Moparts

Lowering a '57 Plymouth ?

Posted By: 1OFNONE

Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 02/23/11 03:06 PM

Fat Man Fab had 2" drop spindles as does Magnum Force, but they are for disc brakes. We want to run stock drums do to the fact it is just a cruiser.
Anyone with info on how this is done? We already turned the torsion bars down.
Posted By: poorboy

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 02/26/11 02:58 AM

Might be "just a cruiser", but if someone pulls out in front of you, you still have to stop 3500 lbs of car. Personally, I'd do the disc brakes in a heartbeat, and never look back.

That said, it probably would be easier to adapt the lowered aftermarket spindles to accept the drum brakes then it would be to build a lowering spindle for your drum brakes. You really only need to find a way to mount the drum backing plate and have clearance for the brake hose to pass safely through everything with the suspension travel and with the spindle turning right to left. The drum, like the rotor, won't care at what height it is attached to the spindle, it only has to clear things as it spins. Gene
Posted By: 1OFNONE

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 02/27/11 07:50 PM

Very good point Gene. The car had disc brakes on it but had bump steer like a mother. Put stock drums and spindles on and no more bump steer.
Thats why we were thinking to stay with drums.

Time to do more research.

Thanks.
Posted By: poorboy

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/01/11 02:43 AM

Sorry, but it just doesn't make sense to me that just adding disc brakes also added bump steer. Did you change spindles or steering arms along with adding the disc brakes? Most disc brake setups I've seen simply add a bracket to hold the caliper to the drum brake spindle. The only thing I know of that produces bump steer is by changing the tie rods and suspension pivots to a different angles then they were originally designed to do, don't see how a disc brake setup would change those angles.
Please educate me. Gene
Posted By: BigBlockMopar

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/02/11 01:18 PM

Just chose a discbrake conversion system which uses the original spindles.

However, and although I've never done it this way myself, dropspindles are the proper way to lower a car, but I would make sure the Fatman spindles have the same dimension as the stock spindles. I would like to know aswell if that's the case.
Posted By: 1OFNONE

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/02/11 04:41 PM

I think I found out where the bump steer came from.
The '57 had disc brakes when purchased. Who knows what they came from. When he found original spindles and drum brakes the spindle needed reamed out to allow the upper control arm ball joint to drop in and seat properly. The upper control arms had been changed also.
Who knows what they had as a donor car for the disc set up.
I may be able to take a photo for ID.
Anyone up for a mystery ? LOL !
Posted By: BigBlockMopar

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/03/11 12:47 AM

Don't think you can surprise me much.
I've had a '65 Chrysler 300 where someone had managed to install a 4-pistoncalipers discbrake system from a Corvette on.
But that's not all.... They also were really determined to get 4.5" boltcircle Mopar wheels onto the 4.75" GM rotors...
Posted By: 1OFNONE

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/03/11 02:17 AM

I cant believe that more people are not customizing these cars. They are super cool. Everyone puts them back to stock or a Christine clone. They all have their place but dang these mid to late 50's car are something special that are over looked.

Attached picture 6506817-Brakes085.JPG
Posted By: BigBlockMopar

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/03/11 11:14 AM

I lowered my '57 Chrysler by just turning down the torsionbars and put 3" lowering blocks under the rearaxle.
With a good set of shocks all around I don't have many problems driving around with it.
I will probably put an extra leaf or 2 in the rear springpacks to stiffen up the springs just a bit.

I've also got a '57 4dr HT Plymouth Belvedere waiting as a project. I will be lowered the same way as most of my cars have been done.
The car has great patina, which I would like to preserve fro the time being...


Posted By: 1OFNONE

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/03/11 10:07 PM

Cool !
Posted By: 1OFNONE

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/04/11 08:09 PM

I would like to see a side by side photo of a standard b-body spindle and a '57 Plymouth spindle. That would tell alot.
Posted By: U code RR

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/18/11 06:19 PM

Quote:

I cant believe that more people are not customizing these cars. They are super cool. Everyone puts them back to stock or a Christine clone. They all have their place but dang these mid to late 50's car are something special that are over looked.


I agree! And apparently they are finally starting to receive some high profile attention! I can't say I like the tire and wheel combo but good to see the early Mopars getting some attention.

Attached picture 6536514-db_P22659831.jpg
Posted By: U code RR

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/18/11 06:24 PM

Quote:

I cant believe that more people are not customizing these cars. They are super cool. Everyone puts them back to stock or a Christine clone. They all have their place but dang these mid to late 50's car are something special that are over looked.


Another example.

Attached picture 6536528-$(KGrHqEOKjkE0Yv1UgOlBN(JZVW62g~~_12.jpg
Posted By: rj72cuda

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/19/11 02:41 AM

add me to the list i just brought home my 57 dodge 2 door coupe
Posted By: Apollo 13

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/19/11 04:38 AM

Quote:

I cant believe that more people are not customizing these cars. They are super cool. Everyone puts them back to stock or a Christine clone. They all have their place but dang these mid to late 50's car are something special that are over looked.



Not to offend, but here are your reasons and it is not becasue they are over looked....

1.Super Rare
2.Expensive to buy
3.Hard to find parts for
4.When selling, stock brings in way more money
5.Dripped "cool" from the Show Room...no need

Take a 58 Corvette for instance. They had a unique set of body panels from the factory. Were offered that way for one year. If you ever see one with a bunch of aftermarket modifications you can know to about 99% assurity that the car was a complete wreck when they started or the owner has a lot of money and doesn't care about resell value.

Now, that is painting with a broad brush. You may be a millionaire or poor as Jobe's turkey and just want your car they way you want YOUR car regardless of resell or history. That is fine by me, go for it. But consider this, Check out the Classic cars ads...auto trader, hemnings, etc and see what stock vs. custom will bring price wise. Also ask around the MoPar world and see which one sells faster.

The Devils Advocate in me also says look at a well done custom vs. a stock at the shows and see who gets the most attention? Different reaction to the same cars, just the question is asked from a different direction. So it does even out depending on where you stand on the subject.

The bottom line is do what you want as long as YOU are having fun. Being that we are both MoPar guys I will leave you with this..... The Camaro guys HAVE to customize their cars so they can find it when it's time to go home.
Posted By: BradD

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/23/11 05:57 AM

I believe Fat Man has fabbed original style drum dropped spindles for the 57. He was making them long before doing the late model disc spindle.
Brad
Posted By: 1OFNONE

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 03/25/11 12:19 AM

Ooooo, Time for a phone call.

Thanks man.

Attached picture 6547603-71.jpg
Posted By: Spaceman Spiff

Re: Lowering a '57 Plymouth ? - 04/03/11 10:23 PM

Quote:

I would like to see a side by side photo of a standard b-body spindle and a '57 Plymouth spindle. That would tell alot.


The 57 isn't a b body. It's considered a c body.
© 2024 Moparts Forums