AV8 chassis dilemma My AV8 1928pu project seems to going nowhere. I got some pricing on a roller chassis setup with brakes, wheels & tires etc. hoping that getting more than basics would give a good discount. Well, I found out that we are in the ballpark of $15-$16K. I traveled to TN to look at a rod pu in hopes that I could use it as the base for a traditional AV8 but there were too many things to be changed back although the price for a complete pu seems more reasonable than starting from scratch as usual.
I know this forum is stretched a bit when talking about AV8's but maybe someone lurking in the background has some good advice or a project to get rid of before other Barners find out his secret! Ha! |
Re: AV8 chassis dilemma Well, I've just finished mine. My advice.... do it yourself. I'm 66, and it's taken me three years.
A frame $100 32 dropped axle with 39 brakes, bones etc, $500 47 flathead, good runner $1200 28 A tudor body, chopped 4" already, still registered with plates $2500 47 rear end $300 84-87 F150 trans with adapter, new clutch, all rebuilt. $2000 Mustang radiator and A shell $250 Did my own upholstery $250 Did my own wiring $300 VW bus steering $150 New wheel cyls, tie rod ends, nuts and bolts, dual master, new brake lines, welding stuff, engine gaskets etc etc $1000 16" solids with new tires, $1000 New glass all round $600 Grand total $10,150 plus incidentals I may have forgotten about, say $2000 = new grand total $12,150. Why would I pay someone else more than that just for a rolling frame? Plus I have skills now that I did not have when I started. http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/RIMG0110.jpg |
Re: AV8 chassis dilemma using an A frame, etc??...what front end, rear end, etc??....Mike
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma Could you post more pics of the front end, etc. Looks like a good job. Ed
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma Thanks for detailed list. That is a great looking 'A'! I have the sheet metal, '50 Merc bored .080 and T5 trans. Was hoping I could find someone with a frame and rear already set up or a complete pu and I would sell my sheetmetal.
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma I am building my AV8 from nothing but parts. You know the story, a frame from here, a body from somewhere else, the list goes on and on,but this is the type of project that I wanted to do. The chassis was the most work, but it is the basis for the rest of the car. So far everything is going well,but it is a lot of work. It would be easy to buy everything, like on TV, but what fun would that be.
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http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/DSCN0375.jpg |
Re: AV8 chassis dilemma Going open drive on the rear axle can shure complicate things. I'm going with the more traditional closed drive. I still need to get one of the drive shaft kits fron Dick Spadaro and shorten the torque tube but the rest of the job shouldn't be too bad. I opted for the Tardel cross member and an old 39 3-speed tranny.
You would have to find one set up for the open drive for sure. |
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http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/RIMG0019.jpg http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...n/RIMG0020.jpg |
Re: AV8 chassis dilemma Nice job Bassman
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma I was hoping to use open drive shaft with a T5 trans. Which banjo rear had the bolt-on wishbone? I've heard these will work with the low hp flatheads.
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma The 35 & 36 had the beefiest radius rods that attached to the axle housings. They are getting harder to find but are still out there. These are the most adaptable for a "wishbone" set up but would still stay more stable if a torque arm was mounted next to the driveshaft. The Hot Rod Works site has a fair amount of info on their Tech Info tab. It has pics of the different axle housings & center sections. They make a fair stabilizer kit for the open drive conversion but I would build one a little heavier duty if I were going that route. The HAMB has some good info on ball type wishbone set ups and torque arm builds for open drive conversion.
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma Personally, I feel that if you're using a "front end" ball and socket set up for an open drive shaft rear, it won't hold up to constant thrust forces. But, that's my opinion.
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma I've seen a few that used a larger ball than the Ford type for front wishbones. I agree that they aren't as beefy as I would want. I'd be looking at something more like a big trailer hitch ball and a big socket to match.
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma Just another twist on the frame, I left the stock "A" cross member in and built an "X'' out of pieces from a 48 Ford frame,which ties everything together and makes a very ridged frame. I also "Z'd " the frame in the rear like the Tardel book. I am running a 39 trans and a torque tube. I used a 40 Ford rear end and radius rods. The "X" in the frame also gives you a place to mount your front radius rods inboard closer to the stock ball mount, which lets the suspension work better vs. mounting them further out on the outside of the frame. Just one more way to do it.
Bob |
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Re: AV8 chassis dilemma Just look in my album, I tried to keep up with some of my progress with pictures, to maybe help someone else building one. We all have different ideas on how to do things, so do whatever works for you.
Bob |
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