i keep going back and forth about this in my head. i'm stuck on which way to go on the 56 i just picked up. i had convinced myself the 5th ave(volare) clip would fit the bill. the more i look the more it seems like to get the truck as low as i want it's gonna be a little more involved that just a simple k member swap. i don't want to get it in and then have to dump the adjusters to get it where i want buy buy those retardedly priced and ill fittting volare dropped spindles from fat man. i ****s because theres a nice low mile 5th ave on ebay local to me ending tonight for not alot of money. since i get everything i need for the most part it still may be the best option even if i do have to pay the high price for the dropped spindles. OR S10 frame swap. theres only 1" difference between wheelbase on the dodge and the long bed s10. should be plenty easy to work that out. part of me says making modifying mounts would be quicker than doing the suspension graft. and the aftermarket is flooded with reasonably priced part for the s10. but by the time i dig up the s10 and a 350/350 and such i'll probably have spent enough to pay for the local 5th ave and dropped spindles for it. any opinions to help get me out of my stuck spot...ken....
I put a Volare clip in my '57 Dodge pickup. I had read alot about the swap into Ford trucks and back in '96 when I did it it seemed like a good idea to try it in my Dodge. It's not an easy swap due to the fact that on the Dodge the frame rails are not straight from the firewall to the bumper like on a Ford of the same vintage. They curve inward which creates a problem with the steering gearbox on the driver's side. I solved the clearance problem by cutting the rail and spreading it straight and then welding in a section of 2x3 boxed tubing creating a jog in the frame to allow the gearbox room. It's still a tight fit. Cutting some of the bottom of the rails is needed to get the clip installed correctly for caster. The install looks less than stellar as there is more material width on the Volare original mount points that sticks out beyond the curvy front rails on the Dodge. Just visually doesn't look like it belongs there. I cut some of the excess away and plated and neatened it up alot but it's just never really met my standards. But it's a driver so it works. I run a small block Chevy and had to custom make a set of headers to clear the gearbox and brake pedal, oil filter, steering column. With all the issues to install I will say that it drives as well as a Volare ever did (which wasn't great) but I have power steering and brakes in a 50 year old truck. There's not alot of travel in the suspension as I have the torsion bars cranked to get it as low as I want. Pot holes are not friendly either. Smaller diameter tires and raise the front end a bit might help but again I like the look. Faced with doing another Dodge I'd probably go with a Camaro clip.
Here's an option that I think is only going to become more popular with time for such projects. It's the '84-'96 Corvette front end. It's all mounted on a stout crossmember that can be cut out whole. The only thing related that's not connected would be the sway bar mounts and they could be positioned easily on any frame. They're front steer so the rack is mounted on the front of the crossmember. You can either retain the stock transverse fibergl*** leaf spring (yes, I said fibergl***! ) or easily mount coilovers in the stock shock locations. Upper shock mounts need reinforced for coilovers on the pre-'88 set-ups but after that they were much stronger. So unless you have a real heavy car, you'd probably be fine with the '88 and up as is. These Vettes are no feathers BTW, averaging from 3200 to 3400 lbs. depending on year and equipment. They have about a 52% front weight bias, so figure from there. The A arms and spindles are all aluminum and can be polished to a high luster if desired. They also look like tubular arms, not just like aluminum versions of stamped steel ones. I can't tell you how many people have seen the front suspension on my Vette and ***umed it was some exotic aftermarket set-up. Price-wise, these cars are still on their way down. I've seen decent parts cars (donors) for under $1000 and $3-4000 drivers are not uncommon these days for the earliest versions. I've also seen these front end set-ups go for as cheap as $250-300 from someone parting out a car. There are some 15" wheels that will work but for the most part figure on something 16" with most of the offset inward. The earlier version ('84-'87) is slightly narrower overall from hub to hub. Most parts are unique to whichever version you have, even the brakes and the crossmembers themselves. There were some geometry, mounting locations and other changes when they redesigned it for '88. BTW, I like the looks of that era of Dodge trucks. They have a very simple and clean design. Years ago a friend of mine had a nice panel truck version of that era. I wish I could have gotten it from him when he got rid of it.
In Tex Smith's Mopar Hot Rod Book there is an article on putting a Mirada clip on a '53 Dodge P/U. Said 123 hrs of work, but looked good!
I have my Terraplane on the road since 94 with Volare front clip and K-car power R/P steering, couldn't be happer. Mine bolts in.
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