How low would you go

[wnaplay1647545503]

Before you were scared of being so low that you would mess up your engine/tranny if you hit something? Would 3" of clearance be enough? Car is not a daily, just a fun car for the weekends.

[Dave1647545494]

that low you just have to avoid steep driveway approaches speed bumps

[wnaplay1647545503]

I just want to make sure its not so low it would make it a pain to drive. Now I need to figure out how low to go on the body. I dont know if I should go super low so I can step into it(fiberglass body, no roof), re-glass the existing door so the body stays stiff or keep the one door thats currently there although it needs redone, and try to stiffen the body to make up for the big opening now in the fiberglass causing it to be more flexible.

[jeffro]

farkas daily drives his and its less than a golf ball from the ground.

[oh8sti]

What car?

[nurkvinny]

... not very low at all on most things, because my days of sacrificing ride quality to look cool ended a long time ago. If it's something that will ride the same regardless, slam that fucker down.

[Nickey4271647545519]

It all depends on what it is that you're lowering.

[Buckeye1647545503]

It has the wheels at the farest corners, that will help avoid damage. Set it up with a short sump (road race) oil pan and keep it all above the frame or as close as possable then use drop spindles to get as much as possable but keep wheel travel and channel the body over the rails and you should be able to rock "farkas low" with out a rough ride.

[Farkas]

farkas daily drives his and its less than a golf ball from the ground.

 

I'm roughly 3/4 inch from the ground with my new wheels.. which includes my subframe, oil pan and tranny belhousing all being the lowest points. This is about a half inch lower than I was last year, by the end of the season. BTW, this new setup I'm running rides even better than my last year's setup

 

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/eightsixgts/IMGP0012.jpg

 

 

Getting around with 3 inches wouldn't be terrible, but you'd still have to be pretty cautious with watching the road for crowns. With speed bumps I have found that you can just about get around anywhere avoiding them because there's always a back way, or a way you can get around them. Steep entrances and inclines aren't a problem if you know how to fucking drive

[wnaplay1647545503]

The car is a 27 roadster I am doing. The frame is just 2x3 tubing.

[Patterson]

My GTI was about 2 1/2" from the frame to the ground. No worries at all. If you went at an angle driveways and steep approaches you were golden.

[KillJoy]

5" Ground Clearance...

 

:thumbup:

 

KillJoy

[Crossle]

I haven't had any issues with the MR2 yet and part of the exhaust is about an inch off the ground in the rear or so. I haven't had many issues at all and the coilovers have about 2" of drop left in them. Of course any of our posts are totally irrelevant to Farkas's car so what the F.

[Nickey4271647545519]

The car is a 27 roadster I am doing. The frame is just 2x3 tubing.

 

Channel it and put it on the ground! ( or at least close to it)

[wnaplay1647545503]

Channel it and put it on the ground! ( or at least close to it)

You suck. I had all but made up my mind to not go any lower than I have it sitting on the stands and now I am reconsidering going lower all over again.

[TheBussman1647545507]

we had a guy tow a crx in, oil pan was 3" off the ground, ran something over on the road broke a bunch of stuff and then got paid from the city for it.

[Buckeye1647545503]

In that car if you can't hang your arm out the door and touch ground you did it wrong

[Buckeye1647545503]

http://streetrodder.automotive.com/120059/1001sr-1930-ford-model-a-coupe/index.html

 

http://popuppistons.com/1404/hot-rod-1931-chevy-three-window-coupe/

 

http://www.hotrod.com/featuredvehicles/hrdp_0912_1927_buick_opera_coupe/index.html

 

http://www.streetrodderweb.com/events/1002sr_billetproof_car_show/photo_08.html

[Richard Cranium]

use air bags and change the height at will?

[iwashmycar]

I have no problems at this height (which is around 3"). I plan to go a touch lower this summer. This car doesnt really have any overhangs to snag on inclines though.

 

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a299/iwashmycar/0630103.jpg

 

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a299/iwashmycar/0630102.jpg

[Skinner]

go as low as possible if you are worried about hitting something 1/4 steel skid plates will protect it if you were to hit something.

[greg1647545532]

My Integra isn't even that low and it still annoyed me when I DDed it for a couple months. Nothing was unmanageable, but I had to avoid certain entrances, crawl over speed bumps, and keep a constant eye for potholes and major dips. If I had stiffer springs it might not be as much of an issue. I got around just fine, I just figure I'm too old for that shit now.

[ImUrOBGYN]

For me, form MUST follow function. How far do I drop a ride? As far as I can before it starts negatively impacting performance.

 

However, isn't this a rat rod type thing you're doing? If so, you have to find a way to slam it at least when it's parked. I love the 'on flat tires bottomed out in a field look' for rat rods.

[Buckeye1647545503]

Jason I looked at your build thread and from those pics that frame scares me. It to me doesn't look strong enough to handle a 350 and torque from being slammed and increased cornering ability. Stock height and a stock flathead maybe. If it were mine I would look into a new frame. (Car will only be as good as its foundation)

[wnaplay1647545503]

The frame is exactly what guys have been using for years. I can send you links to websites where builders(even guys who build them for a living) actually make the frame the same way. Its a boxed tube 3/16" thick tubing. Once the other crossmembers go in and all the welds are re-inforced it should be fine. Its not the ideal setup but I dont foresee any major issues.