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Location: Stoddard, Wisocnsin | I have been looking around at ways to make my front of my 56 feel pretty much like riding on air with a Solid axle. I have seen a set up for a Ford with the 4 link and the Leaf spring in the center of the axle. I was thinking about making it a 4 link using the U bolt area on the axle, then Insted of the Single leafs for the springs I'd use coil over shocks where the shocks are now. Anyone see anything wrong with my Idea? Any input would be welcome'd
Patrick |
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Wise Old Village Idiot
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Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | Fat Man's down there in NC make just about any kind of front end you want for Street Rods, or modified later models.
Mustang II is a very popular swap. Good ride w/'in the weeds' stance, bigger discs,,,,,,,,,,,,,, |
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Location: Stoddard, Wisocnsin | yeah fatman sure does have some nice stuff but the thing i can't figure out is there catalog. I'll get it one of these days
Patrick |
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Expert
Posts: 3577
Location: Blythewood, SC | I hate to burst your bubble, but I m going to anyway...
Your best bet is a torsion bar front end out of a Volare/Aspen or a Fifth Avenue/80's Fury. I had a 1950 truck (which has the same frame dimensions as your truck) and found that the 80's Fifth Avenue was the same width. I found out after driving a 55 model that had the swap done, complete with 318/904 combo, A/C, PS, PB, and disc setup. Best of all, the truck's owner used a cop car for the donor, so it had a huge cooling system, killer sway bar, 100 amp alt., silicon hoses, etc. It rode better than the 93 S-10 extended cab I was driving at the time. The owner paid about $1200 for the car, then sold the body for $400. Fat Man Fabrications uses a Mustang II kit, which I should remind you is designed for a four cyl. car and has horrible bumpsteer, and it is priced close to $1000. Then you still have to deal with motor mounts. Which makes more sense? |
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3591
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | Brian, where is this "Horrible Bump Steer" come into play you are talking 'bout on the mustang II?
Several thousand Street Rods with the same set up,,,,,,if there was a "horrible" problem, I don't think none would be using a mustang set up. I/others have never heard of bump steer on a correctly installed M II.
Oh BTW, lots and lots of big blocks are riding on a M II's.
Yes, you can get MORE that a grand sunk in a M II! Especially with tube A arms, chromed rack, chromed coil overs, those big Airhart disc brakes, etc.
I've got a complete M II set up in pieces I've collected over the years, at NO cost! I even picked up the larger five lug rotors and clapiers.
Patrick, of course, there are other front end swaps. Pacer (eeuck) used to be a popular one for pick ups.
Nova/Camaro are bolt/weld in swaps. Depending if you want front or rear steer. Where is the oil sump in the motor you are using? Front or rear? Use whichever front clip in conjuntion with your motor's oil sump/pan.
There is a slight problem with the Camaro (front steer) unit. Some sheet metal might have to be trimmed to clear the front sterring box.
Deaner, you and Pat might think of this. Measure your existing wheel base, and look for a late modle GM intermediate complete chassis. Set your body down on a complete late model frame. Then the only farbraction needed is body mounts!
The problem with the V/A front end swap around here, is they are prone to bad rust. Plus, the parts stores don't keep older Mopar brake parts, etc, on the 'shelf'. Gotta a make more room for the more popular GM shit.
Roger up there at AAJ, uses the more popular GM calipers (there were several million made, there still are several million on the road, and the parts houses still have several million left on the 'shelf') on his front and REAR disc brake conversions.
I can see in using an item that is going to be around for a while, for 'parts availabity'
One thing Brian said, make a big sign, one foot high letters, hang in your garage/workspace. "MEASURE!"
Not once! But several times, even with differnt tape measurs! Then after your component(s) are only tack welded. Measure TWO more times! If you got a buddy there that's sucking up your beer, get HIM to maeasure. See if he comes up with the same as you!
Stressing the measure twice, cut once theory, is one of the most important saying's/proverebs/whatever, that a fabractor must adheare by! |
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Member
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Location: Stoddard, Wisocnsin | The thing i don't like about the Mustang Fronts is that they are for cruising and have little to no renfrocement and not for all out running from the cops while doing the quater mile time. I have looked at a lot of differnt options for IFS and have been looking mostly with the mopar style cuz whast mopar shall stay mopar. I don't want to be anther run around kinda hot rodder that will hack what ever i got to hell then say oh whell it drives. My big idea now is the Dakota Front ends. The only major thing i'm concrened about tis the Ball joint issue they have (has) had. The guys over at Industeral Chassie have the Custom cross members they can build up for people. You can get front ends now off of the dakota for a dime a dozen almost. With that I'd get the poly set up for the front and half a nive front end. I know all about the mesuring. I always under cut after mesusring a couple hundrad times. It pretty much ends up like a glove.
Patrick |
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Member
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| When did the torsion bar suspension start? I've thought a lot about doing a frame swap (or at least a front clip) some time in the future to get something better under my '55 Chrysler sedan, the suspension is pretty clunky on it. |
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Wise Old Village Idiot
Posts: 3591
Location: Dellslow, West ("By God") Virginia ! | Adam, '57 was the first year for tortion bars.
Wagons, cop/taxi, performance models, had the H-D, bigger diameter bars. |
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Member
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Location: Ann Arbor, Mi | Why not use the entire Dakota chassis. Might be better in the long run.
Stick with a 96 or older Dakota. My Dakota (1995) has 140K miles of Michigan potholes on it with no ball joint issues. The 97 and newer went to "lubed for life" ball joints, the same trash F#@d used for years. The only thing that got lubed was the owner when they eventually failed.
Good Luck! |
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Expert
Posts: 1303
Location: Farmingdale NJ | I have seen the Aspen/Volare torsion bar set up in detail. There is alot of cutting and fabbing involved. Not only do you have to cut the crossmember frame section from the volare, you'll have to notch out YOUR frame to fit the bulky system your putting in. then you'll have to trim the Volare stuff some more for clearances once its in. Thats only if you want the truck to ride at a lower stance than the nosebleed height it has stock. Oh and try to get replacement torsion bars if you need one. Almost impossible! The MII isn't perfect, but it is very adaptable to almost any configuration, and there are a lot of replacement/upgrade parts for it due to its popularity. As far as the four bar set up, its a great idea, but your on your own with parts to adapt your axle to spring mounts, and four bar "batwings". mounting the bars to the frame is the easiest part, Im not familiar with your steering set up so its hard to say, but shouldn't be too hard. |
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4 Link front on a soild Axle truck?
