I have been reading all the S-10 swaps. Mustang ll Swaps, fatman front clips, front steer camaros ect. Not going to do it, was looking more along the dropped axle and flattened springs. Had a guy stop by and talked about Old School Rodding. bolt in a 49-54 p***enger car front suspension. came home later and he had one laying by my shop front door. said it takes two welded angle plates and 16 bolts. drops the front 7 inches. I'm thinking new springs dropped spindles and disc brake conversion. I've gone over it with a tape measure and it looks like a couple hours to swap the whole thing. what is the down side? and why have I never heard of such a cheap, simple solution? one more question has anyone mounted a rack and pinion to a 49-54 chev?
Two angle iron plates and a few welds is how they mount a Pacer front end in those trucks. Ch***is Engineering offers this simple kit. The Pacer has 11 inch discs and rack and pinion already. People don't like them because they only lower the front a bit and I don't think there are any aftermarket spindles available. I have a project '54 with this set-up that I drove before it was torn down and it was a great ride. I now have a 454 sitting in the project for mock up and it is a clear shot for the steering hook-up even past the stock cast iron headers so no wild collection of steering u-joints to worry about. I know I didn't answer your questions, but I thought it might interest you. And, if anyone else is interested, this '54 truck project of mine is for sale.
The dream truck was on a 54 p***enger car frame and there was a 50 suburban in Cl***ic Trucks a couple of issues ago that had a 49 p***enger front crossmember and was bagged. I have been considering doing this to my 39 Chevy truck. Good luck
i have the stock suspension on my 52 chevy car with a disc conversion. works fine. most of the rebuild parts came from kanter. would you be using the steering box from the new suspension? if so, i hear the 53/54 box is better then the 49-52 one. my 52 one seems to be fine though. also...i thought i heard that the 49-54 suspension is missing one of the alignment parts too...what is there caster camber toe in and out? I do not know which it is missing but my car will go straight down the road at 100mph.
I'd set the caster with the mounting plates, I'm looking at the possibility of a power rack. I sold the last Pacer windshield in the known world. they will all be parts cars someday.
Parents had a pacer when i was a kid. car had more gl*** then any car i have rode in since. we called it the fish tank car.
You are right about the gl*** in the old AMC Pacers and they will always be known for being in Wayne's World. It is really odd how that funny little car had such a stout front end under it.
so anyone going to post how to slam it using only the stock front end?? c notch the frame?? ect? take leafs out ect. flip the axle ect.
In my 55 I believe the front leafs are just de-arched and it is slammed. I am going to get them re-arched and put some blocks on it to raise it back up so that it has a g***er look. I imagine I will have to do some work on the steering too. if you flip the axle on top of the leafs that will for sure lower it. I do not know what it would do to the handling though. c-notching the frame would not lower it per say...it would just give you more clearance. you could probably get a lowered axle or get the stock axle lowered too.
I just picked up a '51 chevy p/up to fix up after my '63 is roadworthy again, & I've also been looking up a ton of info on how to lower the stock front end. What I've learned and plan on doing is to have the front axle dropped (around $300) by one of the vendors on the HAMB, remove every other leaf on the front springs ($0), and convert the stock spindles to discs (about $200-300). On the rear, I'll be doing the same to the leaf springs and adding blocks to one of the rear ends I've got lying around here. This won't "slam" the front end, but it'll give it a better at***ude. Everyone else is right--the only way to slam it is to go independent.
49 - 54 chevy p***enger car suspension is good only if you already have it in the car and it is in good working order. I had a 49 with OG front suspension with disc brakes and cut coils. parking was a pain, but that's why you got the big steering wheel. with the cut coils it would bottom over big bumps. I put in tie rod ends and an idler arm and it steered as good as an old chevy is supposed to. for the money I put into it including the disc brakes I should have put that money towards a mustang II. people do put rack and pinions on the 49 - 54 front ends, but according to FATMAN FABRICATIONS they do not work properly. if they did, every company that makes parts for these cars would be making kits .... to go in a truck you'd need the p***enger box also I think.. is the truck pitman arm on the outside of the frame? I personally don't think it would be worth the effort. I'd go with a dropped tube axle before I'd put the p***enger suspension in. dropped tube axle, and de arched or reverse eye spring. I feel the mustang II is the best bet for these trucks. more expensive but worth every penny
anyone know/ seen the post on putting the front beam on TOP of the leafs in front?? should give us a 4 or 5 inch drop!
