Manky's Pop.

[Manky Monkey]

Took my motorcycle saddle to Eric at Trimmania in Wokingham today to be re-covered. So I whipped the gearchange & handbrake lever gaiters off & took those too. I wanted them both modified, but he'll use them as templates for new ones instead. Should be ready in a couple of weeks.

[Olds]

Beam axle, transverse leaf spring, lever shocks, skinny tyres. The perfect setup for high speed driving.  
I think most Armstrong lever arm units are adjustable for bump and rebound.
The lean may be something you may have to live with having a transverse spring, without stiffening it so much, it becomes skittery on rough surfaces. Changing the damper oil will have no affect on the lean.
 SAE20 is the std, SAE30 is the thickest that should be used without risking internal damage.
The only thing I can think of that will help with the lean keeping your present setup and may ( & only may)help with handling at higher speeds is fit a front ARB.

[Manky Monkey]

Already thought of an anti rollbar Dave, but not sure there's anywhere suitable to mount it -quite tight for space under the front end.
Yeah, I'm happy to accept a certain amount of ..."interesting" characteristics -that's half the fun of driving it, but I want to do some serious mileage in it, so just trying to knock the rough edges off it where I can.
Quite a lot of suspension travel on the front, which causes clearance issues on full steering lock & full spring travel. I've modified the exhaust headers & am altering the headlight mounts, which should sort that out. I don't often drive above 70 - 75 these days anyway, but it does start feeling very light on the front end when you're sat in the fast lane of a motorway overtaking something. To be honest I prefer A road driving & am quite happy to potter at lower speeds.
As Mr Loon says, the dampers have Harley fork oil in them -I remember now cos that's what I used on my trike too, so probably near enough.
Just trying to fine tune things a little & work through the various teething problems that cropped up last time around

[the coppersmith]

how about stiffer springs, or adding a leaf or two? I just happen to have 3 sets of leaf springs here all in stripped down mode. WHY ? I have no idea, well I may have had an idea, then scrapped it. Anyway they are hear if you want to try any. Various length and temper. Some seem springy, some as hard as a whores heart 

[morrag]

And just how hard is that then? having led a sheltered life I demur to your experience in these matters sirrah!

[Manky Monkey]

  Yeah, adding another leaf in seemed the easy option to me. Maybe I should get it roadworthy then bring it down to you & experiment
I plan a "Thank You" roadtrip in the Spring to see all those people who've helped out with it

[skippy]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Anti-roll-bar-Sway-bar-FORD-BA-BF-Wagon-Rear-Chrome-Molly-Tube-Adjustable-/252819044643?hash=item3add307923:g:HGgAAOSwol5YzIhB
maybe something like this ?

[Manky Monkey]

The back end's fine, (coil over shocks & triangulated 4 bar linkage). It's the front that's just a bit soft, but I think I need to drive it again, with all the mods since it was last on the road, to see how it handles now.

[Manky Monkey]

Really struggling to get motivated at the moment. Just can't seem to get my bottom in gear & get on with this. A week of full afternoons/evenings would see most of it done, but I've achieved nothing for weeks.
I've been replacing a lot of corroded nuts & bolts & now have a pile of shiny stuff to go back on, but can't fit it till I've rust proofed & painted the chassis. With the body on, there's places I just can't get to, but they're going to have to wait till the full, body off, repaint -which ain't happening any time soon. So there'll still be untreated corrosion lurking in there, but I can't do much about it. Annoying though.
I've loosely booked it in for a re-wire & sign writing over Christmas, so have a deadline. No car or bike meets for me this weekend then -must push on.

[morrag]

I have just been re-viewing some of the early "on the road" pics you posted, straight line and when cornering, and I feel that the front end "attitude" seems fine, so give it another go "as is" and forget the dampers,because, as per Dave's comment, heavy oil wont change what you're lookin' for, only spring rates will do that, and of course the weight penalty is some what drastic to create a really sweet handling motor, when in conjunction with a transverse spring. That's why, back in the dark ages we used to split the front axle on this type of suspension, not that it was hugely better even then!! , stick with what you have, do the best you can with chassis paint, and judiciously spray 'Waxoyl' where you can't get too! she'll be right..................& on the road Morrag

[Manky Monkey]

  Yeah, it was fine to drive -basic, but it's a 1950s car, cut in half. I've never driven any other hotrod, (apart from my own Fiat twin cam engined Moggy Minor pick-up many years ago), so I don't know how it compares. It might be amazing, with other builders dismissing poor handling as "it's a hotrod. What do you expect". If I can improve anything though, I will. I intend to keep it forever & gradually hone it till it's perfect!

[Manky Monkey]

A rainy Sunday here, so no excuse not to get on with it.
So, continuing my strategy of rebuilding it by taking even more parts off, today I pulled out the gearbox tunnel, which probably sounds like I'm removing stuff just for the sake of it, but actually gives me access to the centre of the chassis & the gearbox tunnel beneath the bulkhead.

[Manky Monkey]

Everything's rusty & grubby under there, but now I can reach it all. So the next job will be to scrub off the dirt then treat the chassis with rust killer. It's progress -honest.

[Manky Monkey]

I've taken off any removable brackets for powder-coating, so spent some time cleaning them up. Gearchange mount, brake pedal, both pedal pads, gearbox mount & handbrake bracket. I'll nip them over to the coaters after work tomorrow, to be done in gloss black.

[Manky Monkey]

Also took off the panel that encloses the brake pedal where it comes up through the floor. Found this bolt inside it. Wonder where that came from? And how long it's been there? Probably all the time it was on the road.
Actually, probably not cos it's too clean. More likely one I dropped while taking things apart, while it's been off the road, but wouldn't want it jamming the brake pedal.