Trying to make this work, doesn't look easy like the 55 and later trucks though, the earlier rails still pinch in back to front. The main issue here is the clip, with motor & trans installed, is 10" from bottom of the frame to ground, measured at the rear lower sections of the subframe. The truck, at ride hight, has about 4-5" from the bottom of the rail to the ground. Now, do I cut coils and buy dropped $pindles for the camaro clip, or set it up low at fabrication? At this point, having the subframe leveled up with the top of the truck rail looks like it would be right....though every clip I've ever seen had the sub frame under the truck frame...it'd be as tall as stock! Suggestions would be appriciated...
the reason every clip has the sub rails below the frame is to get it low. if you run the rail straight into the clip it will look like a 4 wheel drive. if you have already cut your frame then i guess its to late but this is not something i would do to a pre 55 truck, to wide. the lower controll arms should be parallel to the floor during construction. you can achieve this buy removing the shocks and using some large dia all thread and pulling the suspension down to ride height. this and correct tires should give you a look at the finished ride height, depending on the coils you may have to clip some off to get to where you want to be after you remove the all thread.this will let you controll the finished height during construction and you can build the height in during fabrication.
Think S-10. Camaro is to wide for this series of truck. They ride at a good height if you tie in straight across the rails to the top of the subframe. Take out the springs and get out a tape measure.
It seems all the camaro clipped ones don't have the front wheels centered in the wheelwell , I don't know why. I have a 50 chevy with a bolt in mustang 2 crossmember and all the mustang 2 suspension, it drives nice and is pretty low. There is alot less work this way and may turn out better. You may want to consider going this route, it will cost a little for the crossmember, about $550.
Did one 25 years ago....the inside of clip's rails straddle the outside of the truck rails. Ride height is determined by where along the clip's kickup you attach the original rails.
you can swap an entire s-10 frame fairly easy, they even make a kit wiht body mounts i believe, you use the s-10 rear and gas tank as well
Everyone is doing the S-10 swap. I used a 1964 to 1965 Chevelle (Skylark, Lemans-GTO) frame front clip. It fit together like it was meant to be. It is more traditional to use old iron stuff, rather that S-10 parts. Just an idea tossed out.
There is something kinda gross about using S-10 stuff, but no more gross than a Camaro I guess. I had a 53 AD pickup with a Nova clip, it fit really well width wise. I think the Camaro is almost the same width? As well, with the subframe rails straddling the truck rails, there are the running board mounts and cab support mounts right in the way that will need to be dealt with. It's not looking good. MII or S-10 stuff might be the only way...
...67-9 Camaro, 68-74 Nova (and clones), and 64-72 Chevelle (and clones) all work great. I've done lots of em and plan to do more.
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