Front suspension for beginners.

Purchased a 40 Chevy from my family that's been in the family for 30 years.

A few weeks ago I started building a 283 with no plan for the engine. I'm thinking this could be a good fit.

What's your advice/experience with front suspensions on these older cars? I'm not totally sold on putting the 283 in it, the in lines are pretty cool, but regardless of that do most weld on a mustang suspension or do most on here prefer to leave it alone and rebuild what I have?

What are the ins & outs of a suspension change for a beginner? Do they have a similar ride height? What all has to change to make this happen?

Thanks for your time guys!
Butch Clay

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Need more information. If it's a car there were two different suspensions. The Master series were axle and leaf springs. The Special Deluxe series used "A" arms and coils. If you mean a truck like your Avatar then it has an axle. Parts are available to rebuild any of them but your truck will always ride like a truck. If you want it low or comfy then consider either a M2 or maybe a Jag IFS.

 

It's a master deluxe car.

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The truck in my avatar is finished. This is a new project.

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I believe your present front suspension crossmember bolts to the frame rails....so it is easily removable. Take a look at Ch***is Engineering Inc. bolt on MMII IFS.

 

what shape is the suspension in now?

here's another thread dealing with the same car http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=544997

 

Not really sure, I fired it up about 10 years ago and I last drove it about 20......it was fun!

It was for sale and my Mom asked me to sell it for her after my Father p***ed away. My Dad always wanted to have a hot rod but his other cars and tractors kept him too busy.

I've had 7 people stop over and look at it. 3 of them I just didn't like and I didn't want to sell it to them because all they did was rip on it and act like it was junk. 2 of the seven wanted to buy it for nothing to re-sell it. Didn't care for that either. The other 2 were broke and just wanted to look at it.

So this morning I bought it from my Mom. I'm not sure what to do with it but it's pretty solid over all. Floor pans are perfect.......running boards are shot.

I'm just not sure about the running gear, what do most on here do? Replace it or convert it.

I'll check out that link, thanks!

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I am currently building a '40 two door sedan Special Deluxe and I bought a bolt in front suspension from Ron Meyer. It is a thing of beauty and is everything you could want in an aftermarket setup. It was expensive at $3500 with shipping.

Since they were basically the same from '37-'54 all of the front ends will swap easily. If you can find a complete '54 just unbolt the crossmember and steering and bolt it up to your '40.

Check out www.chevsofthe40s.com for any parts you might need. They stock a lot of NOS parts and many repop parts including running boards.

 

Stock, that general group of Chevys has lots of roll when cornering at anything over little old lady speeds, and lots of camber change with the roll.
If suspension is in good shape I suspect that simply adding a substantial anti-roll bar would make it a pleasant enough driver. Add in some modernish shocks at all corners.

 

I did a 40 plymouth last summer for a customer & we
Used the suspension out of a late model ranger p.u.
It worked out slick. With the stock 40 spindles being
So tall the ford spindles were alittle taller which allowed
Me to take the stock ranger upper arm mounts & weld
Them directly to the top of the stock frame rails. Switched
Spindles side to side and mounted a rack & pinion to the
Back side of the crossmember. Used stock 40 lower arms
& welded bosses on them to use the stock b.j. now he
Has a late model suspension that he can get parts for
Easily alignable. Disc brakes and should something
Happen he can get replacement parts at most salvage
Yards

 

Ch***is Engineering makes a bolt in front suspension which I have never used but if it's like all the other suspension it is high quality and a pretty simple front suspension. HRP

 

i like aaggie's idea of bolting in a 51-54 front suspension. bendix brakes, easy conversion to discs and there are lots of those available due to all the Must. II swaps happening.

 

In 1940 the Chevy came with two types of front suspension; A arms or a dropped axle. Which one does your coupe have? If it's the A arm suspension I'd probably swap it out to a modern A arm setup like a Jaguar, or MII. If it's the dropped axle I'd probably keep it, and toss the knee action shocks to update to modern style shocks.

 

While this is doable, there is a lot more to it than just bolting on the later front crossmember. The steering box and linkage are totally different between '40/'48 and '49/'54. So, one would either have to re-use the '40 linkage and hope the geometry is close or also retro fit the later steering box.

