Dropping a 40 coupe

[Henry Hopper]

I'm looking at dropping the front of my 40 coupe.I want to retain as much FoMoCo as possible ie,lever arm shocks,sway bar etc,...I have searched and read several posts on here and the HAMB about different ways to go about it.

Getting the stock 40 axle dropped raises clearance issues, ....if it is dropped without stretching it causes steering arm problems and if stretched it retains the stock width which will probably give fender clearance problems.

I don't really want to split the w'bones and go with a C.E or SoCal forged axle if I can avoid it and under no circumstances will I fit a cast axle.

That leaves the spring.......the one that is on the car has had the main leaf flipped over by the look of it and forced against itself into the spring pack...this has caused the spring to adopt a wave in it at each end.

Has anyone fitted just a Posies super low spring and if so, what drop did you get....Im not looking to bury the wheels deep into the fenders, just get the top of the tyre covered by an inch or so.The Posies springs are reasonably priced but the shipping to here is around $200 plus import duty and tax, I don' t want to buy one and it sit just as high as a settled stock spring.The car rides really nice but that deformed main leaf is a worry when Im out driving....Im just waiting for it to break and ditch the coupe .

Thanks.

[dude]

Have re-arched main leaf a number of times. The old spring steel is much better that the newer stuff. If done properly, you'll get about 2" drop.

[Vic Piano]

I used Posie reversed eye springs in the front and rear of our '47 Convertible and they dropped the front about two and a half inches and the rear dropped almost four inches. I didn't have to rework any of the stock suspension components to install the reversed eye springs.

[Henry Hopper]

Thanks Dude and Vic, appreciate the replies.

[flathead47]

Vic .... do you have a side view picture of your 47 convertible to see the new stance. Are you still using the stock front axle. What were the Posie part numbers for the springs you used .... Thanks

[felix37]

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For what you want to do, Posie's is the only way to go!
His springs work!

[59ab]

I reversed the front spring on my coupe myself. A lot of hard work! Buy Posie's springs.

[hope]

Originally Posted by 59ab

I reversed the front spring on my coupe myself. A lot of hard work! Buy Posie's springs.

How did you do it?

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by flathead47

Vic .... do you have a side view picture of your 47 convertible to see the new stance. Are you still using the stock front axle. What were the Posie part numbers for the springs you used .... Thanks

I used the stock front axle and all the original suspension parts, only thing I changed were the springs. I converted it almost 15 years ago so, sorry but, I don't have the Posie part #'s. I shot a video (in the Vic's V8 Video series) called "From Tops to Tires". In the video we demonstrate how to do the conversion from stock spring to reversed eye spring. Here are a few photos of the ’47 after the conversion. I'm also running 15" '46 Merc rims.

[joel]

You can buy a reversed eye main leaf that is the correct length for a stock axle from Chassis Engineering in Iowa. That allows you to use the rest of your spring pack; also they have " sliders" that you can add to the spring to allow it to work easier. Shipping 1 leaf should save shipping expense. You should get about 1 1/2" drop in front.

[flathead47]

Vic .... Thanks for the pictures & info .... what would the width of the Merc rims be & tire size you installed on them.

[Vic Piano]

I'm not where I can go and take a look at the '47 so I won't be much help however, I think (CRS strikes again) the Merc 15" rims are half an inch wider then the Ford 16", they may be the same as the Lincoln 15" rims, I'm not sure. I think the tire size is 205 75R 15, I tried to get as close to a 710x15 bias ply size (a little wider) in the radial. Sorry for not being more specific.

[Joe KCMO]

Sorry to be the odd man. But do not do it. Ford built a beautiful car in 1940. Leave it alone. Chop up a kit car, not an original.

[TJ]

As a general rule the 15" rims are 5" wide. Some of the pickup rims are 5 1/2" wide. The 5 1/2" rim will put the tire too close to the stock shock(Houdaille) arm and can wear a groove on the inside of the tire. I learned this the hard way.

