ClassicCar

Brave - posting this question out here on the open forum

Do you have a plan and budget to do the lowering?

With stock Hudson suspsension you are limited to most of the following...

Front

1. Cutting front coil springs - a no, no, if you care about ride/handling at all
2. Having a shorter spring made with the same spring rate.
3. Some industrious people have lowering pockets for the front lower control arm - you have to drill out the rivets on the old pocket and attach the new one which effectively lowers the front.
4. Inserting a FatMan Stub Frame Kit w/MII steering and suspension + air bags - nice $$

Rear

1. Remove some leafs - - a no, no, if you care about ride/handling at all
2. Having new leaf springs made with the same spring rate and a lower arc.
3. Install lowering blocks - another forum member used 2" blocks and didn't like it dragging all the time. Not sure whether they ended up with 1" or 1"-1/2 blocks...
4. Re-inforcing and c-notching the rear "frame" to add air bags and 4 link.

Of course you could always just use a late model frame and section the unibobody over the top of it!

There's also major considerations on the rear axle pinion angle ~ driveline issues with length and hitting the small tunnel area ~ as well as the panhard bar adjustments when the backend is lowered

I guess what I'm saying is there isn't an easy inexpensive route to lowering a stepdown and still retain the driveability.

Of the options listed above I think the least expensive way to do this is to have new springs made - front and rear to lower the car but still retain the original spring rate for handling.

Since I dropped a 454/TH400 into my 49 and with the change in engine/transmission position (8" rear from stock) and potentially considerable weight change +/- from the original wieght the car was delivered I plan on getting it completely together with a full tank of gas and see where it sits then go from there.

I want to have the springs and shocks custom made and/or fit to the appropriate weight and handling characteristics I want. My preliminary estimates have been around 1k or under for this style setup.

I love the look when they sit in the dirt - but In the end my requirements are that my car drives without me having to worry about scraping everytime I run over a pebble on the road or pull into a drive-in to cruise.

There - I could ramble on some more but really it comes down to money (how much) and do you want the car to handle or look good sitting? (I'm not slamming airbags - you just don't get the same ride)

I had the same dilema. I did the cheap test to try it out, cut 1 front coil and put 2" blocks in the back. It rides OK for the limited driving that I do. I plan to put 1" lowered springs in the front from http://www.eatonsprings.com/. Their price is good and they claim to have been an OE supplier for Hudson. They will make lowered and stock height springs.



For the rear, I will replace the 2" blocks with 1" blocks. I feel that 2" is too drastic for otherwise stock suspension.



I wanted a lowered look with zero modifications, easy and cheap to reverse.



Matt

John,
You're question was making a decision as to whether or not to lower your car. This may sound dumb but if you want to just look at what it might look like being a little lower just throw a couple of concrete blocks or bags of concrete or sand in the trunk. You can back off and look at it and if you don't like it, just take them out. No harm done and you didn't get greasy doing it. Hokey I know but who knows? You may like it lower and then you get out the wrenches.
Disclaimer: What do I know?
Peace,
Chaz

keep it stock, spend your money on paint, chrome and upholstery, bill albright

Chris Smith wrote:

Get the car on the road and experience the ride before you F it up. IMHO part of the charm of driving a Hudson is the smooth ride it delivers. I have lowered a few cars and they all lost ride quality as a result. The closer you keep it to stock the more resale value it will have. After you get it on the road and you still have the urge to slam it, try and do it in such a way that putting back to stock would be easy. step downs look pretty damn low as is and you will get people asking you if you chopped the roof and lowered it anyway. I say put big sway bars and gas shocks on it to improve the cornering, and any engine power adders bump up the fun factor.

Chris, you are right on! Whatever someone does in this situation needs to be easily reversible and no damage creatd. If you like money and resale value, keep it stock. Niels

Ya know Terry, that slight rake looks kinda cool! Maybe its just the surfboards! And even though its not a 2 door, its one I would buy!

And Neils......who cares about resale? Maybe a consistent builder who sells his cars after they're finished, but not most guys. There are a lot more restored Huds than rodded, so dare to be a little different. And I'd bet that the guy who cares more about resale doesn't have as much fun with his car as the guy who builds with his own personal touch and personality.

Walt, just do what you want with her and if you have any doubts, looks like the guys here have a few suggestions on how to try it easily and cheap before you permanently decide what to do. Guys have been lowering cars since the 50's maybe earlier too. If you keep it stock, great, and if you want it lowered, great also.

Jay
(its too damn hot here already!)

jsrail wrote:

Ya know Terry, that slight rake looks kinda cool! Maybe its just the surfboards! And even though its not a 2 door, its one I would buy!



And Neils......who cares about resale? Maybe a consistent builder who sells his cars after they're finished, but not most guys. There are a lot more restored Huds than rodded, so dare to be a little different. And I'd bet that the guy who cares more about resale doesn't have as much fun with his car as the guy who builds with his own personal touch and personality.



Walt, just do what you want with her and if you have any doubts, looks like the guys here have a few suggestions on how to try it easily and cheap before you permanently decide what to do. Guys have been lowering cars since the 50's maybe earlier too. If you keep it stock, great, and if you want it lowered, great also.



Jay

(its too damn hot here already!)

Hey Jay,



If your not concerned about resale, let me make some personal touches to your house and see how it effects its value! LOL

faustmb wrote:

Opinions are like ... you know. What you do with your car is a personal choice. Of course you need to consider things like budget, resale value, and your long term plans for the car. Whatever you chose to spend your time and money on is up to you. I will always have cars that I can drive without fear of rain and normal wear and tear, so paint and trim is way down my list for any car. I don't have hours to spend polishing and cleaning, and if I did I wouldn't want to. I chose to spend my limited resources making the car safe and reliable to drive. Lower front springs and lowering blocks isn't going to do squat to the resale value. $200 buys a new set of OE spec springs from an OE supplier, Which I'm sure are better that the ones that are 50 + years old.



Whatever you do, make sure the work is done well and the car is safe to drive. Other than that, make it look and drive how you want.



I'm not concerned about resale, but that doesn't mean I want a POS.



Matt

I share this philosophy



Mark

Martin200 wrote:

Erm... isn't a stock stepdown Hudson low enough as it is?

Uh...NO! LOL

Lower it.



Keep it hudson powered, how cool would that be?

nhp1127 wrote:

Jay,

While you are misguided and the heat has gone to your head, your still ok.LOL

Touche Neils! LOL!!!!

Lower. Just put 1 1/2" blocks on this week. I wish todays "bolt-ons" were

half as easy as these. I used a"scientifically engineered" "Jet Stream-

Super Cushion" rubber lowering block kit. We're headed to Ohio in a couple

weeks and between the blocks and the wifes luggage we should be in

tail draggin territory. I let you know how it goes.