Watch out for axle to oil pan clearance on those trucks. I'd use a dropped axle before putting the axle over the spring. I've got an MII under my 50 truck, with dropped spindles the front bumper is about 3 inches off the ground. I did drive it to the Round Up this year. jerry
we put a 250 in it, sits up a little higher with the motor mounts we got. no worries. do they make drop spindles for the stock axle? i think if we put axle on top, notch the frame and de arch the leafs, well be golden. the back has about 12 inches of clearence. so were just gonna take leafs out and block it.
Putting the axle over the spring puts the clearance between the axle and frame at nearly nothing, and the pan clearance on a stocker does the same. Moving the axle over the springs or dropping the axle either one moves the tie rod closer to the pan and changes the angle of the drag link leading to bump steer if you go very far. The one comment I'd make about that car suspension is that a lot of the guys building those cars replace it.
I used the Dodge Dakota kit from Industrial Ch***is. Truck parts belong under trucks! Message ElPolacko on here, thats his company. I've been real happy with mine!
SUB, you have that mint COE on the road yet? A couple thoughts that I have, Free is a very good price. It could be removed faster than installed! and it's bound to ride and steer better than stock. I have that Chopped GMC about on the road. I've got the 331 cad and the stock steering box is moved 2 two inches left. I'm thinking a rack over the stock linkage and it would let me make left turns . did I mention that I could remove it?
I drop the original axles. I can drop them to 4" over stock. This would be better than putting the axle on top the spring.. www.dropperdaxles.com
I don't even have it apart yet... That project is queued up behind at least two others. I guess the ability to undo the swap does mean if you don't like it you aren't stuck with it. You might play with dropping the original yourself first. While you'd burn enough gas in your torch that it would not be free, it would be less work. The harsh ride is probably a combination of worn parts and the 3/4-ton suspension. You might look at replacing the springs with 1/2-ton springs to soften the ride. I may need to drop by next time I'm around and see this 'almost on the road' truck!
do they make drop spindles for the stock axle? what is commonly referred to as dropped spindles is actually dropped spindle uprights in independant front suspension cars that still use kingpins.... in order to have actual dropped spindles you need a ball joint type suspension
I just picked up a '50 GMC 100 and I am looking at the Speedway Motors / Posies springs. Shipping will be a bunch to Alaska, but it is cheaper than the local spring shops want to make the stuff I asked for. They are supposed to lower the truck "3 inches more than a set of new replacement springs" (wouldn't new replacement springs set it back to stock??). They are supposed to ride better. They are 339.95 front and 309.95 rear, that's per pair. A friend has a pair of dropped axles that should fit, he plans to use one. So I'll have to see what he needs for the other.
I talked to Posies. and he was very truthful. he said 3 inches less than a new stock spring. meaning about the same as your old sagging spring. I only have about 2 inches travel to the snubber
i used Sid's 4" axle on my 54 with 5 leafs removed, shortened my pitman arm 4", used modern tie rod ends and flipped the tie rod to underneath the spring, lost a little bit of turn radius not nothing that bothers me and couldn't be fixed with a longer/adjustable draglink. couldn't be happier!!! and Sid is a top notch guy to deal with!
Looking good!! coolerthanethan. Just to let you know we found out you don't have to cut the pitman arm. You can flip the ball on the steering arm from top to bottom. Same with the tie rod ends if you want to keep the ball style ends. Jim Carter Chevy sells the ball ends that are bolt in.
ive been scratching my head on this one also cause im poor but truck shop in orange ca sells a droped front axle and lowered leafs mono and regular but all thats pricey cheaper to front clip it or heat the leafs and de arch them no sure witch way im going yet most likely the torch
MAS Racing Products advertises dropped axles with 0" - 7" drops for $179.00 Don't know if you can use your truck spindles or if you would need to get the 49-54 car spindles. 651-644-6811 It is recommended to have at least 3" of travel. 49-54 cars have the steering to the inside of the frame, so the stock truck box wouldn't work with the pre-55 car suspension. Monoleaf springs are a waste of time and money. Just remove a couple leafs, or get them de-arched by a competent spring shop. Whatever way you end up doing it, the drag link should be near level, or you will get bumpsteer.
An interesting fact, the Pacer was originally designed to have a GM supplied ****el engine. At the last minute, GM dropped out, and AMC had to redesign the Pacer to use the inline. Rich
well since this post is still running, the p***enger front clip is in. it dropped the front 7 inches without cutting the springs or dropped spindles. I haven't got the steering finished yet. it was not a bolt in job. when I get finished I'll post a complete run down. I will say that I wouldn't reccomend this to the novice. I've picked up 54 drums and spindles and that will drop another 1 1/2 inches. it has not been easy but it sure looks like it is going to drive nice. I have the caster in at 6 degrees.
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