Lowering a '47 sedan

[Blu Dice]

How's the simplest, easiest, cheapest way to lower a '47 sedan?

[felix37]

Probably by just installing a reversed eye spring and a big and little tire combination?

[quickchange34]

Drop axle and or reversed eyed spring in front. Rear reversed eyed spring, Drop a couple of leaves You can reverse arch the main leaves yourself.

[millersgarage]

couple bags of concrete in the trunk....

[59ab]

A set of long spring shackles would do the job!

[Ol' Ron]

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Love them long shackles, makes driving a real experience.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

Back I the early 50's I was working in a small garage. A customer came in with a 40 merc coupe. He asked the garage owner if he could lower his 40. The boss said leave it and come back before closing. The guy left and the boss put the car in the parking spot and took all the air out of the tires. When the guy came back the boss said, you wanted lowered, then he gave him a hand pump. True story. Walt

[1963turnerjohn]

Walt - great story!

[britman]

Back-in-the-day us young poor boys would just take torch and heat the main leaf of the spring ---takes about 30 seconds. A slammed 39 makes for a rough ride but that was the price to pay to be cool.
bd

[Torchie]

Reversing the spring eye will get you maybe a little over an inch of drop.
If you want more in the front the best way is a dropped axle.
For the rear if you sink the spring into the cross member by removing the plate that it sits on in it's stock configuration you will get around 3 inches of drop.
As Ol'Ron pointed out. Longer shackles can provide an interesting driving experience.
Somtimes the words simplest,easiest and cheapest can't be used in the same sentence.
Torchie.

[Clem Clement]

I did a 40 Merc with the long shackles and no sway bar. The bottom ends of the shackles cut the tires. I added a sway bar to solve that problem. (Same 40 Merc that was written up ntheEV-8 Times a couple of years ago.

[av8coupe]

"For the rear if you sink the spring into the cross member by removing the plate that it sits on in it's stock configuration you will get around 3 inches of drop."

So, is the rear crossmember strong enough by itself that this doesn't compromise anything? It seems like this would be better than longer shackles as far as affecting handling. Is 3" OK for a driver?

[Steves46]

Originally Posted by felix37

Probably by just installing a reversed eye spring and a big and little tire combination?

That's what I did for my 46 and have been very pleased with the outcome.

[Mart]

This car should be fitted with a panhard rod front and rear. If it is you can use longer shackles. The handling should not be compromised. Using longer shackles on a car that does not have a panhard rod is when the handling can be upset, or "interesting" as Old Ron says.

Mart.

[Krylon32]

I've sold several front and rear Posie springs for a car like yours, gets you about 3 inch's lower and improves the ride. Much safer than the long shackles.

[Torchie]

Originally Posted by av8coupe

"For the rear if you sink the spring into the cross member by removing the plate that it sits on in it's stock configuration you will get around 3 inches of drop."

So, is the rear crossmember strong enough by itself that this doesn't compromise anything? It seems like this would be better than longer shackles as far as affecting handling. Is 3" OK for a driver?

This is an old customizing trick. But as we know not everything the old customizers did was the safest thing.
I personaly would put some reinforcement around the area that I removed the plate from just to beef up the cross member. But i have seen it with out on older customs that were driven.
As far as the drop amount goes that would give the car the classic"speed boat" stance that was so coveted. Front was left stock height and rear was lowered.
Torchie.

[1963turnerjohn]

Torchie is correct with his explaination on the mod done in period to provide the period motorboat stance - this is how my 41 was done in 1941 ( and has some extra strengthening plates added ). In my profile pic you can see the pic with the clear back to front slope - this is how she looked in 41 and looks today.

[Torchie]

Originally Posted by 1963turnerjohn

Torchie is correct with his explaination on the mod done in period to provide the period motorboat stance - this is how my 41 was done in 1941 ( and has some extra strengthening plates added ). In my profile pic you can see the pic with the clear back to front slope - this is how she looked in 41 and looks today.

And I really love the look of your car.
Torchie.