Re: Speedster Kit
 

I did not move my column back, but I did lower it by turning it down a few inches, which in effect moved it back a bit.

Follow my name back my photo page and you will finds scans of the Rootlieb instructions.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Sparky, Picture is worth a bunch.
The progress will be slower than I want.After Our vacation to the Turkey Rod Run in Daytona, and some parts ,will Have to learn how to post pics. I will start a build thread.
My frame is missing key components,brakes, u bolts for the ft suspension, and needs sandblasting. I have brake parts coming, and the blasting should be done by the new year.Engine is missing intake,starter, gen, exhaust, dist. At Daytona I will be looking for parts.
Thanks for the support.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Sounds like the perfect donor for a Speedster!

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Q G thats what I thought. I am in the middle of a 31 a hot rod build,so I really don't need this , BUT I want to.:):)

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Does it matter which 3 spring leaves you take out of the ft?I have 2 broken leaves,second from top, and one of the longer ones in the middle.
Got the f/e out from under,cleaning to install my mech brakes. Will start a build thread in Dec.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

When I wanted to lighten my springs I did a search on the HAMB and found several opinions, but most people seem to agree that you should keep the second one (next to the longest one with the eyes) then alternate the ones you remove, i.e. remove #3, #5, etc. until you get the ride you want. You may have to add spacer blocks so the u-bolts will still keep the pack tight.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

That will work.I know about the spacer blocks.
Where do I get the eye reversed or does the shop just rebend the spring?Going thru my parts I found a rev eye rear spring.
Its setting on saw horses now,r/e, steering removed.
Thanks for all the help.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

The usual way is to re-bend the spring cold. I've never done it but the two methods Ive come across are using a hydraulic press or just a big hammer.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Not sure how well you are going to like just having front brakes driving on the street! :eek:

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;) BTW, tell your friend that I know a way he can save himself a lotta work doing fabrication by telling you to talk to the owner of this car... :D

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...041_2065_n.jpg

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...053_4646_n.jpg

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...057_5616_n.jpg

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...050_3911_n.jpg

https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...052_4407_n.jpg

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Re: Speedster Kit
 

Brent ,that is about what I am going to do.Will be changing from a 30/31 grill and rad to a 28/9 .Ft brake do 85 % of stopping. Just drive something with rear only and you will see. Not closing the door on this though. Does the O/P want to sell his? Is that what you mean by saving my self fab troubles?Give me his contact info. Thanks Brent.
This afternoon I now have the frame upside down on the horses, and cleaning the grease off.
Sparky that is what I thought on the spring, will be using a flattened cross member I have in my stash.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

You may already have the contact info.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

I reversed my springs (Front) with an HF "Pipe Bender". I have never bent more than one or two pieces of pipe, but with a few mods it sure is handy at a lot of other things. Take your spring, mark it with a piece of chalk every two inches, start in the center, "bump" it with the press. It take a surprisingly small amount of pressure to affect change. Don't get carried away. I brought the ram to the spring, made contact, and bumped it just one stroke. Release, move to the next mark and repeat. After one pass in each direction (from the center out) the spring was nearly flat.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Do you have any photos or illustration of what how you did this. I may need to try this. How much did it lower your front end?

Re: Speedster Kit
 

The spring eye reversal lowered it maybe an inch and a half. I also took out a couple of leafs and used smaller diameter tires/wheels, so I do not know for sure how much drop the eye reversal was responsible for.

I don't have any pictures doing it, but I do have a few spare leafs and can set it up again, and do another one. I can show you the mods I made to the bender as well that make it perfect for spring work. I will do it this weekend and take some photos.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Thanks, that would be appreciated. Are there any drawbacks with lowering it that way?

Re: Speedster Kit
 

QG , a friend has what you suggestion about the tubing bender and will be doing it the week I am gone.
When I get back another friend will be assisting with pics as we go along.
Had a good conversation with Brent this morning.
Ross it took me a while to figure out about the contact info. LOL:):)

Re: Speedster Kit
 

None that i have seen. The geometry of the front end stays the same. The shackles end up in pretty much the same orientation and the spring length stays within a 1/4 inch as near as i can tell. Some say that any bending or bending of the spring is a compromise but i have not seen it. I learned to do by watching my Grandfather. He used to rebend springs in customers cars when they would wear out or if the customer towed a trailer on their Sedan. I don't recall him doing the same car twice, so i guess it worked.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

I do not have a spring in stock with eyes to demonstrate the bending, but I have an arch in stock, so I used that for this demo.

In order of appearance:

The HF Pipe Bender has a few mods to it, the first are the 6 holes in the center, it comes with the 12 outside holes, adding the 6 in the center gives it some additional versatility.

Next I made an end for the ram so it is easier to center the spring on it. Just a piece of roundstock with a hole in the side to sit on the ram. And mark its CL on the top.

Lay your spring on the floor and trace the arch, flip it around to see if it is symmetrical, A springs should be, some others are not. If not, you will need to bump one side more than the other to bring it in, just note it for now, we will fix it later.

Lay a rule beside it, and mark it every two inches.

Lay the spring in the press, start in the center.

Next two steps are real important, by hand, (without the handle in the ram) raise the ram tight to the spring, then insert the handle. You will need to figure out how many pumps to give the ram, I recommend one full pump or one and a half. Go easy until you figure out how much your ram moves.

Set it, start it with your hand, insert handle and pump, release, move the next mark and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. After you get to the end, go back to the center and do it again in the other direction. Then take the spring out and lay it back on your original chalk line and take a look. After a couple of sessions you will be able to feel exactly how much pressure will bend the spring exactly where you want it to go.

This time it took three rounds to reverse the arch, I laid it back on the chalk line, noticed it is off a little on the right side. I flipped it over to make sure the error followed the spring, marked the spring where it had runout, back to the press, and just nudged that area, one and a half pumps each inch on one end, and it dropped right in.

Re: Speedster Kit
 

Thanks that was very clear. So the first and last picture are the same arch before the reversing and then after the reversing, right?

What other purposes do you use the pipe bender for other than the obvious?

Re: Speedster Kit
 

awesome