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You want the rear rods, and the only ones I know of that are seamless, are the '46-'48 rods. They are longer than the A and V8 rods, but I can't remember how much longer. The A and V8 rods are about 5' long, but when you cut the axle brackets off, you get about 4' of usable rod. But, the '46-'48 rods are what all the trad hot rod guys are looking for, as well as guys looking to extend their springers. A rods are reletively easier to find, but for sure you'll have to cut the tops off, and get them de-rusted before you weld up the seams.
The earlier rods are seamed, but they aren't made of sheet metal, they are made out of 11ga (or approx. 1/8" thick) mild steel, and the seam welds up just fine, you just have to jig them solid, and skip stitch weld the seam up as you go to keep the warp out of them. I doubt I could crush those A rods now by stepping on them. I used sil bronze filler rod, and worked them with a vixen file, and finished them with a DA with 100grit discs. The seams are almost invisible, save for a thin little line.
Also, the lugs where they bolted to the Ford frames will need to be straightened, and the hole is too big for the rocker bolt. it's 9/16", so you either have to weld it up, or do what I did, and drill them to 5/8", and weld in a thick wall tube, and ream it to 1/2".
Here's a set of A rear rods I welded the seams up on, and used to extend my springer 8 3/4"......
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The earlier rods are seamed, but they aren't made of sheet metal, they are made out of 11ga (or approx. 1/8" thick) mild steel, and the seam welds up just fine, you just have to jig them solid, and skip stitch weld the seam up as you go to keep the warp out of them. I doubt I could crush those A rods now by stepping on them. I used sil bronze filler rod, and worked them with a vixen file, and finished them with a DA with 100grit discs. The seams are almost invisible, save for a thin little line.
Also, the lugs where they bolted to the Ford frames will need to be straightened, and the hole is too big for the rocker bolt. it's 9/16", so you either have to weld it up, or do what I did, and drill them to 5/8", and weld in a thick wall tube, and ream it to 1/2".
Here's a set of A rear rods I welded the seams up on, and used to extend my springer 8 3/4"......
