1956 Red Goddess - No socks for this birthday!

[Sven]

You could replace the leaf springs with airbags so you're able to lower the rear of the truck when you're loading and then raise it back up when not. This would mean you'd have to use links of some kind to locate the rear axle.

-Steve

[sheffieldcortinacentre]

tilt & slide is type you meen.

andy sauanders "asortatransporter" citreon lowered its rear & raised its frt suspension to aid loading,

so what about a ram to raise frt of bed a foot or so ,with or with out air springs on rear?

[Seth]

Nov 30, 2010 19:23:07 GMT Frankenhealey said:

Has anyone heard of an air spring conversion where one or two of the original leaves are used to locate the axle and the main load is taken by the air springs? Then I could drop the back end at the flick of a switch.

Quite a lot of US customs are built this way as its quicker/easier than making up a new four link or similar location for the axle. The thing to be wary of is loosing too much of the location strength so that the axle moves about a lot. Searching for a photo ("airbag on leaf") it looks like a lot of 4x4ers do it that way too.



You also need to make sure that the remaining leaves don't get over-stressed by being "bent" to and fro repeatedly. You'd probably need some good bumpstops at the lowest sensible setting.

Perhaps you could also use an anti tramp bar to add some location strength. Front pivot is directly below the front leaf spring bush and rear mount is directly below axle so it acts "parallel" to the front half of the leaf.

[sheffieldcortinacentre]

alot of comercials, esp bus/coaches have been air sprung since the late 70's perhaps someone in that field could help?

[DutyFreeSaviour]

This thing is epic.........

On suspension - bus breakers must have the bags from those that drop on stops..... a couple of them and it'll drop your read end (easy vicar) and pop it back up once car is on I'd have thought. Only thought of this as the bus outside our place did it this morning......

Excellent project though - very best of luck. That farmer needs to get a move on though......

[Deleted]

I'm actually finding this discussion really interesting, I'm less than a novice when it comes to how these things work, so I'll be interested to see what the result of all these ideas and know-how crystallises.

[village]

Had you considered a skip type loading mechanism?

This one is you common-or-garden variety and you’d need a car pallet to stick the Healy on. It doesn’t look pretty, but it’d do a job.



Or possibly something like this one. Again you’d need a pallet for the Healy but this one would look a whole lot better than the previous example!



One final idea (I’m an ideas man), howz about a tilting flatbed so that you can use the shorter ramps (possibly in conjunction with ettorebugatti’s suggestion of loading the car backwards), this removes the issue of grounding the car on the bed/ramp junction, and allows you to have the level load for transport/aesthetics. You might be able to use a screw jack to lift the front end of the bed.

[pablopancake]

Dec 2, 2010 14:06:04 GMT village said:

One final idea (I’m an ideas man), howz about a tilting flatbed so that you can use the shorter ramps (possibly in conjunction with ettorebugatti’s suggestion of loading the car backwards), this removes the issue of grounding the car on the bed/ramp junction, and allows you to have the level load for transport/aesthetics. You might be able to use a screw jack to lift the front end of the bed.

this /\ makes sense, and to my (no-engineering-experience) mind would be the simplest/safest, the tilt-and-ramp.
would having a tilting bed open up other advantages, eg secure cubby space under the bed etc

[Frankenhealey]

OK the votes are in and I think (note weasel word) that it will be an aluminium flatbed or beavertail with a hydraulic or screwjack lift to help angles and some long ally ramps. And it's still all Old Skool

Airbaggery is very trick and seductive but I had a chat with a traffic plod of my acquaintance on a purely (nudge nudge) hypothetical (wink wink) matter and his opinion was that a 'modified' commercial using components not manufactured for the vehicle would involve book throwing of such magnitude it would not be wise. I hesitated to mention then that I'm re-engining it anyway

Cheers for all the thoughts and opinions. They've helped clarify the process enormously ;D

[rwdrules]

the roll.on.off can alsop be powered by a winch and cables, which is quite common on trucks, may be easier to fabricate?

[Carsie]

Ok! I might just make myself very unpopular here!

I think this build is going in the wrong direction- I've said it before but I think you're playing to the Goddesses wrong strengths here and trying to overcome it's shortcomings with all sorts of engineering ingeneuity- sorry folks!

I love the idea of a period race transporter- I love your enthusiasm in converting a firetruck - it puts all of my half baked efforts to shame but....... i think its not on the right track.

The bed is too high, the wheels the wrong size, the chassis too short,too narrow, the engine too asthmatic none of it plays to it's strengths.

The offer of a TK was spot on but heh we have a Goddess instead. Why not trailer the Healey and use the powerhouse for servicing the crew and car? Take inspiration from the Hino house, Snettertons' very cold without a cuppa and an on board compressor toolchest with vice could make the whole day more productive....

Am I missing something? I really don't want to pi**dle on your bonfire but it's an awful lot of effort for a blind alley - sorry just my thoughts....

[Frankenhealey]

Carsie, all views welcome in the broad church of Retro Rides.

Sadly I suffer from trailer reversing dyslexia so towing is now out after the embarassment of Santa Pod two years ago ;D.

The Goddess is not perfect but it's what I want to play with so on with the games

However you've given me the idea of my partner following me in another Goddess converted to workshop and bunk space. Also one could tow the other (slowly) in case of problems.

[Carsie]

Hi again

You're still determined aren't you? lol! ;D

Came across this tonight- I know you've already seen the Ferrari effort but the guy's across at Maserati have something similar to the Goddess in terms of size.

It looks a lot like the transporter in the Italian job that the police (polizea) use to try to break down the doors and then the rusty Austin cambridge falls on the Guilia...

Anyway - here you go; hope it helps the mojo ;D


depart%20des%20maserati%20250F_bologne by carsie.100, on Flickr

[Frankenhealey]

So an update and thanks to Carsie and his Maserati transporter.

The snow melted and the field hasn't dried out since. The good news is that the tarpaulin hasn't blown away again.

My brother-in-law is coming over to help with the roof as soon as the rain stops. He's a chippy and makes awesome sheds and what is a Goddess but a wood-framed, aluminium clad shed ;D

The latest mock-up looks something like this (not good with Photoshop )



Have decided that I will be keeping the Bedford 5-litre because of braking and insurance issues. That means the old iron exhaust valves need to be replaced because any continuous running on unleaded means the valve heads will burn off and destroy the engine. Running it on gas for better mileage only exacerbates the problem so I coughed up for the kit from a nice man called Rhys in the darkest depths of rural Wales. Changing the valves will also let me weaklen the rich mixture that these engines are famous for.



Getting the head off after 55 years will be another thing!

[welshpug]

Was this man by the name of Rhys from Pembrokeshire? I may well know him

[Frankenhealey]

Llanychaer?

[welshpug]

that's the Rhys I know! small world hehe.

[ToolsnTrack]

Loving the valves wrapped in used condoms. Lovely.

[Frankenhealey]

that's the Rhys I know! small world hehe.

Osian or Meirion ?

Loving the valves wrapped in used condoms. Lovely.

Nothing so exotic, just 1950's waxed paper but if you'd like me to save them for you? ;D

[ToolsnTrack]

Please! I'll bring the straw...