[Vic Piano]

Originally Posted by Joe KCMO

Sorry to be the odd man. But do not do it. Ford built a beautiful car in 1940. Leave it alone. Chop up a kit car, not an original.

Just so you know, installing a reversed eye spring does not require any "chopping", in fact, you can return the car back to stock by just swapping back to the original spring...

[Henry Hopper]

Totally agree Vic, it's just a swap over.I love early V8Fords but the one thing I do not like is the stock high stance.The designers would have put the cars lower but for the state of the roads back then ,where they needed plenty of clearance.

All the old Fords look better IMO with a slight lowering, but then to each their own, and I respect a view of an owner who prefers the high stance.

I did not know that CE sold just the main leaf...I'll look into that, thank you.

[19Fordy]

The Posie reversed eye spring you want is # 2040. It will lower the front end of your car without needing to change anything else.

[Vic Piano]

Henry, I totally agree with you as well. I think all "Fat Fendered Fords" look better lowered. Here's a photo of our '39 CS, it has all stock suspension but the addition of fender skirts give the appearance of a "lower" stance.

[Robert Dip]

I just had to drop my '39 coupe, and try to keep all of the original Ford parts....that's me. I managed to get an original Mor-drop axle ( tough to drop a '40 axle...not much distance from perch to king pin ) and bent the spindles to clear the drop. I ordered a Posie reverse eye & lowered spring, have 5.60 x 16 B.F.Goodrich bias ply WW. For the rear, I also have the lowered reversed eye spring. Rears are 8.20 x 15 BFGs. The car rides just fantastic. I hate the spring slider bulges, since it deters away from the original spring look, but, I decided to give it a try. I cannot have gotten a better riding spring, and I envy my buddies when I take them for a fun drive. Robert

[Robert Dip]

Correction to the above...front tires are 5.50 x 15, not 16. Another note...the Posie rear spring only gave me a 2" drop...they said it would sag after a few miles...never did...I added 100 pounds in the trunk to lower the car that extra inch....been there for a couple of years...still did not sag....I left the weight in the trunk, car rides better with the extra weight. Robert

[Henry Hopper]

Robert, your 39 is a great looking car, the stance is spot on ......love the colour and the chrome rims.

[okiedokie]

My eye loves lowered 40's [and about everything else] a stock height 40 with skinny little bias ply tires does nothing for me anymore. Make it suit your eyes.

[don35]

When I got my car the front main spring leaf (and axel) were really badly bent. I just had a new main leaf made and replaced the damaged one. There is likely a company on your side of the pond that could do the same for you. For $35 they would have made the new leaf in any con figuration I wanted. I had them reverse the eyes. It dropped the front about 2 inches.

[Robert Dip]

Just had some more thoughts on dropping the ’40. I found a mint ’40 complete rolling chassis, blasted every part and began re-assembling it. I obtained another ‘old’ dropped original axle, including modified spindles ( bought from the same guy ) to work on similar to the ’39. By using the original axle, you do not split the wishbones ( unlike using an aftermarket axle & C.E. parts ). The drop axle without stretching tucks in the wheels for additional fender clearance. On the chrome rims, I ordered from Wheel Smith new repo 15 x 5” rims, but that did not work out. The repop rim centers are 1” deeper and make the wheel closer to the fenders by the same amount…that was a no-no for me….not enough clearance. I obtained original ford 15”centers, nice fellow from the Barn sold me the centers from scuffed rims, took out the rivets and shipped the centers out to the Wheel Smith for me, where they chromed them and mounted on new outers. Now, I had the same backspace as an original 15 x 5” rim. It is now perfect. To drop an original Ford axle, Anson in California is the guy who does absolutely perfect work. All of these guys are a distance away from you, but, just letting you know what I did with great results. I too, use original Ford parts for my cars….as aftermarket stuff deters away from originality and fit. Let me know if you need help with your project. Robert