Bill Stipe is going to make more shocks

[ericr]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

The brutal truth is few people even know what a set of original shocks are like to compare them to an old M&S, ...or Stipe's, --or now Snyders. Isn't it a little unfair to start judging/comparing the Stipe vs. the Snyders shock? I know both of the manufacturers personally and there is more to it than piracy or copying.

why, sure, I would doubt there are or were many NOS shocks floating around. and someone has commented, maybe it was you, that some "rebuilds" of old shocks were simply clean-ups of worn units that did not have the performance of originals. Also, who knows what the original useful life of these shocks were?

I don't quite understand your last sentence about piracy....is Black Beard making shocks now? jk.

[fiddlybits]

WOOT WOOT

Mine just arrived.
They are so pretty looking...all shiny and clean.

can I just clear coat them????

Going on tonight...gonna drive them tomorrow.

[H. L. Chauvin]

FWIW:

1. Received a set of Bill Stipe's shocks this past January 2015.

2. Adjusted shocks with a homemade tool similar to the K.R. Wilson Tool; i.e., a weight of 53.8 ounces provided with its center of gravity located 26-1/2 " away from the center of the protruding shock shaft.

3. To compensate for varying shock oil viscosity between the Ford Bulletin's wide range of assumed temperatures, a linear scaled graph was drawn between estimated ambient temperatures vs. Ford recommended wide range of 15-1/2 seconds through 58 seconds, whereby seconds were adjusted for ambient temperature on the day tested . (Have no idea what was the 1928 through 1931 varying shock fluid viscosities ....... test was conducted with Bill Stipe's recommended shock oil.)

4. In my opinion, the usual recommended 1/8 to 1/4 turn off of tight shock adjustment was found to produce results about as accurate as trying to build mahogany furniture with a chain saw and an axe at midnight while wearing a welding helmet and after drinking 2 bottles of whiskey.

5. Three of the four re-built shocks I had were incorrectly assembled in reverse; one of the four rebuilt shocks could barely pass the simulated K.R. Wilson test with a simulated K.R. Wilson tool.

6. There still exist today a few common sense gentlemen striving for perfection. Bill Stipe's shocks can pass the simulated K.R. Wilson test and can make a Model A ride comfortably on less than perfect back roads when compared to having no shocks, or worse, when compared to having terrible incorrect shocks rebuilt in reverse.

Just hope this helps to share one (1) more simple, actual experience on Model A shocks.