Question for Fellow Boaters that are Street Rodders
 

Sorry for sharing my distraction from working on the boat 😀.

Last year we bought what was a running, cough, driving, cough 1928 Chevrolet sedan street rod. This was an original but chopped wood framed steel body car with an 8-71 blown small block with 100% Mickey Mouse inspired suspension that quickly turned from refresh to build. We are getting close on the front half of car which is all new from firewall forward including frame rails, suspension, brakes, and power. Engine is new from short block up including a Trick Flow Specialties top end package that dyno’d at 475hp before adding the blower so expecting a driveable 600+ hp going in a pretty short and light wheelbase. The entire rear suspension is garbage so I’m starting with a clean slate other than using the existing GM 10 bolt rear. This is my first rod build what would any rodders recommend between 3-link, 4- link, or a composite leaf? The car won’t be a track car and I’d like the best ride possible. Not looking to do airbags as I think too light to benefit much.
Thanks in advance for any sharing,
Rick
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...01e545f79.jpeg

Note that is the before photo

triangulated four link gives the most tuning. you dont need a panhard bar and with coil over shocks you can easily adjust and/or swap spring rates with out a lot of cost. any leaf spring you are hoping you like the spring rate or you have to buy another set of springs so it is a best guess deal. coil over springs are cheap. with the four link you will have to put in cross bars and mounts but the tuneability is great. I have worked on several wood framed cars and they are a pain. have you pulled the interior to look at the wood?

X2 on the 4link setup. Think you would be happier with the overall outcome of it.

Call Jason Slover at Pete & Jakes in Peculiar MO. They have been building front and rear street rod suspensions for many years. His dad, Jerry, bought the Pete and Jakes business many years ago, and owned and operated an auto parts store with street rod parts in the back room before that. Parts are fabricated on site, test fit and shipped to you. I do not recommend air ride at all. I struggled with a/r on my 32 for years and removed the front, installed a TCI independent. Left the bags on the back for extra weight in trunk on long trips.
That is a lot of weight up front and they will want to know the weight to calculate the springs.
Pete and Jakes 816-758-4504

Thank you guys appreciate the input.

compedgemarine - the floors and door frames look very good but I have not pealed back and looked inside the body yet. Based on weight and power I’m expecting either to see splinters or to wet myself the first full throttle run so will get that view soon. 😳🤣

Personally I have a 1934 3 window coupe that I would have had backtrack together but I got involved with performance boating! The biggest drawback on the early Chevy is the amount of wood used in the body. My car I went with jaguar rear and kugel komponents front end for ride quality! There are plenty of jag rear ends out there now, but xke is more narrow for the early street rods and definitely bring more bling!

I second the props for the Jag IRS. The center section is rock solid and narrowed, beefed up axles and components are readily available. The ride and handling are worth every penny.

I like the idea of the Jag independent rear. How would the Jag rear react to the “accidental” full throttle launch? Helping go straight or entertaining??😂

the xke were posi, I’m not sure about the later models, chromed up, the looks can’t be beat !!!

My father has a 34 wood/steel car he is building, I believe he is doing a Ford 9" 4 link (pic 1). There are a few shops here is Ohio that will build out your chassis setup, either jus that portion, or a full custom build. They will make the fram efrom scratch. I think that may be a little too far for you.


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...6981444655.jpg

At some point I'll get into this 1935 sedan below, original wood/steel car. I was going to go with an Art Morrison setup (they make a pre-fabbed rear frame setup with Ford 9") or a full on frame either custom built from one of the Ohio shops, or you can order the full chassis from Art Morrison. they have been around a long time, good quality stuff.
https://artmorrison.com/

Dependent upon HP, I would be weary of the JAG rear end. A lot have been done in the past, I believe more for a "show" car than a performer.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...d652c49ea1.jpg

On the Jag rear ends, yes there is a lot of bling, the one thing I never liked about them, the back end of the car has to sit too high. By the time you get one, go through it, polish or plate it $$$, you could buy a 9" Currie built to fit and be done.

