[playsinthedirt]

ok ive looked all over for it but i cant find the posts from whoever used the twin traction beam suspension on a roadster. i remember it looked real good and it would be something that i think i could do. im getting closer to starting a project now and would like to look into it a little more.

thank you

[Brian_B]

Sounds like cboy's project. He made a cool ride out of a ford truck.

Take a look at this and see if it lists what you need.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...66&action=view

[454 Rattler]

Cboy is the man you're looking for. Ask him to show you his new project.

454 Rattler

[cboy]

In addition to the Twin Beam suspension on my roadster that Brian B linked...here are a couple "sneak preview" shots of my new sedan/delivery project that 454 Rattler alluded to. This one is in the very early stages and I don't have anything posted up yet in a project journal. Note that this one utilizes an under-slung frame. This is going to clean up and streamline the front end a great deal, I believe. The trade off is that it is a bit more challenging to get the correct geometry, adequate axle travel, and proper scrub line. But assuming it works, it should be easily copied by others to give a nice and fairly traditional front end appearance while still providing IFS comfort and ride.

[playsinthedirt]

yea yea yea thats the one! i actually took a look at your journal but once i saw all the pages i got overwelmed and gave up but i found it now

i love what you did looks reall good. how tall are your tires? how many inches is it z'd?

did the first hot rod you ever build when you were young look like that? thats a pretty high standard to live up too

[cboy]

Here's the first open wheel/roadster type rod I built when I was in high school...and with mighty low standards when you look at it some 40 years later. Model T frame (boxed). '37 front axle on a suicide mount made from a '53 Chrysler door hinge. No front brakes (although the drums were there). And a drive shaft welded up by rolling it across a piece of plywood for "square". I'm lucky to still be alive!!!!!! first couple shots are during construction and then a shot of when it was done.








Also, as I recall the front Z on the roadster in my journal was 8" and the rear was 12". But this is more a matter of your personal preference regarding ride height and ground clearance. The front tires are 21.5" tall and the rears are 31".

[playsinthedirt]

wow that thing sure has a narley rake too it. i think i can manage something a little safer than that. maybe not as pretty though, we'll see. how do you plan on making shock towers for that underslung? i really like that idea better. and also the one you made before could you have used the stock radius arms and modified the coils/shock towers? i know it would be big ugly but im goin for cheaper here

[cboy]

Originally Posted by playsinthedirt

how do you plan on making shock towers for that underslung?

There won't be any shock towers so to speak. The shocks will mount near the bottom of the frame and will then extend up to a bracket above the radius rod mount on the axle. It's a bit difficult to envision from the existing picture...but I should have the entire front suspension done in about a week and can post a pic then.

...also the one you made before could you have used the stock radius arms and modified the coils/shock towers?

Sure. In fact my '32 pickup uses the stock radius arms as shown in the picture. But if I were you I'd definitely look for an alternative to the stock coil springs. The mounts would be pretty massive. My pickup uses air bags and my new project will use quarter elliptical springs (the F-150 rear leaf springs cut in half) which could be a way for you to save money yet retain a more traditional look.

[playsinthedirt]

that actally looks pretty good to me. i think i like the way the frame sits better to on the truck. do you have a pic of the trucks suspension more form the front? please?
thank you

[cboy]

One during construction and one when completed:

[playsinthedirt]

does the pickup frame just have stright frame rails? i see it has a curve to it is that to make it fit or just for looks mostly? are those dropped axles on it or is it just low because of how short the tires are?
thank you for answering all my questions

[cboy]

Originally Posted by playsinthedirt

does the pickup frame just have stright frame rails? i see it has a curve to it is that to make it fit or just for looks mostly?

As noted in my journal, the frame is an early 80's Ford Econoline with the F-150 suspension grafted on the front. The frame was "massaged" here and there including the front frame horns which were added to mimic those on a '32 frame.

are those dropped axles on it or is it just low because of how short the tires are?

The axles are stock and the low stance results from a combination of air bags, tires, and the fabrication of the suspension mounting hardware.

Just for reference purposes, if you were to attempt to use an F-150 frame (rather than scratch building a frame) here is roughly what you would be starting with.

[playsinthedirt]

hmm ok. but straigt 2x3 frame rails (maybe cleaned up all nice in front like so) with the right bracket placement can achieve the stance of your truck? how high off the ground is your frame? how high out of the frame are your motor mounts?

thank you

[cboy]

Originally Posted by playsinthedirt

hmm ok. but straigt 2x3 frame rails (maybe cleaned up all nice in front like so) with the right bracket placement can achieve the stance of your truck?

Yes, assuming the rest of the suspension is fabricated and mounted in a similar manner.

how high off the ground is your frame?

Off the top of my head I'd say about 9". You can get a fairly good estimate from the picture(s) above. The center of the hub (spindle) is approximately 11.5" above the ground and the axle has about a 2" "drop" from the spindle height to the height of the radius rod attachment point. So the center of the radius rod mounting point would be just about 9.5" above the ground.

how high out of the frame are your motor mounts?

The picture above (I think it's post #10) from directly in front of the frame is the best shot I have of the motor mount position - which is an inch or two above level with the top of the frame. Keep in mind, however, that the position of the engine mounts is going to be different depending on what engine you choose and how high you prefer to keep the pan off the ground. Engine height also effects headers, steering shafts, and maybe a dozen other clearance issues...so any builder will need to fab their engine mounts according to their specific setup, not by a cookie cutter formula.

[playsinthedirt]

ok that all makes sense. i have a 302 for mine. for headers im going to make the kind that just flow back like how they come out on your first one, and maybe flow into glass packs if i cant halde the noise. thank you again for all your help. if i look at your pictures and think really hard for long enough i should be able to get this to work.