straight axel

[moparsquid]

Im adding a straight axel to my 64 330 looks like i need to widen it about 3 inches as the leaf spring perches will be on the bend what is the acceptable width of a axel the fraim rails are 36 inches apart i got a straight axel andisc brake set up for a song

 

[Mike Gaines]

Axle not Axel....lol
I posted a couple pixs of my straight axle installation (done in 1967).
I ordered the tube front straight axle from a company named CAE who primarily supplied front axles for sprint cars, etc.
It was NOT an I-BEAM front axle out of an A-100 Dodge Pickup.
I ordered it set up for 1940 Ford front Spindles. Back then you could go to any junk yard and find several 1940 Fords. The guy just took a blowtorch and cut the ends of the axles, I then took the ends back to my shop and heated up the king pins and pounded the king pins out and, walla, 1940 Ford Spindles. I got a new pair of king pins from the auto parts store and installed these spindles on my CAE tube front axle.
I welded the spring perches to line up with the same width as the frame rails, installed hangers for the 2 leaf springs that I bought with the axle and it was done.
I then fabbed up a mount for my Mopar steering box to mount sideways on my frame rail, made up a drag link, etc and setup with steering was done.
As you can see in the second picture I moved the motor back 26" at the same time.

 

[Ironbuilt]

@Mike Gaines
You, Sir, are a treasure trove of information!!

 

[Frank Mopar]

Curious to how you came up with 26” setback on the engine Mike?

 

[Mike Gaines]

Curious to how you came up with 26” setback on the engine Mike?

I had the motor hanging by a chain on a roll away hoist (cherry picker). I pushed the motor back until the supporting chain actually hit the windshield. I then welded up some motor mounts on the frame rails at that point and a rear transmission crossmember mount.
I had already altered the rear wheelbase and when this motor setback process was underway is when I also installed the tube front axle. The rear wheels had been moved 15" forward and the front wheels now had been moved 10" forward with the tube front axle which made the car have a 104" wheelbase. After it was all done I then measured the wheelbase and it turned out to be 104". I then measured the engine setback from the front spindle to the front spark plug hole and that measurement was 26" (which just happened to be 25% setback, which made it legal for the C/Gas class which the Gas classes allowed a 25% setback. It was all dumb luck.

 

[Frank Mopar]

I had the motor hanging by a chain on a roll away hoist (cherry picker). I pushed the motor back until the supporting chain actually hit the windshield. I then welded up some motor mounts on the frame rails at that point and a rear transmission crossmember mount.
I had already altered the rear wheelbase and when this motor setback process was underway is when I also installed the tube front axle. The rear wheels had been moved 15" forward and the front wheels now had been moved 10" forward with the tube front axle which made the car have a 104" wheelbase. After it was all done I then measured the wheelbase and it turned out to be 104". I then measured the engine setback from the front spindle to the front spark plug hole and that measurement was 26" (which just happened to be 25% setback, which made it legal for the C/Gas class which the Gas classes allowed a 25% setback. It was all dumb luck.

Thats be my motto. Rather be lucky then good.

 

[440 Charger]

Disagree better good than just lucky.