Guys
My '32 has a dropped beam axle, SoCal hairpins etc and I understand that the steering should be set with approx 1/4" toe-in.

This may seem an obvious question, but where do you measure the toe-in? Do you measure between front and back edges of the wheel rims and take the difference, or between the tyres, or between a straight edge placed on the tyres? - ie the further you go from the wheel centre the bigger the difference will be.

Grateful for advice, Limey

There are several ways to do this.

What I have done is measure the distance half way up the tire and from the center of the tires both in the front and rear of the tires. Then adjust the tie rod so that the front measurement is the amount of toe-in that I want. The front measurement should end up being the shorter distance. With Ford spindles I usually set it at 1/8th inch toe-in.

An easy way, is to take a silver Sharpie marker, and make an X mark(Or a vertical line) in the center of the tread on each tire at the 3 Oclock position. Measure from X to X. Then roll the car back 1/2 of a tire rotation, so the X is now at 9 oclock. Measure again. Viola! The point of making a mark on the tire, is so that you are measure from an identical reference point. An old alignment guy showed me that trick.

My Father showed me this on my 54 f-100.Same thing as Frisco said,but this is how he showed me a good place to measure from.Raise the front tires up and spin it and take a tire marker,crayon,etc.and place it in smooth part of the tread,do the same to the other side and go all the way around till they meet.Or use spray paint and go all the way around and then place a screwdriver in the center of the paint and spin it to get a good mark.Then measure the back of the tire and front and toe in 1/8 or 1/4.This a daily driver so I don,t know if you want paint on the center of a tire that is a showcar.This may sound kind of shade tree but it does work.It is just the easiest way for me to find a reference.I hope I expained this well.Just spin the tire and mark the center with something while holding your arm steady until you have been all the way around.This has worked for me.I am sure you will get some more suggestions also.

These are great tips thanks. I'll give it a go but I think my problem is that I won't get a clear measure between the back edge of the tires as the engine is in the way.
I guess I could bend up a piece of thick flat bar (to reach around the engine) and adjust it to just touch between the front edge of the tires, then hold it to the rear edge and measure the gap? (which should be 1/8" to 1/4")
Limey

I managed to get a tape measure between the rears of the tyres and it looks like I was running almost 1/2" toe-in, so that's a job well done. No wonder it used to wander about at times!
Limey

For future referance. Drop a plumb bob from the center mark off of the front and back of the tire.place a mark on the floor at the point of the bob. Then measure the marks on the floor.

A buddy of mine has on old military toe gauge. It's a spring loaded rod, with a small chain @ each end. You put it between the front tires, so the chains just touch the floor. It has a scale on the inner tube. You read the scale, them rol the vehicle forward, until the chains again just touch the floor. Read the scale, add or subtract, and viola. toe in measurement.

I've been thinking of making one out of an old closet rod, or shower curtain rod.

Try reading this site.

http://www.shallowsky.com/alignment.html