I was just contemplating the possible fully independent rear of my street
rod (40 Ford truck jag style) and realized that the same setup might be
adapted to a Spitfire, without modifying any part of the body or frame! If
you utilized the GT6 Rotoflex rear uprights/hubs but instead of using the
lower wishbones you would have to make up some special axle shafts. These
would serve as the lower wishbone (while the spring as it does now serves
as the upper wishbone). The benefit would be no sliding joint! You would
have to modify the Rotoflex joint at the hub by removing the tri-Y and
replacing it with a conventional u-joint (not all that difficult, I have
already done that on mine) In fact, I could just disconnect the lower
wishbones on mine if I just make up a special fixed length axle shafts.
Since mine already uses larger TR6 u-joints, loading capacity of the joint
has been increased. The only drawbacks I can see are that the hub bearings
would be loaded more than they are now, and the very small Allen bolts (and
smallish Spitfire u-joints, but that can be changed) would be handling all
the side loads, but it would appear that they do that in a stock spitfire
anyway -
What do you all think? Am I missing something (I must be)? It seams to
simple. The advantage is that you eliminate the sliding joint, and it's
inherent problems. And as I mentioned no mods to the frame or bodywork. A
much simpler change to make and fully reversible. The only down side I can
think of Is the difference in track might not be ideal or may cause a
slight problem when traveling from full bounce to jounce, but that already
happens to some degree anyway, and this would be even less than what is
already occurring. Certainly much less camber change!
Barry Schwartz (San Diego) bschwart@pacbell.net
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