38 Fiat Topolino build

[maddog]

Hey maddog...

I have 9" Ford 31 spline axles, I have 4.

2 from a 76 F-150, 2 from a 77 F-150 Custom Cab, I have the backing plates, drums with hardware also.

If you need a pair I will check them and see if they are straight on the ends and can be shortened.



Richard.

That would be great Thanks Richard.
I have the housing, gears, center section, I just bought a tru-trac carrier but am still missing axles and brakes

Do I have a choice of bolt patterms? (or are they all the same on ford trucks?) I could have them drilled, correct?

My zip is 91364 to calculate shipping.

 

[winr]

Axles

The axles can be drilled, they are all 5x5.5 which is factory till 84 and up I think.

I will check them out today and do a little research on if they can be shortened.

(1973-1979 Ford pickup 9-inch housing width: 59¾")

(Measured from the inside of one axle tube end flange, to the inside of the opposite axle tube end flange --(where the brake backing plates bolt to the ends of the housing, and NOT taken from the wheel-flange-to-wheel-flange distance, --where the back of the wheel would mate up to the face of the drum/disk).

http://ultrastang.com/Rearinfo.asp?Page_ID=1


Talk to you later today.


Richard.

 

[winr]

Ford 9" axles

1 axle is 31 ½” where wheel bolts on to end of axle.
23 ½” where wheel bolts on to turned part of axle.


1 axle is 32” where wheel bolts on to end of axle.
24” where wheel bolts on to turned part of axle.


Each axle with backing plate weighs around 34 pounds each.

Also, I have 1 drum, I dont know how good it is, it is not at my house right now.
New drums may cost less than shipping old ones ??



These measurements are approximate.
The axles get larger as they go toward the bearings.

Spline is 1.324
Turned part is 1.300
Next part is 1.350
Next part is 1.450

You can see where the axle is turned to get to the size to spline them, the tooling is visible on the splines.

The axles also has 9/16” nuts on the studs.


What size studs and bearings are on your housing ??


Cool 9 site.

http://www.enjenjo.com/9inch.html


Regards.


Richard.

 

[maddog]

Thanks Richard, for the links to the Ford 9" sites. Lots of usefull info there.

They can be shortened starting a minimum of 4" or shorter.
Nice pics, brakes and ebrake cables. Great.

My housing is the large bearing.

I would like to get a set.
How much are you asking?
Is there any difference between the 2 sets you have?
I havnt calculated shipping yet, thats next.
Who is the best to ship something like this?

Thanks
Jim

 

[winr]

Hi Jim, you can have the axles.

Hey Jim.


You can have the axles...no charge, just put "Axles by Richard" real big on both doors.... , heh......

Seriously though, they are yours for free, this is a hobby for me and if I can help someone out that makes my day.

Both sets of axles are identical.

The bearings should be the big ones but lets make sure, I dont want to ship you 2 giant paperweights, lol.

The last large item I shipped was a steel 391 crank to Cali., I used UPS as it was over 75 pounds and FEDEX no USPS would take it, it arrived safely.

I personally prefer FEDEX for anything over 4 pounds and under 75 pounds.

I forgot to measure the bearing but it should be the big one, they quit using the small ones in trucks after 1972 I believe.


I will mock up a package and weigh it and we both can see who the best deal is to ship from 77546.


EDIT:
I just noticed, it looks like one adjuster unit, spring and adjuster dealie is missing, I will look in the garage and see if it is there.

Richard.

 

[maddog]

Excelent!! another part crossed of the "I need this before I can do that" list

Thanks Richard.
Dont worry about the "dealie" I can get one.

I will check bearing size, but I am sure its a large bearing from a truck.

 

[maddog]

If I wanted it overnight it would be $320, If I could wait 3 days, its $34.

Hmmmmm, I'll wait.

What did you come up with Richard?

Send me a Private Message With your address and I will send you some money to cover shipping and lunch

Ya gotta eat.

 

[winr]

Hey Jim

This is from the 9 " site

.....................................................................................................
Also if your housing has the small axle bearings, you will have to have axles custom made, as there are no factory axles with 31 splines, and small axle bearings. Both the large axle bearing, and the extra large axle bearing (some F150 trucks) had 31 spline factory applications.
........................................................................................................

I normally box parts up, ship them if they are within estimated shipping and then let the person know so they can send me the shipping.

