Thread: 32 Roadster Identification

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IC2, thanks for the information, I will do as you recommended. I do have a large racing background, I know based on the center section that my rear end is an 8", I really don't have a problem with the 8" however, I would prefer to have the rear end centered and if I change it I will
go with a 9". My performance will come from a 390 FE with 500 HP 530 lb ft of torque. By the way Dave, you have a great eye I just checked my shocks and they are 40 degree's.

Depending on how much you paid it seems like a good start. Dave/IC2 has made some good comments which I agree with but I thought it was old school engineering to only use a tube front axel with hairpin radius rods. With a four bar set up there will be a twisting force on the axel when one wheel dips more than the other. A standard I-beam axel can provide that flexibility while a tube axel is more rigid and may eventually crack under severe use. The formula I learned was to use hairpin radius rods with a tube axel so the hairpins would flex or use an I-beam axel with a four bar setup. Since you have the four bar set up it might be a good idea to swap out the tube axel for an I-beam. Perhaps others here can comment as to whether they have ever seen a tube axel crack when mounted in a four bar geometry. Even so you have a very good start on a classic roadster!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Don, I believe the popular consensus is to use hairpins with I-beam axles and 4-bars with tube axles.

The 4-bars form a parallelagram (?) and don't put twist in the tube axle while an I-beam will twist a bit and not put undo stress on the single mounting point of the hairpin.

I'm no front end expert but have always run them this way.

Mick