Speedway Motors employee Tim M. takes his creativity up a notch with this installment by incorporating a Model A rear crossmember and a high arc spring into his ’29 roadster build. See what Tim goes through to restore the spring and gets it ready to fit on the car.
I’ve always wanted to build an early 50’s style Model A hot rod on a pinched deuce frame incorporating a model A rear cross member and high arch stock spring. I was lucky to find a deal on such a frame that had already been started, but the first owner installed a triangulated four bar rear for a more modern street rod. While they work great, a 4-bar suspension just wouldn’t fit the mid-50’s era build I was aiming for so I decided to remove it. I cut out the 4-bar and replace it with stock parts a builder might have used back in 55. Why use a high arch Model A Ford spring in a 32 frame you may ask? This answer is simple. Forever guys have been doing this to clear a quick change rear end. When I scrounge up enough money for my quick change this rear suspension will not only be period correct; it will also clear the extended case of the quick change but sit just high enough to show it off nicely.
In this article I will document the work done to my rusty 100 year old Model A spring to bring it back to life. I will talk about some important information to keep in mind regarding old springs while also showing some handy items available to make using an old spring easy
I tracked down my Model A spring in an old junk yard back home in South Dakota. The spring was resting in a pile of other parts not far from an original dilapidated Model A frame. I knew I needed a good high arch spring and the rear cross member on the frame looked good so I brought them both home. In thinking about what the roads around America looked like in 1928 it quickly became apparent why so many frames cracked, and also why so many of the original springs took a beating. If you are scrounging original parts like me keep this in mind, and make sure items are free of stress cracks and heavy rust. Most original A springs will be rusty to some degree, but watch for heavy pitting on the flat surfaces between the leaves where moisture would sit.
Cleaning up my old spring was going to take time and patience! If you want to fast forward to another area of your project you could take the easy route here, and simply purchase Speedway Motors replacement high arch spring. Part number 91043102 fits both Model T and Model A, and is hot rod ready! I would recommend that route if time is of the essence
