FED Build

[lake_harley]

I had started a thread titled "Potential FED Build" but on my computer none of the posts past page 6 show up. I have no idea of what happened to them, but I decided to start a new thread now that I have been gathering parts and getting close to starting construction. Below is the most recent post I tried to put on my previous thread, so if you see it duplicated that's the reason. I'll make future posts to this thread since I now consider that I'm actually moving past the "potential" and thinking phase and am about to begin actual construction with what I have accumulated. So......the story continues.....

I got a piece of 1 1/2" X .058 to try a test bend with my JD Squared manual bender. I have a 5.5" centerline radius die for the 1 1/2". Short story, it failed miserably! So, I called a friend who builds circle track cars and is about 1 1/2 Hr. away. He has a Mittler Brothers bender that uses a long radiused "shoe" that follows along with the tube as the die pulls the tubing around the die to bend. It was a bit bigger centerline radius than I would have preferred (7"), but the bend was beautiful! As I counted, there are only going to be 9 bends necessary to follow the S&W FED plans I have, so I went from feeling I would either need to find or buy a chassis that suits me, to being happy that I have the resources to do what I wanted to do all along, and that is to build ground-up. I continue to stockpile a few parts and pieces here and there, so as soon as I get my current project (hot rod Model A Coupe) on the road I'll be in FED mode.

Lynn

[lake_harley]

Made a big step today toward getting started on my FED. I had decided to not begin construction of a FED until I got the Model A Coupe hot rod running that I had been working on for a few years. Well....today was a big day. It moved under it's own power for the first time and I actually drove it about 2 miles! Now I can start on a FED with less guilt about starting another project!

Lynn

[tcoupekyle]

Awesome  congrats

[JEFF/21C]

THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT!

[tcoupekyle]

I feel the same way… but ever since I put the dragster together. I could throw rocks at my model t.

[lake_harley]

^^^^^I'll try to resist any urge to throw rocks at my T Roadster or the A Coupe. 😉

Lynn

[tcoupekyle]

Hahaha… I don’t throw rocks at mine but I hardly ever drive it and never race it anymore.

[lake_harley]

I've made some progress on a few things for my FED and would like to post progress and possibly some photos from time to time but any time in the past I've tried to post a photo I haven't had any success. I've used the "+Attachments and other options" thingie at the lower left of the box where you type in your message, but get hung up at that point. I freely admit to being computer illiterate so perhaps someone can coach me through the process?

Lynn

[wideopen231]

You probably need a site like Imgur or similar that you download pic to then you can upload them on other sited. As for coaching,me helping would be deaf,dumb and blind leading the blind.LOL

[lake_harley]

I didn't take any photos so if anyone says "pictures or it didn't happen", I'm out of luck. Last week and with a few more hours today I got a chassis jig built, added a centered upright at the "back end" slanted at 20 degrees which I believe will be a comfortable seat back angle, and with a lot of fiddling around and working by myself, I got a centerline established on all 5 crossmembers as well as at the top of my "seat back" tube using a plumb-bob and a chalk-line string. I'll use the slanted upright to hold the shoulder height upper chassis tube in place during construction. Since I expect the centerline sharpie marks to disappear at the most inconvenient time I center-punched the centerline location on each crossmember so I don't have to re-establish it in the future.

The chassis jig is 14' long and 24" wide at the outside. I used 2" X 3" X 1/8" rectangular tube for the side rails, end and center crossmembers and added another 2 crossmembers in the middle of each side from the center using some left-over 1 1/2" X 3" X .065" tubing I had. I'm pleased to say the jig has "0" twist from end to end and has screw levelers in case I need to move it to another location in my shop.

Hopefully, with a little help tomorrow I can mock up the rearend housing location with me seated in my imaginary FED. At that point I should be able to start making some real progress.

