so I've been looking to build my 54 with all updated steering, brakes, suspension including airbags, etc. I just recently found a guy near me that has a mid-80s monte rolling chassis for virtually free, but wondering how it will fit under the 54 body as far as width goes. I'm not too worried about length because I'm assuming it's going to take at least some amount of fine tuning as far as stretching or shortening. anybody have any input?
Since you are not going for originality why not just find a Nova subframe and install fits frame perfect and the Nova rear fits good too.just a suggestion.
I would caution you about that^. I have one in my shed right now that someone did that to, and it's too wide for the car. My friend also bought one a few years ago and he couldn't turn it, frame was too wide. Now I know a lot of guys will jump in and say theirs works great, I'm just telling you what I've discovered. Personally, I'd leave the stock frame under it and just lower it, but I'm not a fan of bags, a little too trendy/gimmicky for me, but it's your car. Do a search, you'll find a ton of threads on these cars.
the stock frame is fine, with upgrade kits like disk brakes and a more modern rear axle it will be great, forget the bags, remember you may ant to drive it alot and normal suspension will be better
The monte will need to be stretched and you need a new rear end for 2 reasons. 1.The 4link that is in the monte will hit the floorpan. 2. the rear end is too narrow. You can geta simple bolt in kit for the Chevy on ebay. This is the least expensive way to add disc brakes. Now you need a 70-81 chevy camaro/firebird rear axle 60" wheel mounting surface to WMS.
I know the nova clip was the popular thing to do back in the day like when novas came out, but I never really understood what was so great about the nova setup in particular? Plus newer chassis and donor cars are way more common nowadays, I've scoured plenty of shows, meets, classifieds, forums, etc and I never exactly seem to find an abundance of nova parts, especially compared to other newer stuff anyways if anything I'd rather go a hair too narrow than too wide so I can fit some deeper dish wheels in there. I've considered keeping the stock frame but the hassle and cost of converting to all updated steering, suspension, brakes, etc just doesnt make sense. and the only reason I want to do bags is so I can set the car as low as I want it while still being able to get it up and down my driveway and around the streets without demolishing it, not really planning on dancing it or anything like that (even tho I have rocked hydros on a couple cars too), its just definitely not the right vibe on this car. I had my share of slammed cars & trucks back in the day without adjustable suspension and none of them exactly ended well. I actually ended up having to scrap a few of them that I had a whole lot of blood and sweat into which kinda broke my heart a little. so why does everyone seem to advise against newer stuff? I mean I know it doesnt have the same old school rod authenticity kinda thing, but if you're swapping out the original stuff anyways, then what's the difference, right? EDIT: gwarren I was writing this up and you posted yours in the meantime... how narrow on the rear is too narrow? Like I said I want to go with some real deep dish rims so a slightly narrow rear with some positive offset wheels should do the trick, right?
Look at the new R&C or Street Rodder. One of those talks in depth about bolt in parts for these cars.
I have a 50 at the house that was clipped with a 64 Nova, the ride is nice and it has the power steering as well. I would caution you that if you convert to the disc brakes it will push the front tires out around 3/4 inch on either side, unless you find a kit with zero offset.
If you've never "tweeked" (to put it mildly) a different frame and put it in a hostile environment you will think that the hassle, as you put it, of using adaptor kits for suspension, will be a cake walk. Imagine having to construct a new floor pan to accomodarte the new frame and tie it into the perimeter of your body for starters. Frank
The Monte is 58" vs 60" for the 54. So you might need 15 x 8"s wih 2.5 bs for the rims for them to work.
