American Underslung Repository     Home

Front Spring Hangers

The most dramatic visible impact of the underslung design comes from the front of the frame.
The frame horns curving the opposite of what you'd expect...
The front springs curving the same direction as the frame horns...

It's interesting to study how the American engineers evolved the design of that foremost part over the years.
There were 3 bsasic designs -
    - A jointed front spring mount, used from 1907-1909
    - A direct spring mount with a rear-swept "gooseneck", appearing in 1910
    - A more traditional-looking single-curve frame horn, appearng in 1912

The left-hand column contains period photos or catalog images of each model.
The columns to the right show existing cars of the same model - click on an image to see that car's individual page.

1907 roadster

Probably weak in cornering, this design was used only on the first roadster and the related 1908 40hp.
1908 40hp roadster



1908 50hp roadster

A casting, shorter and stocky, undoubtedly improved stability.


1909 Roadster



1909 Traveler



1910 Roadster

For 1910, the shackle was moved to the rear of the front spring, and the front end of the spring mounted directly to the frame.  The frame horn was extended up and swept to the rear of vertical.



1910 Traveler

1911 Roadster



1911 Traveler



1911 Traveler Coupe



1911 Torpedo



1912 Type 32 roadster

For the new smaller models, the design was simplified, with the frame horn sloping up sooner and using a single curve.



1912 Type 34 Tourist
1912 Type 54 Traveler

The larger models kept the gooseneck frame horns.



1912 Type 56 Traveler



1913 Type 32A roadster



1913 Type 34A Tourist


1913 Type 54A Traveler

no period image available

1913 Type 56A Traveler



1914 Type 642 roadster



1914 Type 644 touring

1914 Type 646 touring



1914 Type 666 touring

It has been theorized that the 666 simply used left-over Type 56 frames, as the spring mount reverted to the gooseneck form.



All versions of the Scout had identical spring mounts, the shallow-frame-horn version of the smaller 1912 cars.