Lynn

[tcoupekyle]

Very cool!! Keep us updated

[lake_harley]

Did some beginning mock up today but ran into a snag with parts I had accumulated. The tube axle I have has a 2" long kingpin boss, and the stock Anglia spindles I have are only spaced for a 1 3/4" kingpin boss. I'll check the axle's kingpin angle tomorrow but saw that some spindles are advertised as 7.5 degree kingpin inclination and others say 8 degrees. I've kind of settled on Strange spindles since I'll have to buy a pair if they will work with my axle. Are there actually axles made for both 7.5 and 8 degree kingpin boss inclination? Or, did some spindle manufacturers just round 7.5 degrees up to an even 8 degrees in their specs?

I also found a post doing some searching that stock Anglia spindles are made for 10 degrees of kingpin inclination, so even if they would fit the boss on the axle I have the camber would be off by 2 - 2.5 degrees. Could someone confirm? I doubt if anyone makes an axle any more that will work with stock Anglia spindles, do they?

Lynn

[denverflatheader]

Here is another option (see link) for using your existing tube axle with 2" long kingpin boss.  These new "Stiletto Spindles" are for a 2" boss and cost less than the Strange.  Plus watch out for the Strange spindles that are adjustable height, I think they are 3" length.  You do not want the adjustable Strange spindles for your dragster front axle.

https://secure.chassisshop.com/partlist/19813/


If you prefer to use your stock Anglia spindles, the Chassis Shop sells new Pro Werks axles that have 1.875 inch bosses.  Refer to the advertisement with "SPE Axle" in the headings.  And before you purchase, contact the Chassis Shop Company to verify your stock Anglia spindles with work with their new SPE axle.  Here's the link:

https://secure.chassisshop.com/partlist/15365/

These Pro Werk axles are all 8 degrees.  I know you are wanting to build a 60s style dragster.  The front tire cross-section for a 60s style dragster is different than a front tire for a modern dragster.  Are you familiar with an Avon Speedmaster tire used prolifically on front engine dragsters in the 60s?  Their contact patch (more rounded) is different than a modern dragster front tire which has a very flat contact patch with the road surface.  Use a new front tire similar to an Avon Speedmaster cross-section and your question of 7.5 or 8 degrees inclination related to camber will not be a factor for your dragster build.  Original 10 degree Anglia spindles, I'm not aware of but it's possible.

If it were my decision, I'd prefer using the stock Anglia spindles, they fit the 60s fed theme better.

[THE FRENCHTOWN FLYER]

KINGPIN INCLINATION and CAMBER are two totally different things. It is possible to have a 10 degree kingpin inclination with zero camber. It is (theoretically) possible to have 10 degrees camber with zero kingpin inclination.

As denverflatheader alluded to the difference between 10* Anglia inclination and aftermarket inclination probably has more to do with tire size and wheel offset. Truth be told either set of spindles is likely to wotk just fine on a dragster. Good luck.

[lake_harley]

Thanks for the replies and information gentlemen!

I did some checking today and it seems the information I found that suggested that stock Anglia spindles have 10 degrees of built-in inclination in the relationship of the kingpin and the axle stub itself was just bad, incorrect information.

I first talked with someone at the Chassis Shop about the Stilleto spindles and he said that with shortage of workforce and materials he didn't know when they'd have spindles available. So-o-o...... I ordered a pair of Strange spindles which should install on my current axle with about 1.2 degrees of positive camber. That seems reasonable. Bad news is they probably won't be ready to ship until about the end of the year. No problem.....I have plenty other things to do to make progress! In the meantime I'll talk with a couple friends who have better tube bending and machining capabilities and equipment than I do to possibly build an axle to use my stock Anglia spindles. After all, I have several weeks before Strange is ready to ship.   And quoting you, denverflatheader, "If it were my decision, I'd prefer using the stock Anglia spindles, they fit the 60s fed theme better." I couldn't agree more!

Thanks again for the input and info. I sincerely appreciate it!

Lynn