If the shipping is going to be more I get back to the person to discuss it.

The parts are 34 lbs plus 34 lbs and the box will add some weight.

The shipping places dont let you ship parts anymore without boxing them up anymore.


Is this ok with you ??

Richard.

 

[maddog]

Its cool with me.

I read that. I am sure its a large bearing housing. I got a complete rearend from a friend, less brakes, and he said it was a 31 spline. The other day after taking it apart for a rebuild, I decided to count the splines. 28 not 31. So I have looked it over quite well, its large bearing.

I also bought a trac-loc carrier.

Sending you a PM

 

[maddog]

OK, back to the build.

Guess what. I got some 31 spline axles and brakes (Thanks Richard)

I also have picked up a 31 spline trac loc limited slip carrier. The ring and pinion I have are damaged so I will need one.

** WANTED - FORD 9 INCH RING AND PINION 3.50 TO 1 - WANTED **

I have fabricated the back half of the hinges and the doors work great. I will need to detail them with grinder, sander and a little more welding when they come out the next time, but for now I need them in the body.

I made a frame to alighn the body so I can add a light weight frame just inside the bottom edge all the way around. These bodies are so light and flimsy, no wonder why the racers back in the day liked them.

Aside from a little scrounging up parts thats all I have done. Something I am realizing that coming up with the parts is half the battle.

Parts I have collected-
Holley 750
B&M ratcheting shifter
large thick aluminum radiator (might use it in the back)
a pair of cooling fans from a Mazaratti very nice quality.
Front wheels and tires
axles, rear brakes and trac loc carrier (thanks Winr)

 

[Gastrick]

So far so good Maddog. I was wondering when an update would come. I was going to give you until the end of the month before I started complaining.

 

[Bonehead]

Looking good, (but did you know it is upside down?)

 

[maddog]

Looking good, (but did you know it is upside down?)

You think thats funny?
The new Mac tool guy came into my shop to look around.
I said "Bla bla...and here is the 38 Fiat Topolino I'm building..." His comment was "Thats a strange body design" and , I'm not kidding, several minuets later he said "Oh ! Its upside down!"

 

[maddog]

I'm back at it!!!
Got the steel for the frame yesterday and have been playing around with what the frame should look like.

I re-drilled the buick drums to bolt to my wheels.
Not as hard to do as I thought it would be. The mill and rotory table helped.

I got some bearing adaptors from a guy on the HAMB that allows you to put Buick hubs and bearings on ford spindles. They work nice. He did all the figuring out, then had a bunch CNC made and sells the kit for, I think, $62 shipped. I couldnt pass that up.

The front backing plates are (I think) 53-56 Ford truck F-2 fronts with a wheel cylinder I found after going through boxes at my favorite parts store. (He allways lets me go through the boxes because I never know quite what year or even what make I am needing. He laughs when I walk in now)

The reason for using these backing plates is that they allow you to use the self acuating brakes complete with self adjusters and they bolt up to the ford spindles and fit the 12" Buick drums perfect. I didnt use the self adjusters, I have them just didnt put them on yet. There is one mounting hole for the wheel cylinder you have to drill.

I also rebuilt the backing plates with new brakes and wheel cylinders for the rearend.
Thanks again Richard you're a Winr.

I think I will use some Ford truck I-beam front axles for rear bars. Cut off the spindle end, create a giant flange that grabs the rearend tube and drill some holes in it. Should work great and look cool too. Did I mention cheap? as in scrap? Thats the best part.

I hope to be working on the car pretty regular, at least thats what my plan is.

 

[bob w]

The E.T. spokes with the Buick drum looks really good. And your idea to use Ford axles for radius rods is very clever. Wish I would have thought of that! Really looking forward to following along with your build.

 

[maddog]

MAJOR ANNOUNCMENT

I actually cut and welded frame rails today!!
I didnt take pictures, sorry, but I will.

I am so stoked. Months I have been thinking about it and today it started.
Somehow it feels like I got over a hump of some kind.
I can almost smell burning rubber.

 

[cycledog]

Bout time keep on truckin' can't wait to see it done.

 

[Gastrick]

GOOD! Now take some pictures would ya?

 

[tiny1]

glad to hear I've been wondering how you were coming on it

 

[50Ford]

Awesome build maddog!!!!!! cant wait to see this thing when its done!