I was looking into getting done a camaro clip on my 54 bel air. has anyone out there done one that can give any pointers if we (my budies and I) decide to do it ourself. Would it be worth tring in the garage or send it out to get done. I knew the people that will do it will do a great job. just wondering if we should try. any advise would help. And mustang 2 is a little out of buget. working with what we have. I think it is a 1969 camaro clip. thanks
I'm running a 67-69 camaro front clip. True it's a little wider than i'd prefer, but it's certainly drivable. Everyone always says you HAVE to narrow them. I haven't had any problem. My tires will rub if I have to turn real tight, so I just avoid tight turns whenever possible. I also don't have a heater, and no stereo. Big deal! It's a hot rod! All those "problems" are erased when your cruising down the road.... You'll be fine with that front clip. If it's all you have to work with, do it. It makes the stance great too!
thanks ocfab for the heads up. and thanks big mac. if you're running it and it works i will try it. and not only that i am running stock steelies with 6.70x15s the stock narrow wheels and tires.
i wouldnt do a camaro clip in your chevy. way too much work for what you get in the end, and the track width ****s for your car. i would save up for a mustang II or update your original suspension. a friend put a jag front end under one of those chevys, it worked out really slick, but you have to run the early chevy wheels cause the track width on the jag is a little wider than your chevy stock. the jag or mustang II options are better i think cause you dont have to cut your frame in half, your rails stay in tack so you dont have to worry about it looking like an abortion.
What about dropped uprights?they would save a ton of time and money.Just the cost of doing the steerring for the clip would pay for them.Even bags are easy to do with the stock suspension.
g body( regals, monte carlos, cutl***,el caminos,grand prixs) gm's clips work real good.......... theres alot of those in the junk yards
'A' body are the same frame. And don't let a full frame car scare you away - just cut the front section off, and you have a subframe. I've done an 'A' body front clip, and it was perfect. Camaro is too wide. Cosmo
the 69 camaro is 2 inches wider then the stock 54 so if you run the stock steel wheel they shouldn't rub. the 69 camaro should have the steering box behind the crossmember and all steering behind[rear stear] just did my 53 wagon 2 months ago worked great, alota guys say their too wide but measure your width stock and your stub width and you be the judge. if you run aftermarket wheels then you might have a problem but the stock wheel are only 5in wide and if you run stock tires they are narrow. also if you build a jig the radiator support will bolt right back in the stock spot with a plate welded to the camaro crossmember; if you use the 69 camaro stub with the steering in the rear. i just sold my car yesterday but i think i have some pics if you want them just send me a pm.
thank for your info. i am running stock steelies with 6.70x15 tires like factory. did the cut run under the cab? and my stock steering column will work you say. thanks for the info. i will take any advise i get. Big mac said it works on his car just fine. i may ask more questions if thats ok. thanks
I have a 69 camaro clip for sale if you are interested. I was going to use it on a 53 olds, which would have worked perfect, because the Olds has the same track width at that year camaro. A newer clip (71-79) which i also had would have not worked too well becasue 1)was a front steer and 2) a bit too wide. I ended up just rebuilding the front end for it, found a disc brake kit for it and ended up spending almost the same amount of coin with alot less work. BTW where are all these junk yards you mention? Hey is that junk yard on 281 the one with a bunch of old cars that Texas A&M wanted to buy out the land still there?
My buddy had a 54 with a camaro clip that he bought as an unfinished project, and it ****ed. He went to s10 wheels and aftermarket short A arms and still didn't like it. I LIKE Camaro clips, I've got one in my 39 Pontiac coupe, but they have to be in the right car and done right. A 54 chevy is not the right car for one unless you narrow it, which really isn't that hard but takes some thought.
I can't help but laugh... All these comments on why it won't work, and why they **** to put in a '54 Chevy, yet my '54 Chevy that has a camaro clip was my daily driver for years and was fine. I even stuffed 18" billet wheels under it during a time in my life that I regret, and STILL drove around town without any problems. I don't get what the big deal is that everyone is talking about? I have one. It works fine. It's not narrowed. What am I missing? Do you people actually HAVE a '54 with a camaro clip, or are you just p***ing on "what you've heard"?????
Well, actually, I own two 54 chevy's the one in my avatar, and a 54 2 door hardtop in my shed that I bought as someones project years ago with a camaro clip in it, and the clip is TOO WIDE for the car (that's why he sold it). With the fenders hung, the turning radius is severely limited. I bought it because it was a hard top project, then I got injured, it got moved into the shed, and sort of byp***ed for other projects. Also, as I said, my buddy had one in his, he bought it that way as a project also. When he got it home and hung the fenders, he couldn't turn it. I HELPED HIM WORK ON THAT CAR, so I know what I'm talking about. Even after narrowed arms and s10 wheels, he was still unhappy with it. What year is your clip? Front or rear steer?
I bought, then quickly sold, a 54 2dr post car with a camaro clip under it. I used ugly S10 wheels, with some hubcaps, and it may of just barely worked. If I woulda lowered it they way I wanted, no way. Just my experience. Your mileage may vary
It can be done. You can get narrower control arms, and brakes that are a bit more inboard for the extra width issue, and you don't have to do either one immediately. That said, how bad is the stock stuff? If it is workable? If it is, it will save you a ton of pain, trust me. Clipping anything is a a lot of work, and there are numerous opportunities to generate grief and extra bills.
You will be money and time ahead if you do like rickyracer said.... go with the TCI Mll front end.. the lower cross member bolts on in the stock place as the old one and you just have to weld the upper hats on.. you'll be glad you did..
anything can be done, just style-wise it would ****. to pull it off he'd half to run wheels with alot of offset to the inside, probably what you did with your 18's, or did you raise yours up Donk style?
He did say he used an early one (67-69), I think they are narrower, but they're also much more rare. If they are narrower, I think the popularity of first gen camaros might make it hard to find one cheap enough to make it worth doing.
HAHAHAHA!! you said 'DONK' style! i couldn't do something to my car that people referred to as 'DONK'!
i sell the mustang II crossmember with the 4 tube a arms shipped to your door 48 states for $710, if you have the rest of the parts and the engine and front body clip removed already you will be done in less than one day
is that drum brakes or disc? I think the discs are even wider. jag is a better donor. practically a bolt in. The top hat style frame is not exactly easy to adapt to the subframe, you have to re do the radiator support area. not to mention the width, maybe first gen is better, but not the best possible.
Ive seen lots of guys use a camaro clip with no problems. I wouldnt use a mustnag 2 front end. You could use your stock ifs and step your front end very easily. Using 3 inch dropped uprights cutting a coil out of it and stepping the front you could be dragging the fron bumper if you wanted!
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