit. So we unbolted the springs and flipped the top one so the eye was going down so evrything fit but the top spring is arched the wrong way but they worked for set up. I called the spring place here and they can reverse the arch for 75.00 so I will be into the rear susp about 200.00 out of pocket. That includes the 9" I have to shorten this weekend to 57" with Moser axles new housing ends a 3.70 richmond gear and a fresh set of drum brakes. I build racecars and have been saving take off parts for a few years. (you have to love the guys that don't want their old parts.) I checked on the Speedway springs they were 300.00 plus freight so I figured if this did not work I would go that route.


Ride height is 8" at the rear fender with thie setup, it should look pretty good on the ground. Tell the ants to get their hard hats on the front bunper is comming for them.

Thank you for all the help, Mike

 

I had a spring shop make new main leaves with reversed eyes and remove every other leaf and then reassemble the springs with the teflon material between the leaves. I flipped the front hanger and moved it up on the frame as far as I could and I think this will give me 31/2 to 4" of drop. Bed is off the frame right now so I'm not really sure what the final drop will be. This still gives me about 3" of travel before the bump stop which should be ok. To go lower and still have some room for travel you pretty much have to "C" notch the frame as you'd mentioned. Another benefit of this treatment to the springs is that the truck should ride a wee bit softer.

OilLeaks