As some of you know, I just picked up a '54 Poncho. Just would like to know a little more about suspension possibilities, dos and dont's, etc. Not trying to beat the dead horse, but I do want to get specific about interchangable parts between other GM parts (a-arms, brackets, springs, etc.). Teach me people! The car currently sits on springs that are cut WAAAAY low! I have another set of stock springs just in case I need to cut down some new ones. Going to run them for a bit unless it really gets impractical though. The rear will get blocks and pinion angle shims. For the future though, I'm planning on bags in all four corners and would like to lay frame. What's available for the front without puting in a whole new front clip? I saw someones tech on bagging the front of a 54 Chevy, but I'm not sure if that will apply to mine or not. What's the best for the rear... a monoleaf and bag mounts? Complete 4-bar linkage setup with bags? So let's hear what you think... Thanks guys!
OOO! OOO! Thanks burger! Bump for Rocky and anyone else who knows Pontiac suspension. I'm assuming the rear suspension is easily handled. Just would be nice to know exactly what is interchangable... I have been searching for that front air bag tech that someone just did this week on there 54 Chevy... anyone have the link? I can't find the thread.
Pontiac parts are like girls parts.......they're wierd.......... Seriously though, try http://www.pontiacparts.net/
I like "weird" parts! I ordered a catalog from them last week. I hope it comes soon. I'm also hoping that when my Pontiac shop manual comes it will tell me some part numbers so I can compare with other GM parts... ...you say they're weird though... Maybe nothing is interchangable? Either way I WILL come up with a way to make the front bagged even if I have to build entire lower control arms and all new towers from scratch.
Tooting our horn a little, but we make a simple disc conversion for the stock spindle. If you are good with a sawzall and Mig, I would get a wreked 78-96 B body wagon and graft the mounts.
I Just recieved my disc conversion and will be installing it next week .I'll let you know how it works out. Scott
I DEFINETLY want to hear about this. Take pictures as you go and I would LOVE to see a TECH thread on this!!
Wow scarebird is on the Hamb! Ive seen your caliper set ups do they clear a stock 15 inch wheel on a 53 to 55 pontiac all those wheels are the same ofset as far as I know? Sorry for hyjacking the thread but though it help all of us reading up on poncho suspension! Ltr Dave
For the future though, I'm planning on bags in all four corners and would like to lay frame. What's the best for the rear... a monoleaf and bag mounts? Complete 4-bar linkage setup with bags? So let's hear what you think... Your options with the stock poncho front clip are limited and cross over parts basically dont exist but a small block chevy dropped right in my 53 like it was made for it! Then I used Fatman dropped spindle supports which are the only way to get it to lay. Four linked the back, 86'd the stock gas tank and went to a stock repo 65 mustang gas tank in the rear trunk floor. LTR Dave
not sure, we didn't have a rim to test on. easiest way to do this is get a 77-79 Seville rear rotor, and a 69-72 GTO caliper at a NAPA or aAutozone (make sure they can return parts if this does not work. Bring an empty coffee can or such, Put rotor on coffee can facing up, then slide on loaded caliper. Place rim on assy, see if it hits...
I can't help on the Poncho, but here's the thread...great work, IMO. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=152076 Bryan
YES! Thank you! I searched everything I could think of and I knew it had "54" and something to do with bags in it, but I didn't try "baggin" Thanks for finding that!!! I wonder if something like this will work for our Ponchos??
Okay, questions for you Dave... - Do you have the Stang' tank mounted under the trunk floor or actually IN the trunk? Is it a smaller tank in gereral? - Are you saying you actually bought dropped spindles for that? What did you get? No worries about hijacking to talk about brake stuff! I want to hear that too!! Scarebird's kit sounds like a viable option. Keep us posted on rather or not the stock rim will fit. This brings me to a REALLY stupid question... what's the lug pattern for those wheels? Mine has mismatched wheels, so I'm going to need a whole set of rims for this baby...
Scooter Fatman Fabrications sells a dropped upright not a spindle as you already know you car has a spindle connected to the upright by a king pin pretty old technology (prior to balljoints) But its really strong. Fatmann sells a dropped upright check with Gambino here on the Hamb as I think he is a dealer for them and might offer a discount? Their uprights are advertised as a 3.5 inch drop But I Noticed some differences in how much it dropped my 48 vs my 53 both stock uprights attached the spindles at different heights? I cant remember which was more hot they were 3 to 3.5 inch drops. I used a 65 mustang gas tank brand new I got off ebay $150 shipped with sending unit and filler neck install hose ect. I used it as it has a flange all the way around that can be drilled and bolted to a 1" by 1" steel frame or if you cut your truck floor out to fit the tank flush with the floor just bolt it to your ftrunk floor. I used it because its clean and also doesnt hang down as much as the stock one which is prone to getting dammaged once you lower the car. And last the wheels on you ride should be 5 on 5 Inch pattern// Need anthing else let me know LTR Dave
Ok do I use gto caliper or the eldo caliper the website says use the eldo. You have to trim the tin plate around the existing hub to fit down into the seville rotor. I'll do that tomorrow at work on the brake lathe. I'm also going to press in some long wheel studs. It looks like the stock wheel will work but I won't know for sure till its all bolted up. I'll also need to figure out brake lines. I'm going to mount a firewall booster and dual m/c the single power booster don't stop anything... I'll take some pics this week as I go. Scott
The Mustang's vent through the cap, so I'm wondering what the best way to deal with this issue when the filler is in the trunk. Run a vent with some copper tubing outside the car? How did you deal with this? Thanks, Bryan
I used the stock filler location in the quarter panel. Filled the mustang inlet in the center and relocated it to the left then bent a piece of exhaust tubing connected it the pocket in th 1/4 panel. Or ya could weld in a small tube of the mustang neck take it to the bottom of the car and run a sealed cap in the trunk as an Idea LTR Dave
Dave... THANKS! This is great info and I appreciate it! Getting some really great info from here! Keep it going! Yeah, let's clear up the caliper issue... GTO or...???
Scarebird, So what caliper for this application would I use? Also, with the Fatman Fab. spindle stuff, will I run into interference problems?
I don't know- I would need to see one of his pieces... We use 77-79 Seville rear rotors and GTO calipers
I can tell by looking at the pics there would be no interference. Keep in mind the fatman up rights are only the upright portion not the spindle. LTR Dave
My thinking was way off on the upright thing... I'm on the same page now. Sorry about that. I checked out the fatman setup... $380. They (Fatman) say very little about what's actually included in this kit and what it is actually composed of. If I do a setup like Rustypipes has done, do I need to get those uprights? Was hoping the great Gambino would ring in by now...
Got the disc brackets today they are very nice. I've started to round up all the disc and calipers use the 69-72 lemans or the 74 -77 firebird dics . I've got to turn out the inside of the disc for the hub to fit in it and the center of the disc cause the hub has a raised area that doesn't let the disc ride flush . I'll get some pics up once I get these done and start putting it together. lots of machine work on the existing hub to make it work. I'm cutting on the rotor it can be replaced alot easier than an old hub. Scott
Good god no! don't cut the rotor! If it fails because you weakened it, YOU may need to be replaced! The hub is not made from unobtanium, and it a simple 1/2 hour in a machine shop, or a buddy's house with a lathe and press. Do it as the instructions say, use the 69-72 GTO, Chevelle etc calipers with 77-79 Seville rotors.
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