Looking for any info on using a S10 front clip in a 52 Chevy Fleetline.What is the track width on both the 52 and a S10? Is the S10 front clip a good front end to bag??
I have seen a few S-10 trucks with air bags. I have seen a few old Chevy's with the wrong clip in them (Camaro). I would rather have a more narrow clip in the car than my wheels sitting on the outskirts of my fenders! I think it could work if you wanted it to. Plus S-10 dropped spindles are plentiful.
yes, what he said. i looked into it for my 50 Chevy cause it had a Camaro (or maybe it was a Nova) clip and even with Toronoto rims in the front the tires rubed when i turned. it was quite low with no bags in the front. i'd looked into an S10 clip and the size is just right in my opinion. i forget the measurements now but i was quite confident it was going to work just fine. if you can't afford the MII route i'd say this is the way to go. just say NO to Camaro clips in 49-54 Chevys!!
Just a note on Camaro clips. You can narrow them and they do sell narrowed a-arms. Personally I would narrow one first. On my truck I widened the front fenders 1 1/2 inches on each side (not as easily done with the car). I also got wheels with the largest backspacing I could and still clear the brakes. I can turn the wheel full lock and not hit the fenders and my front sits low over the wheels/tires. I'm using a '73. If you go to the early Camaro or Nova they are narrower, but the Nova doesn't come standard with disc's, but you can install them. Pesonally I have been very happy with the clip on my truck and would do it again in an instant. You can get parts easy to rebuild them (I rebuilt the whole thing) at good prices. There are lots of aftermarket parts for them. You can bag them. They give you big/good disc's, great handling, power steering. I installed mine in a weekend once the truck was stripped. c ya, Sum
just a question why don't you use the whole s10 frame they are easily adjustable for wheel base and are used in many a hotrod as a whole unit with much success ive seen and heard of this lots and there is no welds to worry about Al
If you gotta narrow a clip then why use it get one that fits the car.Whos weldin the centerlink back together Fitzee I have an S-10 clip in my shoebox,fit like a hot damn.And like someone said above the dropped spindles and every other part are cheap,really cheap.You can get parts at the corner store pretty well I Z'd mine in the car 2.5" to get it down low.I actually had to take the dropped spindles out of the car,but will prolly put em back in if I bag it. The springs to run are the ones outa the buicks and olds that came with the 301s etc.They're a lil heavier then the chevy ones. Another cheater way to get em down even lower is to run 73-87 GM 1/2ton truck bottom balljoints,they fit right in the a-arms but you gotta ream the spindle a lil but it gets the car down an extra 1 1/2" to 2". I just went out and measured my track width for you.I'm running stock chev steelies(15x6)with G-78x15 bias on it and it measures 60".From bulge of tire to bulge of tire its 63"......Shiny
Racerrick is using a whole S10 frame under his Fleetline - maybe he'll have more info on this kind of swap -
They are the same width as an S-10? I always thought they were wider like the Camaro. I know the spindles are interchangeable. I just thought the frame was wider on the G-body.
not sure if they're the same width as an s-10 but they aren't as wide as the camaros. had it done to my dad's 55 pickup
Ya I think the G-body is wider than the s truck. I really dont understand the point of narrowing a clip or a frame to make it fit, wouldnt it be easier to just find one that fits right in the first place, seems like a whole lotta extra work to me. IMHO if you're going to all the extra work of changing the frame or clip, thats enough work without finding more things to cut and weld.
I looked at the g-body frames but they were too wide in my opinion. Both the S10 and my 49' fleetline have a 60" track width IIRC. My floors are so rusty they are coming right out and the body is being channeled over the frame to lower it. The entire S10 frame is a decent swap. The wheel bases is 117" on the S10 and 115" for the fleetline. I am moving the rear suspension forward to compensate. The factory location of the wheel in the wheelwell is not centered in the wheelwell so I will move it until it looks right. The front spindle will be in the same location as factory so everything clears easier. The firewalls for the S10 and fleetline are in the same position relative to the firewall, so I am keeping the S10 firewall (trimmed to fit the narrower fleetline firewall opening), so I get hanging pedals, a transmission tunnel that fits the taller modern transmissions, and can use the stock S10 front body mounts. Clipping it would be easier but i believe the stock fleetline frame is narrower than the S10 frame at the front. I don't have my notepad with all the measurements on it right now - its at the shop.
I was going to use a S-10 frame under my 4o chevy pickup, but a friend of mine gave me a free toyota frame, toyota boxes there frame and was very easy to put a SBC in. and i just swapped out the rear axle for a posi. ann BTW did i tell you it was FREE!!
good info on here, i've been seeing more and more people use toyota parts on old skools. lowriders are using toyota rear ends on x-frames. this is the 1st i've heard of someone using a toyota ch***is. cool ****, post some pics!
I mentioned that it is possible to narrow a clip. I didn't. I widened my fenders, which besides giving me the tire/wheel clearance I needed also improved the looks of the truck in my opinion. Why would you do the extra work??? 1. You don't mind the work of building something and don't mind another day or so in a project that is probably going to take months/years anyway. 2. You want to end up with something that brakes, corners/handles and rides better than an S-10. That is why I would do it. Using the G body is also a good approach, but the brakes are metric and not as good. If you drive fast and like a vehicle that handles very well on mountain type roads I don't think you can beat the Camaro. Is it for everyone??? NO!! c ya, Sum
Great info guys.My plan is to use just the S10 front clip and custom build the rest of the frame.I am a big boy and want this low but want head room and leg room so I`m working on build a frame where I can have the floors dropped under the seats. I plan on chopping and channal the car and have it laying frame.great info so far Keep it comming.
Fab a new set of upper control arms or buy a set of Hotchkiss G-body arms and use the Caprice/Impala spindles for better breaks and improved cornering on the S-10 suspension.
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