Check out the Ford 8.8" IRS , strong, inexpensive, lots of parts and with a light car and limited tires you could do burnouts for days without breaking something.

I built a 33 Chevy 5 window with and early jag, they look and handle great. It all depends on the amount of money and look you want. I. Have used quick change, 9 inch, and GM. I agree 4 link with coil overs is probably the best for a street car with some hp. They also look good if you get polished aluminum shocks with chrome springs and chromed links.

I ran a narrowed 3.43:1 XKE Jag IRS behind a +/- 500HP/TQ stroker in a Cobra replica for almost 20 years and It never skipped a beat. Yes - there were a few "accidental" smoky launches right through first and well into second gear and with the power-lock diff ( which is essentially a Dana unit) it was always controlled and predictable. In a light car like the Cobra, I found that I didn't need the rear sway bar and that really allowed the suspension to do it's thing. Handled great and gave a nice, supple ride.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...afa3037a46.png
He also built this one, which has a corvette c4 independent rear running a 450hp 454. Runs and handles real well.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...5e8540a48.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...452602888.jpeg
Not super great pics but you get the idea.

and like one of the previous members said, he had it setup with airbags, while cool, handled terrible. It’s now got coilovers all four corners and it drives much better.

I found my 34 rode awesome, but handled terrible until I installed sway bars front and rear, I should point out that when I originally built the car it had a Jaguar front also, which I hated!! Wide track width didn’t stop for s—t with the jag brakes! And headers were almost impossible with the torsion bars.

one of the big problems you will have is flex, the body on most cars is a big part of the stiffness of it all but the wood frame bodies move ALOT. the nails pull loose, wood dries out etc. you would do good to at least box the frame or best is a new frame but you may not want to get that deep in it. I hate the air ride setups that are out there. cars handle like crap and the compressors are noisy and dont last. most of the air rides are poorly engineered which is why I recommended the coilovers for a driver. if you pull the door panels you should have a rod with a turn buckle that is the tension to adjust the doors to fit, that is how much they move around so make sure all the wood is good or yes you my soil the seats first time hard on the throttle. we always look for 1936 or newer to build as they are steel frame bodies and so much better to work with. either way it will be a fun ride.

I have some suggestions
That motor is gonna warp your frame like crazy unless you buy a new frame, do some serious fab work. At least back half it.
Get rid of that 12 bolt and get a good pro pro built 9" Ford.
A 3 or 4 link is the only real options.
That is alot of HP for that car, its not a Camero or late model car and the steel is getting kind of old.
Just trying to help so you can enjoy the car instead of getting pissed at it all the time.
I've been at this stuff 60 years.
Pics of my 34 Tudor

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...9108876cc1.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...efa60712b9.jpg

Pretty “34”!

My advice, get rid of the 10 bolt. Go 12 bolt or 9 inch. The XKE will probably handle the horsepower, too.

Light car or not, a stock 8.5” might hold up to ~600hp, but an 8.2 won’t. Mine came apart in a 3700lb car w/500hp and I’m really lucky I didn’t lunch the quarterpanels, as the c-clips were in the bottom of the pumpkin on disassembly. Twisted the pinion in half and put a chicane in the trans yoke, too. The new Moser 12 Bolt has 33 spline bolt in axles, 1350 yoke, etc. Way more better.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...a7a700723.jpeg



As has already been stated, boxing or replacing the frame with an aftermarket unit is going to be advantageous to keeping the car together and the body lines right. Seeing paint chipping around door jambs after some hooliganism will break your heart.

My ‘39 five window sits atop a TCI (Total Cost Involved) frame with Mustang II front suspension and parallel 4 link, panhard and sway bar out back. I’m OK with the ride considering it’s on 18.5” wide bias ply tires.



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