Mart's Real  
Hot Rods 

Mart's new Ford Pop!
Part 5: Axle woes!
 
This is the Alfa axle I'm going to try to use. It features a neat aluminium centre section, and finned alloy drum brakes. Because I want to use stock rear fenders, though, the axle is a bit too wide. Have to decide the best way to narrow it. Old spring and shock mounts will be cut off. 
Heres the cool alloy centre section. Yeah, I know it needs cleaning. 
The axle also features these aluminium drum brakes. I have bought new brake shoes, cylinders and adjusers so I want to retain these if at all possible. 

So what's the best way to narrow this axle?  I pulled the shafts but there is no way to respline them. Funny thing is, the spare shafts from the Valiant fit the spline. One possibility is to use Sherpa van axle ends, which are 3/4 floating, and adapt the Chrysler shafts to suit. this would give me 5 on 5" bolt pattern, and I could use the Taxi steels and 5.50:16's I already have. The other way, following advice from a respected builder is to simply cut one shaft, and reweld it together following a careful procedure. This method would retain the 4 stud stud pattern, which matches 4 stud Ford. I can then use either 15" Hillman Minx wheels, or 16" Austin Somerset wheels.  Either way, The work will be documented here.

Back to Pop Intro page.
Forward to Page 6 (Front brake conversion.)

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