Is 3 and a half inches enough?

[48builder]

Not that, you slobs.

I mean ground clearance. My '39 is in storage so I can't measure it. I finally got my engine mounts welded in place and set the engine and tranny in place on Friday. Put the tranny crossmemeber in place, and I have 3.5 inches underneath it. Looks very low. I won't miss any roadkill with it.

When I had the body sitting on the frame without engine and tranny, it looked right, but this is the first time I've had the x-member in without it being on jacks.

What do you think?

[enjenjo]

I think that is too low,particularly since it is near the middle of the car. On my 48 Chevy, I hit the brake booster bracket on the road a couple times, and that was more than 4" off the ground.  Unfortunately, some of the roads around here have ruts in the asphalt 5" deep

[48builder]

I think that is too low,particularly since it is near the middle of the car. On my 48 Chevy, I hit the brake booster bracket on the road a couple times, and that was more than 4" off the ground.  Unfortunately, some of the roads around here have ruts in the asphalt 5" deep

Right now I have the rear and front blocked to where the spring ride height is supposed to be. I'll put some springs in it and load it up with some weights from my "Mr America" days, and see where she sits then. Trouble is, if I want to raise the x-member, I'll have to re-route my exhaust.

Do problems ever end when you are building a car?

[1FATGMC]

I think that is too low,particularly since it is near the middle of the car. On my 48 Chevy, I hit the brake booster bracket on the road a couple times, and that was more than 4" off the ground.  Unfortunately, some of the roads around here have ruts in the asphalt 5" deep

Right now I have the rear and front blocked to where the spring ride height is supposed to be. I'll put some springs in it and load it up with some weights from my "Mr America" days, and see where she sits then. Trouble is, if I want to raise the x-member, I'll have to re-route my exhaust.

Do problems ever end when you are building a car?

I think it is too low also if this is going to be a driver.  If you are using new springs I'll bet they settle another inch or so over the first year, mine did.

Of course different vehicles are going to bottom in different places.  I have a bout 6 inches of ground clearance on my truck and originally after the springs settled I had problems with the bottom front edge of the front fenders hitting in driveway dips.  I added 1/2 inch spaces under the coil springs and that took care of that.  I still have to enter dips slow and at an angle if at all possible.

The other area that bottomed was the back bottoms of the front fenders where they attach to the running boards.  These would bottom at high speed on a highway that had dips in it.  I had gas shocks on the front.  I switched to Carrilla 50/50 shocks and they are slower to compress and that took care of that problem.

So I guess it is going to depend on the vehicle and the location of the low parts.

c ya, Sum

[kb426]

I think it's too low to be in the middle. The front end can be that low  but you have to watch where you go. If the middle is that low, you won't be able to clear any rise at a store. No soda's, no fun.

[phat46]

Not that, you slobs.

I mean ground clearance. My '39 is in storage so I can't measure it. I finally got my engine mounts welded in place and set the engine and tranny in place on Friday. Put the tranny crossmemeber in place, and I have 3.5 inches underneath it. Looks very low. I won't miss any roadkill with it.

When I had the body sitting on the frame without engine and tranny, it looked right, but this is the first time I've had the x-member in without it being on jacks.

What do you think?

I say drop it a couple more inches.....OOPS, wrong messege board....nevermind