tech

Re-Suspended Shoebox
The Ultra Cruise way to update and lower '49-53 Ford Front suspensions

The IFS system employed by Ford from '49-53 is similar to those of many other American carmakers of the era, in that it uses unequal-length A-arms, coil springs, uprights connecting the upper and lower arms, and kingpins on which the spindles pivot. It's a sturdy setup, but it has its drawbacks, particularly when you consider the advances made in suspension and brake design over the past five decades. Obviously, the drum brakes are marginal at best, and the kingpin-mounted spindles are holdovers from the beam-axle era. There's plenty of room for improvement here.

Jim Genty of Jamco Suspension had the same thought more than 20 years ago, and sought an easier alternative to installing a subframe. The solution he eventually developed was to modify the stock control arms to accept ball joints and use later-model Ford spindles with disc brakes. Additionally, a bracket was designed to mount the upper A-arm cross shafts on the vertical plane, rather than horizontally, allowing for camber adjustments using shims instead of eccentric bushings. A welcome byproduct from this combination of parts (beyond better brakes and improved handling) was about a 2.5-inch lower ride height. Dubbed the Ultra Cruise, Jamco offers its ball-joint conversion system for '49-53 Fords and Mercurys (which use different A-arms). The kit comes in several forms, ranging from an entry level package where customers furnish their own spindles (from a Granada or similar Ford product) and send in their A-arms to be modified; to the Deluxe system where Jamco supplies new arms (on an exchange basis for your originals) and includes spindles, rotors, calipers, brake lines, coil springs, and shocks. Jamco's custom coil springs can be made to lower cars an additional 1, 2, or 3 inches; the company can also set up the Ultra Cruise system to work with air springs.

Former Custom Rodder (and current Classic Trucks) art director Eric Smith pilots a '50 Ford sedan daily to work. It was in desperate need of some suspension attention, so we decided to install one of Jamco's Ultra Cruise Deluxe packages, complete with 3-inch lowering springs to get the nose down as much as possible. We also ordered a beefy new front sway bar, as well as a dual-chamber master cylinder, power booster, and pedal assembly to convert the car to power brakes. Jamco offers a firewall-mount master cylinder with a swing pedal, as well as under-floor units that mount near the stock master cylinder location. We chose the firewall setup for ease of maintenance and to avoid any potential clearance problems under the car.

We placed Eric's car in the care of KA Customs, in Huntington Beach, California, where Kevin Francis and Steve Rose handled the installation in stride. Disassembly and installation of the suspension parts took the better part of a work day with both men working quickly and the assistance of air tools. Installing the pedal assembly and routing new brake lines took Kevin most of another day, largely because a maze of messy wiring and an extremely bulky steering column mount (both installed by previous owners) created some major clearance hurdles under the dash.

Based on what we saw, we'd say enthusiasts with moderate skills and the right tools could install the Jamco suspension parts at home, but it would be more than a one-day job. Installing this particular pedal assembly--a universal, adapt-to-fit part--will almost certainly require a bit of hot rodding ingenuity (cutting, welding, etc.). That's just our analysis, though--watch Kevin and Steve and see what you think. And stay tuned for a future story where this Ford gets more suspension help in the rear.