BARRY BULL SESSION
February 25, 2026
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
AN UNUSUAL UPGRADE
Tom Lawson was attending the Goodguys West Coast Nationals with his family and friends when a friend of his father-in-law, Bill, also a street rodder, walked up and started talking to everyone in the group.
Transform Your Transmission: Adding Easy Maintenance with Mag-Hytec!
OK, we all know that it is easy to ignore automatic transmission maintenance—its messy and time consuming and no one really thinks about it until the trans starts to slip. Most transmission pans are simple stamped steel and do not have a drain plug so draining the fluid makes a big mess on your garage or shop floor. If maintaining your automatic trans was easier and less messy you would probably stay on top of the maintenance wouldn’t you?
OVER AND UNDER
Our old 350 Chevy-powered ’47 International was running a three-speed 350 Turbo trans with 4.11 gears, which, as you know, is not a great combination for this type of highway cruising. It is fine, however, for those who absolutely love in-town, short-?distance, stop-and-go cruising, as it does prove great low-speed throttle response. On the highway, however, it spins up the engine and uses more fuel. We decided that after having our low-speed fun, we were using too much fuel and weren’t comfortable listening to the whine of the small block as we approached 70 mph. It was time to make a change. We looked around for a number of answers and talked to many classic truck owners who had either installed a new set of gears, an overdrive trans or a Gear Vendors overdrive/underdrive unit. We figured that the new 700R4 trans best fit our application budgetwise, although future plans may call for a Gear Vendors unit, as it represents the best of both worlds. But we first wanted to start with a newer, more modern trans.
Spotlighter
Product Spotlight: Posies SuperSlide Springs
A Better Ride Without Giving Up the Classic Look
Author
The Auto Builder Staff
Photos courtesy of Posies
Let’s face it—old leaf springs don’t always deliver the smoothest ride. Between years of wear and the natural friction created as steel leaves slide against one another, it’s no surprise that many traditional hot rods and classic trucks can feel a little rough around the edges.
That’s exactly the problem Posies SuperSlide Springs were designed to solve.
Instead of simply building another replacement leaf spring, Posies re-engineered the traditional multi-leaf design to provide a smoother ride, better handling, and improved suspension response—all while keeping the vintage appearance that belongs under a classic hot rod or truck.
The Secret Is in the Slide
What sets SuperSlide Springs apart is Posies’ patented design that places durable moly-nylon buttons between each leaf in the spring pack. Rather than allowing steel leaves to grind against one another, these low-friction pads let the springs move much more freely as the suspension cycles.
The difference is something you can actually feel behind the wheel.
The ride is smoother over bumps, suspension movement is more responsive, and those familiar squeaks and groans that come with old leaf springs are greatly reduced. The springs also resist binding, giving the suspension a more consistent feel whether you’re cruising the highway or carving through a winding back road.
Built for Real Hot Rods
Posies doesn’t cut corners when it comes to construction. Every SuperSlide Spring is built in the USA using premium tempered spring steel, heat-treated components, and carefully assembled leaf packs designed for years of dependable performance.
These aren’t parts built just to look good sitting at a car show. Posies says its SuperSlide Springs have been proven on vehicles with well over 100,000 road miles, making them just as comfortable on long-distance road trips as they are parked on the show field.
Built for Your Stance
Whether you’re after a subtle drop or an aggressive hot rod rake, there’s a SuperSlide Spring designed for the job.
The popular Reverse Eye version lowers the vehicle while maintaining excellent suspension travel, while the Low Reverse Eye option drops it about another inch for an even more aggressive stance. Builders wanting to stay close to factory ride height can choose Stock Eye springs, and heavier vehicles equipped with big-blocks, Hemis, or superchargers are covered with Heavy Rate versions engineered to handle the extra weight.
Applications for Some of the Most Popular Classics
SuperSlide Springs are available for a wide range of traditional hot rods and trucks, including:
- 1928–34 Ford hot rods
- 1935–48 Ford cars
- Early Ford pickups
- 1953–56 Ford F-100 pickups
- Chevrolet applications
- Mopar applications
- Rear leaf spring conversions
One popular example is the rear spring kit for 1955–56 Ford F-100 pickups, which lowers the truck about three inches while using the factory frame mounting locations and comes with bushings already installed.
Why They’ve Earned Their Reputation
Ask around at just about any hot rod event, and there’s a good chance you’ll find someone running Posies SuperSlide Springs. They’ve built a loyal following because they solve one of the biggest complaints about traditional leaf-spring suspensions without changing what makes these cars special.
You still get the timeless look of a multi-leaf spring setup, but with noticeably better ride quality, more predictable handling, and a suspension that feels far more refined than you’d expect from a design that’s been around for generations.
If you’re building a Deuce roadster, a Model A, a classic street rod, or a lowered F-100, SuperSlide Springs are one of those upgrades you’ll appreciate every time you hit the road. Sometimes the best modifications aren’t the ones everyone notices—they’re the ones you feel every mile behind the wheel.
Ready to Upgrade Your Ride?
Want the classic look with a modern feel behind the wheel? Visit Posies Rods & Customs to explore SuperSlide Springs built for your hot rod, street rod, or classic truck.
