LOOKING FOR INFORMATION TO SWAP OUT THE ORIGINAL FRAME AND REPACE IT WITH SOMETHING NEWER. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY INFO??? If so PLEASE give me detailed info so I can start Looking. Thanks to all
Before you go crazy doing that, contact Enjenjo or Fat Cat and ask them what they've done. I've got a Sedan Delivery that I've dropped onto an S10 frame but I think I'm going to go back to stock and add an MII in the front. Fat Cat picked up a kit for the cheap because he can weld and from what I saw in December, it was looking good. I'm going to probably buy the frame from his parts car once it is parted down to the point he doesn't need anymore and put the SD back on it. Just my opinion but the S10 is NOT the end all be all of swaps. Especially when you've got to cut up floors and such to make things fit.
Im with Danimal..... Why cut the **** out of yer floor when there are so many kits to make that car modern on the stock ch***is. To much work converting an old car to a new car ch***is, If you just HAVE to have new car ride... Buy the kit for a ****stain II front end & new 2" wide rear leaf conversion. You will be much Happier in the long run & will require MUCH less work for a better final outcome.
HDMAN, I agree with Toqwik,the Nova sub works good.Finding disc brakes for them can be a challenge,unless you go aftermarket.But,do you really need them? (Nova,Omega,Ventura,Apollo's)Doubt you can pry the disc setups from the Camaro fellers? Drum brakes with a booster stops them well. Definately use the front sway bar. Good luck with your project!
PM tinbender. He's working on a '46 olds right now that's on an '81 caprice frame. I used the front and rear suspensions and made the center. I was over at his shop and saw it yesterday. It fits under there real well.
To all, I have looked at the mustang IFS front end, I have a good frame just wanted to updated without chopping the frame up. I have a 56 ford truck with a camaro sub frame, not my thing, looks good until you pull the front tire off, then its all yuky! HAs anyone used air bags on all four corners. Give me your opioion air vs coil over.
There are a couple guys on Chevybombs.com who have done airbags/hydraulics on these cars, with different front and rear suspensions.
seems to me they also talked about toyota PU ch***is was a decent fit (as in not too much cutting on the floor) i'd still (and did) MII the stock frame. subframes drive better (in my opinion) but look like **** and are a LOT of work for what you get...
I did a 69 Camaro sub under my 46 Chevy, but that's because it was what I had available, about 8 years ago. It works well, but does take a bit of fabrication work to get the rad support and sheet metal mounting done. Also bumper mounting can be frustrating (Esp if you want it to look nice) It does ride nice, and handles well. Back in the day, perhaps early 80's. my buddy Manny did a full frame swap on Tommy DeRosa's 46-8 Chevy, using an early Monte Carlo frame, wheelbase is the same. The car looked good, and he drove it all over. The car was body and painted by Donn Lowe when he was in Colorado. Biggest job was revamping the trunk to fit around the frame, due to the coil spring suspension crossmember. In short, if you can do the welding and fab work yourself, a subframe swap is economical and works, with the right sub. If you are paying someone, the M2 is probably a better choice, just align and weld in the crossmember, no other major fabrication necessary.
My 48 has ch***is engineering front and rear suspension with front and rear sway bars..very nice stuff and good people to deal with. Pat
Is the suspension different than the 'Regular' Chevies of that vintage. I expect it's not what you're after but, would a set of lowering uprights with the SSBC roller bearing kingpins ('Royal Kingpin') and a rack suffice up front (with a set of lowering springs maybe)? I don't know, I'm just asking as I have a plan to eventually get to a '53 and was thinking of doing just that, instead of M-II or a clip. Some of the lowering uprights have some extra caster built in (the ones from Bufallo supposedly, I don't know about Fat Man's uprights). I was going to use a set of the Posies rear springs and a 4X4 S-10 rear diff (unless my research is off it should fit in the '53). Hope that helps.
Friend has a 47 Chevy he put a V6 in, wants to put a Rack & Pinion steering in, anyone try this, and what parts do you need? He is 80, still does most of his own work, working on several cars, 47 Olds, 66 Marlin, 56 Chevy, 39 Buick, great guy.
Yeah. Keep the stock frame and upgrade it. Easiest would be a mustang II conversion. Beef up the rest with sway bars etc. Frame swaps are not only ugly, but they seriously lower the value of your machine if that matters to you.
Hello, I noticed this is an older posting but I just finished welding in a mustang II air ride front end on my 48 2 dr coup and can offer some advise from a lot of research if you are still interested.
I have a 47 Stylemaster and would appreciate any info on front end and rear end upgrades. I just tossed the old 6 and installed a SBC. Suspension is TERRIBLE .
Heres one I have going currently... let me know if you have any questions or need anything... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=305526
I got a Volarie front under mine,works good but it was a lot of work.I just done it mostly because I had never put in a subframe before,wanted to see if I could do it.I think I would check into rebuilding what you got or the Mustang II.
i used a 1996 caprice frame same thing used frt and rear of frame used 2x4 1/8 wall steel and made up centre goofed on first try will get another and retry
ditto, these fronts work great, have done several, here's a 48 I did a few years back, drum brakes all around, no problems.
Umm, old thread. My project is a GMC instead of a Car, but it might be usefull to someone. http://www.dogfightmag.com/forum/showthread.php?1544-4200-Jimmy-swap
Look at a '54 frame they look the same and have a better front end and more aftermarket. May not bolt in but fab should be minimal. Has anyone done this? My '41 frame is good, but looked at a '41 that had been butchered to put a 80s frame. So looked into this a little bit.
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