You can try to rationalize it by claiming better aerodynamics or improved handling due to a lower center of gravity, but the truth is most of us lower our cars because it looks cool. Low cars just have a longer, leaner, meaner appearance, which is why rodders and customizers have been dropping them for decades.
Exactly how you narrow the gap between rocker panel and pavement depends on your car's suspension design, available parts, intended use, the builder's skill level, and of course, budget. A torch was the magic weapon back in the day--just heat the coils until they collapse, then de-arch the leaf springs or use lowering blocks to get the tail end down. Today, most of us put a higher priority on ride quality and use more sophisticated solutions ranging from custom springs and dropped spindles to air bags, subframes, and complete custom chassis. Each has its pros and cons.
When the time came to drop my '51 Plymouth Suburban wagon, I set a couple objectives. I wanted to do most of the work myself, which meant limiting heavy welding and fabrication. I also wanted to limit the car's down time since it still sees daily use. Those parameters pretty much dictated modifying the existing suspension rather than reinventing it.
Fortunately, the hot rod aftermarket has solutions. Starting up front, I ordered a set of Fatman Fabrication's dropped uprights. Fatman makes these for a wide variety of '40s-60s vehicles with kingpin- or balljoint-style independent suspensions. Most are designed to provide a 2- to 3-inch drop. The new uprights are fabricated from TIG-welded steel in a process Fatman has been using for more than a decade, a method that founder Brent VanDervort feels is proven and reliable.
Custom coil springs from Eaton Detroit Spring complement the uprights. Eaton has specs on just about every coil or leaf spring ever used on an American car or truck, so they can easily build stock replacements or custom versions to lower yours within reasonable limits. They even adjust the spring rate on custom springs to help prevent bottoming out and optimize handling. I ordered 1-inch lowered coils to help bring the front down further. I also got new 2-inch lowered leaf springs to replace the originals in back.
The new altitude and attitude wouldn't have been nearly as effective with the existing rolling stock, so I also made a trip to the Whitewall Candy Store for some wide whitewall radials. Owner John Zahn says he offers whitewall radials to fit everything from 13- to even 20-inch wheels; I kept things simple and went with 215/75R15 Diamondback Classics that fit the Plymouth's stock wheels and, in my opinion, look right on the car.
While tires and springs are essentially remove-and-replace items, installing the Fatman uprights is a little more than just a bolt-on affair. In most cases, the higher spindle height will require heating and bending the steering arms to bring the tie rod ends back into proper relation to the suspension. However, on Mopars from this era the steering arms can often be flipped upside down and switched side to side, minimizing the necessary bending. The steering arms will still require some machine work to prevent interference problems. Additionally, you'll want to weld on the new upper shock mounts that Fatman supplies with its Mopar kits to improve the poorly engineered factory shock setup. The accompanying photos and captions should help clarify all of this--see what you think.
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A new altitude can give a car a whole new attitude. The wide whitewalls and '55 DeSoto hubcaps also make a huge difference on this '51 Plymouth wagon. The rear still needs 1- or 2-inch lowering blocks to bring it down a little more. |
Here's the stock suspension in all its crusty glory. Note the shock, which mounts to the spindle and upper control arm; kinda makes you wonder what the engineers were thinking. |
A comparison of the new and old uprights shows the higher kingpin boss and welded steel construction of the Fatman part. |
The estimated 2 1/2-inch drop the upright provides was combined with coil springs from Eaton (right) designed to lower the front another inch. |
The Fatman uprights accept stock-style bushings, and this is a good time to install new ones. Replacements and other rebuild parts are available from sources like Kanter (where I got mine), Ply-Do, and Rare Parts. The upper bushings slide into place and are held secure with a bolt. |
Lower bushings are threaded and generally need to be driven in with an impact wrench. Be sure to lubricate the threads first. |
Assembling the new parts is the same as stock stuff. The usual cautions apply when working with coil springs--use a spring compressor or, at the very least, a sturdy floor jack in conjunction with a chain or tie-down strap securing the spring so it can't come flying out at you. |
This is also a good time to install new kingpins and kingpin bushings if you haven't already (I replaced mine a few months back when I installed disc brakes). The Fatman uprights use a setscrew, instead of the original tapered pin, to locate and retain the kingpin. The kingpin notch must align with the screw as shown. |
Otherwise, the spindle can be assembled in a normal fashion. The thrust bearing goes under the upright, and shims can be added to take up excess slop (my manual calls for .008-inch clearance). |
I discovered a clearance problem between the upper bushing through bolt and upper control arm after assembling everything and putting weight back on the suspension. This is easily cured with a little grinding (arrow), but it's much easier to do before assembly. |
Fatman recommends using '67-87 Chevy pickup front shocks with its new upper shock mounts. The shock mounts may need to be trimmed slightly, as shown at left, to acheive proper height. |
After compressing the suspension to approximate ride height and centering the shock in its travel, you can determine if, and how much, the shock mount needs to be trimmed before tack-welding it in place. |
Clearance is tight between the shock, bracket, and control arm, so be sure to check for interference throughout the suspension's full travel before welding the shock mount solid. |
The steering arms also require modification for proper fit. The mounting bosses must be ground or cut down so they are 1-inch thick and the holes enlarged to 5/8-inch and countersunk so the supplied Allen-head bolts will sit flush. Lenord's Custom Fabrication helped me with the machine work and said that a carbide counterbore bit was needed to cut the tough material. |
This view from below the assembled steering arm, Ply-Do caliper bracket, spindle, and brake rotor shows the tight fit. The mounting bolts may need to be trimmed (arrow) so they don't hit the rotor. I should also note that the spindles will need to be tapped to accept the 5/8-18 mounting bolts; mine were done when I installed the disc brakes. |
On many mid-century Mopar applications, the curved right-hand steering arm can be flipped upside down and swapped to the left side, as shown, to keep the tie rod end at its proper height. |
If the drop isn't enough, you may also need to have a machine shop re-taper the tie rod hole so the tie rod can be inserted from the bottom. |
This is the straight steering arm that was originally on the left side, and will now be on the right. It may need to be heated and bent to bring the tie rod back into proper position and avoid bumpsteer. |
As noted in the text, I also replaced the stock rear leaf springs with new, slightly de-arched versions from Eaton, which came complete with new bushings and mounting hardware. They ended up dropping the rear a little less than the expected 2 inches, but I can easily make up the difference with lowering blocks. |
The crowning touch came from the Whitewall Candy Store, in the form of four new wide white radials. Besides looking sharp, the new shoes should help in the ride and handling department, considering the poor shape of the old treads. |
Note the lack of lettering on the clean sidewall. |