Compare the flattened rear...
Compare the flattened rear crossmember to the unmodified version still in the frame and you'll get a good idea of how much lower these 'rails can go.
There are many ways to lower a Deuce. One of the ways that has worked well for chassis guru Denny Lesky (Ionia Hot Rod Shop) is to yank out the stock '32 rear crossmember and swap it for a '35-40 Ford crossmember that has been squeezed flat.
Denny says this wild idea was actually copied from his friend Paul Beck, who owned a five-window back in the '60s that sat way too tall, but became the inspiration behind the procedure.
Replacing the crossmember allows you to replace the '32's curved spring with a longer, tapered leaf spring that rides a lot better. Another advantage is that the replacement crossmember centers the tire and wheel in the '32 wheelwell or fender, instead of almost an inch forward of the fender centerline as in stock form.
According to Denny's measurements, the distance between the top of the stock crossmember to the spot where the springs sit is 4 1/2 inches. That's a heckuva drop. It's probably way too much for a fendered car, but you'll see how the job can be modified to reduce the amount of the drop. And the full 4 1/2 inches works wonders for the highboy roadster pickup Denny's got going together for the '06 Grand National Roadster Show.
Welding Well
Only a skilled welder using adequate equipment should handle welding any portion of a hot rod frame. This is not a good project for learning how to weld. The average weekend hot rodder can accomplish most of this project successfully, but when it's time to start welding, leave that 100-amp MIG in your garage and turn the work over to someone with a TIG and lots of experience using it.
The project starts with a...
The project starts with a few lines. Denny used a square to mark a line across the top of the crossmember and down the sides at the point where the crossmember flattens out in the center (the arrow indicates where the crossmember begins to curve upward). A spot was then marked at the base of the crossmember 3/4-inch to the outside of the vertical line drawn down the side. He then drew a line connecting that spot to the top of the vertical line of the crossmember to form a wedge. This was repeated on the backside of the crossmember, and on the other end as well, so that he ended up with four wedges. If you don't want to flatten the crossmember quite as much, just measure a 1/2-inch wedge instead of 3/4-inch. You can always cut more later if necessary.
We were curious about how...
We were curious about how much of a drop Denny could get by flattening this thing. With the crossmember upside down on a steel sawhorse, he measured from the crossmember to a 1-inch piece of steel tubing (since he will be using a 1-inch spacer). Look closely and you'll see that it measures 4 1/2 inches. That's a lot.
The crossmember was C-clamped...
The crossmember was C-clamped to the sawhorse in the center and at both ends so it wouldn't budge when Denny sliced out the four 3/4-inch wedges (arrows). After the wedges were cut out, the end C-clamps were removed and the large center C-clamp was tightened until the crossmember was squeezed flat. Denny used a piece of rectangular tubing inside the crossmember to distribute the force of the clamp across the center of the crossmember.
Here's the crossmember after...
Here's the crossmember after the wedges were removed and the crossmember was welded together, flatter than a dollar bill. It looks good, but the job is only halfway done.
Notice that the ends of the...
Notice that the ends of the modified crossmember angle away from the sawhorse. The crossmember should be symmetrical so that the opposite ends rest on the sawhorse at the same point.
These later Ford crossmembers...
These later Ford crossmembers have to be narrowed to fit the Deuce frame, especially after getting flattened. Denny also needed to enlarge the exhaust notches and move them inward and slightly upward to position the pipes properly between the crossmember and the springs. This would involve more cutting at both ends of the crossmember. He measured 8 inches from the end of the crossmember which will be the length of a narrow wedge. From that point he measured and marked 2 1/2 inches back toward the end of the crossmember just inside the radius of the exhaust notch (this will be the area to be removed).
He created a wedge along the...
He created a wedge along the 8-inch cut line. The width of the wedge is 3/4-inch at the widest point. Denny determined most of these measurements by trial and error.
The area to be cut out was...
The area to be cut out was marked out in black. When the cutting is done, the exhaust notches will be moved in 2 1/2 inches and upward slightly to fill the wedge area.
This is what it looks like...
This is what it looks like after the procedure is complete. This is the rear notch on the passenger side of the crossmember, moved inward toward the center and TIG welded. The amount of the relocation can be seen by the remaining piece of the crossmember end (arrow), which will be cut off later to fit the narrow '32 frame. Denny will also grind the welds later.
Our opening photo shows the...
Our opening photo shows the crossmember fully flattened, welded, and blasted in a shot of primer, prior to the excess tabs getting trimmed off. Matt Lesky, who works at Ionia Hot Rod Shop with his dad, e-mailed us this photo of a flattened crossmember welded into the 'rails of their '32 roadster pickup.