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Old 07-08-2019, 12:33 PM   #1
all american boy
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Default BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Building a Budget Altered with T fiberglass body.Ford powered.


Which spindles are the BEST?


Which ones did they use to make dragster front axles? Altered's too.


Thanks!
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Old 07-08-2019, 01:14 PM   #2
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Default Re: BEST Beam Axle Spindles

Anglia
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Old 07-08-2019, 02:04 PM   #3
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

'Anglia'


You got me there.Thanks.


Would like to keep the wide track of stock Ford beam axle.


How about the late Ford pickup spindles? Like '53.
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Old 07-08-2019, 03:14 PM   #4
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Not sure what the spindles have to do with the width of the axle, but we always ran early Ford spindles, anything from the mid-30s up to 48. Ran a B Altered in the mid-60s, you can run a stock axle, but most folks ran a tube straight axle.
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Old 07-08-2019, 07:39 PM   #5
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

'most folks ran a tube straight axle'


Thanks.That is how we will do it.


Here is pic of kind of car we want to build.


Think we will just say 'dragster' and give up on calling it 'Altered' 'Drag Coupe' or anything else.


Pic is from Hot Rod 1959 Annual.
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File Type: jpg Dave Jana's Dragster.jpg (31.6 KB, 68 views)
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Old 07-08-2019, 07:51 PM   #6
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

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Anglia spindles not the axle.
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Old 07-08-2019, 07:57 PM   #7
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

'Anglia spindles not the axle.'


Okay.Thanks.Post title has been correcting.


Interested in only Ford ones.Probably just aftermarket one.


Made in USA NOS that somebody never got around to using.


Ford.Thought about sprint car spindles but that is mostly for wide 5.


Ford's are fine.
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Old 07-08-2019, 08:12 PM   #8
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Anglia is a ford. And they were used because of size and weight mostly with spindle mount wheels or spokes.

If you want common, 37 to 41 or 42 to 48.

32 spindles are smaller and lighter

Most of the spindles were ground down to reduce.as much weight and no front brakes

You can run 37 to 39 wide 5 hubs or 40 48 hubs on any of the 37 to 48 hubs

Early stock cars ran floater stubs off 3/4 to rears that can be bolted to 37 to 40 hubs with alittle machine work for bigger bearings and take harder bumps and rubs
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Old 07-08-2019, 08:14 PM   #9
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Looked on Ebay.


One listing was '35-36.


Another one was '37-41.


Is that correct?



What other groups from '32 to '48?
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Old 07-08-2019, 08:17 PM   #10
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Thanks.


I was writing post above while you were writing yours.


'Most of the spindles were ground down to reduce.as much weight and no front brake'


Good tips!Yep.Probably build it without front brakes
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Old 07-08-2019, 08:20 PM   #11
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

32 to 34 and the 35 and the 36 will require modifying the snout if you use 40 to 48 hubs
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Old 07-08-2019, 08:26 PM   #12
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Not sure of the official definition of an Altered, but it was basically an original style bodied car that you were allowed to move the engine back past where the firewall would normally be and move the rear axle forward from it's original position, remove the finders, gut the interior, that sort of thing. A more dragster looking chassis with an original style body (just the hull) was a Comp car. And then a dragster did not require anything that resembled an original body.
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Old 07-08-2019, 08:44 PM   #13
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

' A more dragster looking chassis with an original style body (just the hull) was a Comp car. And then a dragster did not require anything that resembled an original body.'


We'll stick with 'dragster'.


Here is pic of kind of body that would work for us.


I thought it was just a 'box'.Turns out it it '27 touring with tonneau cover.


Not going to get concerned with body.


Will be side by side seating or 'left hand steer' not center steer.


Don't like sitting over drive shaft tunnel.
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Old 07-08-2019, 09:01 PM   #14
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

The Altered class had some basic rules, the most important being the engine was limited to a 25% set-back as measured from the furthest forward spark plug. Center steering permissible, street equipment not required and fiberglass reproduction bodies allowed.
As some already mentioned Anglia spindles were used, particularly in the latter part of the ‘60’s but there were many dragsters and Altered class cars that used ‘32-‘34 Ford spindles with their integral steering arm for the drag link. Because there was no front brake requirement in the rules most guys cleaned up those spindles by milling off the areas where the backing plates mounted.
Look at early magazines and you will see lots of trimmed ‘32-‘34 spindles.
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Old 07-09-2019, 10:02 AM   #15
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

'many dragsters and Altered class cars that used ‘32-‘34 Ford spindles with their integral steering arm for the drag link'


How do '37-41 spindles stack up against the 'ideal' '32-34?


Have a reason for asking.


As far as what were building.Straight sides perimeter frame.


Box perimeter for side by side seating.Like around 48"x48" square.


Then a decent roll cage.10 point I think it is.But low.Buckets will be on floor.


Like the '50's early '60's minimum frame but with a decent roll cage.
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Old 07-09-2019, 01:03 PM   #16
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

I'd suggest doing more hands on research at Speedway has good priced starter frames (t bucket ) and tube front axles . They also have Bantam bodies , or use to , which along with the T were usually used in the altered . A two seat would be the altered easiest to build , not so easy if wanting a true digger . Sitting on the rear pumpkin with your family jewels only inches away were the way it was done .

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Old 07-09-2019, 04:25 PM   #17
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Just get a Model "A" axle, drill it full of holes, add some pruned '32-'34 spindles (because of the integral steering arm as previously mentioned), use a pair of '40-'48 hubs (drums removed of course)*, make up some "batwings" using the yokes from an "A" wishbone, fab up a couple hairpin radius rods, remove about half the leaves from the "A" spring, and hang it all on a tube front crossmember with a suicide perch; don't forget to get some friction shocks.

* You will need the bearing spacer from a juice brake kit to run the later hubs on the early spindles, no big deal.

Set up would pretty much be period perfect, using real parts and avoiding 1-800 parts
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Old 07-12-2019, 11:30 AM   #18
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Thank you Rich B


'using real parts and avoiding 1-800 parts'


Have a plan to avoid 'real parts' too.


Fabricate the front axle from 1 1/2" x 5" rectangular tubing.


Mount it on two rubber donuts.


Add fabricated radius rods.Singles.One on each side.


Here is picture of trailer spindle.


How do we make a steering arm for this?

DISREGARD!


Making the boxed axle is about the same work as making pedestals for upper a-arms.We will just go a-arms with ball joints.Use coil overs.



Thanks for the help!
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File Type: jpg Etrailer 5 on 4 1 2 Hub.jpg (11.1 KB, 2 views)
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Old 07-12-2019, 12:38 PM   #19
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

"Have a plan to avoid 'real parts' too." :-(
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Old 07-12-2019, 01:48 PM   #20
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Default Re: BEST Ford Beam Axle Spindles

Cheer up!


It was a learning experience for us.Another case of stuff we should have loaded up on during the 80's.


Sure was hard trying to get a cheap pair of spindles!


Had a cheap deal for all the parts locally but really wasn't sold on it.


Would have taken entering 'Old Ford Parts' world.


We have enough to think about without that.


See you around.
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