47-55.1 The story behind my axles.

[mick53]

Three years ago when I decided to do a frame off on my 53 3100 I did the right thing and bought my brakes first. They are 12.88" 6/4 piston Nickle plated calipers with internal drum parking brakes in the rear and lightweight rotors all the way around. Wilwood had just started offering Nickle plated calipers. They only did this for a relatively short period of time. One of their reps at the PRI show said they "lost their butt on them". So I pick the best ones I could find with no regard to if they fit. They only fit a Heidts spindle pin profile. Of course nobody makes such a spindle for a straight axle. I had Pete And Jakes team up with Super Bell and make me a heavy duty custom width axle. It is a roadster axle with leaf spring perches. It's designed to leave the ground and safely return. I went with early ford spindles because they make much prettier stuff for them. I bought a set of 57 BelAir spindles from Wilwood with the Heidts pin in them and had Pete And Jakes send me a set of ford spindles before chroming. I have a friend with an industrial fab shop and he water jetted the pins out and put the Heidts pin in the ford spindle for me and didn't charge me a dime. Then I sent them back to Pete And Jakes to be chromed. Then I mind melded two brackets together for the calipers.
The rear axle is an old Frankland QC-80 quick change axle. This axle came from a friend I use to pit for 25 years ago. He's now a country western star. I took it to the Frankland factory in PA and had it retubed to the proper width and a Gleason Torsen differential installed. I have a possible 128 rear end gear ratios available with the 4:11 ring gear in it. The range from about 2:11 to about 8:15. Wilwood worked with them on it and Moser made the axles. I have an adjustable Bicknel torque arm on it. The pic of the 292 is just for fun. Sorry so long but as sit in my house alone I am thankful for all the support I get from everyone. I am truly blessed. Happy Thanksgiving!

[dsraven]

looks nice.
do you own anything that isn't shiny? haha.

[mick53]

Originally Posted by dsraven

looks nice.
do you own anything that isn't shiny? haha.

Maybe the hounds? It's more like they own me though.