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First, thanks again to everyone who replied with tech info on installing this setup in my '34 Ford coupe. The project took much longer than expected due to the cost of the Concours West parts (well worth the price!). After re-doing the bushings/bearings and powdercoating nearly everything (not as pretty as chrome, but a LOT cheaper), the actual swap only took about 15 hours. And a lot of that time was spent hacking out the old mess the previous owner considered suspension. I also spent a lot of time measuring, leveling, re-measuring, eyeballing, re-measuring.... you know the drill. If I had to do another installation next week, it would probably take half as long.
One thing I discovered that might be of interest to other guys considering this swap is that Harley shocks will work on a Jag rear! OK, they might not work as nice as big-dollar billet coil-overs, but they WILL WORK. My budget wouldn't allow a set of those beautiful Aldans (at least not YET!), so I started digging through my pile of used Harley parts. After measuring the old Jag shocks, I found I needed shocks 13.5" eye-to-eye, with 5/8" holes in the eyes. What I quickly noticed was that 58-84 FLH Harley shocks fit the bill perfectly! I stuck on a set of beat up ones to check their ability to carry the load, and was satisfied. So I ordered a set of brand new chrome ones, bolted them up, and I'm a happy guy! They're a bit stiff, but will work just fine until I save the bucks needed for the high-class Aldans. The deciding factor was comparing prices. The Aldans cost over 600 bucks for a set of four. The aftermarket Harley shocks can be had for WELL under half that. If anyone wants more info, email me direct (I don't visit this website very often, my 28.8 modem takes forever to load these pages!)
Keep in mind that this shock swap tip might not work for large cars like full-boat sedans. My '34 Ford Coupe is running without fenders/boards or other un-necessary stuff ;-) so it's very light. But considering the fact that a full-dressed Harley carrying two passengers and saddlebags full of road gear can easily exceed 1200 lbs. carried on ONE set of shocks, it stands to reason that the TWO sets required for a Jag setup should be capable of supporting most loads encountered with light street rods. Also remember that Harleys tend to be weighted slightly toward the rear, while cars (especially coupes/roadsters) tend to be weighted slightly toward the front.
Hope this is useful to y'all!
(8^P)=
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(8^P)=
I buy-sell-trade vintage HO slotcars
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