Frankly, I don't think '49/'54 Suspension is worth all that work for what little gain it represents. Rather than do that, fit the stock front end with a big anti-roll bar as mentioned in a prior post and also fit some modern tube shocks.

You would still be left with ball bearing hubs, 6 lugs and poor brakes, but it would be simple and fairly inexpensive.

I still think the best bang for the buck is the Ch***is Engineering Inc, bolt in front suspension. It would require steering column modification or replacement, but when finished, you'd have something with dramatic improvement in all aspects. Ride, handling, very good brakes, etc. all would be light years ahead of either other option.

However, I do sense some reluctance to make modifications. Perhaps you would be more comfortable keeping the car original. That is a very viable option and may bring you more satisfaction in the end. Only you know the answer to that.

In any case, best wishes with whatever path you choose.

 

Honestly, I like original. Not sure why except I just think it's pretty cool.

I'll go out tomorrow and look at the front end to verify it but it should be a straight axle I think.

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Master 85 was beam axle..........Master Deluxe IFS........

 

i think you can switch out the old Huck brakes to Bendix by using the 51-54 drums and backing plates. i have an old article on doing this to AD trucks, should work on early Chevies too. but, then you will have 5 lug fronts and 6 lug rears.

 

Butch, I can help you with the Ch***is Engineering stuff. Feel free to give me a call.

 

Butch, maybe the best way to go about this is to first run it with the existing suspension (possibly do a re-build of it) and drive it for awhile before deciding. Then go to a MII conversion later if you want to.

My buddy just bought a '41 this summer. Someone built it I'm guessing back in the '80s-'90s. His has a Nova or Camaro stub on it.... The work is pretty good, the welding is strong, but needs to be cleaned up. Runs a 327, and the car drives really nice... 70mph on the freeway all day, and goes straight....

I think you should figure out what you want it to do, then decide how to get there....personally, I would make sure that 283 made it's way in there, and drive the heck out of it....A hot rod was what your dad wanted... do it...
Tom

 

Thanks aagie, I have a '46 I am building and had wondered the same thing about swaps. After swapping the front suspension on my avatar I know this to be a simple project and will consider it for the '46 using a '51-'54 for the Bendix brakes.

 

Update the brakes, I went with disc, and install a dropped axel, I did it on my 31 and it drives very well!

 

I've got Ch***is Engineering front & rear in 41 Chevy, very easy to install and drives great, much better than stock.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. What did people do to the suspension on these 40's when they hot rodded them in the 60's before the MM 2 came out?

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Didn't do much back then......it was a different era. I bought a '40 Chevy Master Deluxe Coupe in 1965. Swapped in a '56 Chevy 265, iron case Powerglide and rear end, all from the same donor car. Installed '50 Chevy front hubs/drums, which is a bolt on, to get 5 x 4 3/4" wheel pattern to match the '56 rear end. Then I drove it!

 

Hey, that sounds like fun!

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FWIW, that 283" V8 you're thinking about weighs less than the six now in the car...you can rebuild the stock suspension and upgrade the brakes and wheel bearings to '51 - '54 front hubs/drums- Chevy stuff. Rebuild the steering box and linkage and you won't have any problems.

My brother and I did that to his '47 Chevy 70,000 miles ago and he's still driving it - all over the country I might add and enjoying it, he's even running 14" radial tires on the car. We put in a '57 Chevy rear-end. There's nothing wrong with the stock suspension IF you rebuild it and don't plan on 110 mph highway runs or doing stock car corners or some drifting with it.

R-

 

Hey

Thanks for commenting on my suspension question for the 40 Chevy.

I'm interested in rebuilding the stock components like you were talking about. What advice would you give me on where to get parts and how to go about doing it so it's done correctly and done completely?

I want to start putting together a parts list and I'm not sure where to start.

Thanks for your time!

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Corvair IFS was popular back then.

 

I think we got most of the parts from Kanter or Chevs of the '40's and sourced bearings locally. The drums/hubs obviously came from a junkyard. These days Google is your friend for parts...

Hope that helps...

R-

 

Thanks! I'll get on it!

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