Alright...let's talk about the pros and cons on these type types of front ends. My story is that I have a 28 chevy sedan...the Mustang 2 front end was going to be used in another project..well things have changed..First I have most all of the NOS parts for the Mustang 2 front end rebuild (larger rotors, calipers, pads, bushings, upper & lower a-arms and ball joints)....as for the straight axle, which is on the 28 chevy right now is complete but needs to be up graded with juice brakes and most likely other needed items??? Should I use the old school look and upgrade it some..or use the Mustang 2 front end..what's the good and bad about these two.....Your advise is needed..I would like to here it from the people who ride on these suspensions...you guys be nice to each other...I'm open to any comments...the car could be used with or without the fenders...tell it like it is...
Go with the straight axle. 2nd that if your not runnin fenders. They really look coobled up with ifs on. good luck
we just had the same conversation with a young lad yesterday about his 28-29 sedan...NO IFS! they look like **** IFS= Is Fucking Shit Straight I-beam= Hot rod IFS belongs on mustangs and other cars but not pre war vehicles..and Hot Rods..ok ok its just my opinion..its your car and your money.. Im going to make popcorn now..want ****er on it?
Wow...I think that was a 10 minute post session.. it looks like the straight axle won...I thought it would...I'll sell that Mustang front end and use the $ for the original straight axle upgrade...you guys motivated my decision..
If you want a "canyon carver" by all means the IFS is the way to go. A properly set up I beam handles decent and looks killer. If you are going to use fenders I'd go with the IFS, if you are going without fenders, the IFS looks..............out of place.
IFS look like **** under a "skinny fender" car, and for the most part they ride like **** in light-weight early cars as well. I currently have a Corvair IFS under my '27 Es*** that I plan to replace with a dropped I-beam and hairpins as soon as I can afford it. It's a white knuckle ride on anything but the smoothest of roads, which are a rarity around here.
Has anyone used one of the I beam IFS kits made by Fat man Fabrication? Looks like the trad set up but operates as IFS. Looks quite neat, wondered if it was worth a damn. http://www.fatmanfab.com/catalogpage.php?page=2
If you use hairpins or bones, it isn't gonna handle well. The fastest circle track cars in the world use straight axles with a modified 4-bar setup. They handle pretty good...
Do what ever you want with your car .If you use a Independent Suspension find another place to talk about it .My 2 cents
Use a solid axle, you'll be glad you did, they handle just fine. If you want your car to handle like a mustang then buy a mustang. If you want a hot rod then man up and run the solid axle.
Do some searches and you'll see that this is a Traditional Hot Rod board. Then you will come to the only conclusion that this group believes in
I would never put IFS on any car that didn't originally have IFS. I would never rag on someone that put IFS on a fendered car, atleast they don't drive a Honda with a big wing and gull doors. In the neighborhood of cool, I can atleast see your house if I get up on my roof with binoculars. Anytime I see a fenderless car with IFS, I truely want to hurl. I make an exception for one good friend that will soon be putting fenders on his car and wants to drive it in the mean time. No, I am not the IFS police, but you did ask.
Well, I've got a '33 Willys with stock parallel leafs and dropped tube axle, tube shocks, disc brakes - rides really nice, handles pretty decent, no bump steer and didn't cost a bundle either. You should be able to do it easy with the parallel leaf Chevy.
Is "4-bar" the same as 4-link? I'd like to see more pictures and get more info, if you would. Are people running something like this on their hot rod or "street rod"? I know next to nothing about suspensions, especially pre-war ones. I've gotta stock MII front end I've been thinking of grafting onto the front of my Falcon. An Econoline axle would be cool and different if it was set up for handling, versus nosebleed. Thanks, Kurt
I'm sure you've seen them before. These came along a little later than most people here like. Having said what I did, the ultimate handling potential of IFS is better. It's tougher to get the geometry right, and tougher to install an IFS.
What it all boils down to is its your car and you have to do what you like. I put mustang II under my 38 chevy coupe about 15 years ago. I had a lot of handling problems with it for several years. Took it to a front end shop a couple of weeks ago and told them to put zero camber and +3 caster in it and man it drives good now. Still have to deal with the traditional police though but i love to drive it and I cant see whats under it from behind the wheel.
I like straight axels even if their not visable if that's how the car came. And on a car like your 28 Chevy ?, were it was visable from the front of the car it's really part of the cars overall design, it looks proper or natural in it's place. I'm sure the designers of the day gave them a gracefull look for this very reason. A rule I go by is, whenever I'm in dought I stay original. Oh, and thanks for having been a " Shop Teacher "
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