Is there any place you can find a retro-fit kit with modern parts like the ones Global West has for '55-'57 chevys  (a bit out of my pricerange though). I don't want to modify to much, but i really feel that something needs to be done if i'm gonna go ~400 hp (sorry, no Y-block I'm building a 351C)

Thanks in advance // J.R.

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'56 2d Fairlane Victoria, 289 2V + C4, 9" rear

These aluminum adapter blocks allow fitting the Dodge/Plymouth screw-in ball joints that all of the dirt racers love to a stock '56 A-arm. If you use this sort of adapter it is also possible to utilize some of the "tall" ball joints that improve spindle height and correct the camber curve (raise the roll center). The screw in joints fit the pin size of the '55 and '56 sedans with Ford "big car" spindles. The ring is a weld-in available from Speedway.

The old front ends don't have any allowance for "anti-dive" geometry and a modified pivot shaft can put this feature into an older vehicle. The 3° dupicates what you get with a Mustang II geometry (factory alignment) and helps a bit with a car that's been retro fitted with disc brakes. This design still needs prototyped and checked for fitment. Such a pivot can also be moved back a bit to add Castor (straight ahead stability) to the existing set-up and help out with wandering power steering (and radial tire squirm).  

I haven't done any design work on the lower arm yet - but there are some screw-in joints that will work on there with the proper adapter design. Many guys already use the "lowering bars" to move the lower spring pan down and lower the car with stock springs. There are also several gas shock set-ups around and some pretty beefy sway bars. If the sway bar gets too big (1-1/8 dia may be max.)- the little brackets on the exisitng '55 / '56 lower arms will deflect and 'spring release" the bar a bit.

I haven't picked up a sample to reverse engineer - but I've heard that the Granada spindles that a lot of guys use to add disc brakes not only lower the car (by moving the spindle upward relative to the lower ball joint) - but also are shorter in overall height (?) which would do bad things to the roll center.

Don't give up too easy!

                               Steve Metzger               Tucson, Arizona

                            
 MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch 28 Chrysler Roadster (mystery motor)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I thought the Versailles WERE Granada spindles? I have the granada spindles on mine and it was a $20.00 ream job at a local machine shop ( 7 deg. taper) and the rest was a bolt in. Even the outer tie rods bolted up without adjustment!

Rob

I love the smell of burning rubber in the morning!

Believe me, I'm trying to figure out an economical fix for this - those screw-in upper ball joints are $12.95 from Speedway and only a little more from Moog - compare that with the prices of the originals ($75-$50). The "weld-in" ring is only $7.00 from several dirt track parts houses and outfits like Global use them to build these replacement A-arm systems - then sell them for $400 and more. I like the aluminum adapter parts - because they can be made in a large run on a CNC machine tool and drive the price way down. But more work needs done....

The two 4140 bars for the pivot arms were about $80 for the steel - and I'm still looking for a local machinist to step up and turn them for me cheap. We did check into either bushing or welding and drilling an old pivot bar - but I'd just can't justify the safety aspects of that for anything other than an NDT tested "off-road only" race car kind of situation. 

Penske and Shelby both used to make their A-arm bushings for the Trans-Am cars out of solid aluminum bar. Those cars are both noisy and ride rough too - but they stick like glue. Now days the guys are running sealed ball bushings for the same purpose - it just takes some time and development to sort them out. I thought your urethane versions were a very good idea - and you know its hard to get such parts manufactured and offered for resale.

I may end up with the only '56 Autocross T-bird around ......and if I can develop some bolt-on stuff that lets us show up the old Corvettes, so much the better.....

                               Steve Metzger               Tucson, Arizona

                            
 MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch 28 Chrysler Roadster (mystery motor)
Manchester, New Hampshire

           After you blow up the Cleveland come back and talk to us! The red car in the picture with this letter is stock, makes around 340 hp to the rear wheels ! and has gone almost 106 mph in the quarter mile. It's a Stock 1957, 51 year old  Y block.

Frank/Rebop

Bristol, In ( by Elkhart)