If you purchase the correct components, air ride is great and rides smooth. Semi trucks put thousands and thousands of miles on them. 4 Link in the rear with quality shocks and air management components and your set. Dragging frame is something that should be done on purpose, not from pulling into parking lots and driveways
I posted many times on both t/c's as well as on nastyz28 about my "pdqCBB" 1988 'Vette 13" rotor and big single piston caliper and a homemade caliper bracket if you want to do this the cheap way. And btw, a '67 Camaro drum hub is right at 9/16" narrower per side at the wheel mount face than both, the 2-piece disc hub and a cast 1-piece disc hub. You can remove the stock cast-on smaller diameter rotor and mount the big 13" rotor in it's place if you want to. I also have 1980 Cad Seville e-brake calipers and 1989 Camaro 11.75" rear rotors with homemade caliper brackets. The only drawback with my homemade cheap big brake kits is that I have to run 17" rims!!! pdq67 PS., I offer a cardboard template of my homemade front caliper bracket, free if anybody is interested. Through the years I sent it out many times and almost around the world to guys.
Run your stock frame and save alot of hassel..the new front end components are easy and work well..bagged or on springs! Like Fab32 said making that body mount to the Monte chassis is going to make u wish u just got a good bolt in front end where everything works.. Build a cross member at mid frame and run trailing arms out back with a nice C-notch and the only body pan rebuild you will have is in your rear end hump...I believe 4 link set up will require modifying your rear seat pan too.. Free isnt always the way to go even tho it helps the wallet!
I'm not the mouthpiece for Chassis Engineering, but I do have some experience with them. I have a 37 Chevy with BOLT on pinto front end, also have CE rear springs. IMO the 54 is stout enough to modify with these addons without pulling your hair out trying to modify another frame. It's fairly easy to do both frt and rear mods, It will be a lot simpler to do with moderate tools, prob in your garage good luck!!
I did just what you are talking about doing ,but with a 1986 olds cutlass, I had to add 9 inches to the frame but side to side worked perfect,had to cut out and box around the top of the coil springs on the top of the rear end ,but other than that it worked out well ,drives great and I have PS PD BRAKES AC CRUZ CONTROL ALL of it ......... with that said I will tell you I should have used the stock frame and build it up to new . the car is in my avatar or look at my profile .....
One thing I'd like to add. Maybe you weren't aware of this, but you're entire front suspension is bolted in, and it's VERY easy to remove in one piece, and it's VERY easy to bolt in some of the aftermarket suspensions. I'm running a Jim Meyers setup in mine, a little pricey, but a total bolt in. As far as nova clips go, I have one in a '39 Pontiac coupe, and wouldn't change a thing, it's great, but it's too wide for my '54, not to mention that they're getting rare.
I had the ECI disc kit on my stock front end, stopped great. I am now putting on a (bolt on) jag front end, just dragged the xj home saturday. rear end I have posies springs and s10 4x4 rear, that with 2" blocks puts you on the frame. Gambino sells a great kit to c notch the frame without losing the rear seat. IMHO, that is easier than swapping frames.
By the time you've spent the time and money figuring out how to make some other frame work with a too-wide front suspension and redone half the floors to make the rear not hit anything, you're miles ahead to just change stuff on the stock frame. There are umpteen bolt-on kits for 49-54 front and rear suspension. The stock front suspension unbolts from the frame. Another, low-buck choice up there is to use like a '77-'85 Jaguar XJ sedan front end - the width is about right, it gives you discs and R&P and lowers the car a few inches, and it has the same wheel lug pattern as stock; you need to fab upper shock mounts, but that's not terribly hard. In the back, a '72-'81 Camaro 10-bolt bolts directly in with one mod - you need to drill a couple holes for the offset locator pins on the stock springs, or do the same for your lowering blocks. With it being that easy to modify the stock setup, it almost becomes foolish to try to change the frame.
hey guys thanx for all the replies, I got sidetracked with a bunch of other stuff and lost track of this thread. I definitely wasnt aware that the stock suspension unbolts, meaning the entire clip or just all the a-arms and stuff? I'm not against using the stock stuff and not so much concerned with the suspension as the steering and brakes. I mean yeah I know there are bolt on kits that are disc conversion and lowering spindles all in one (which I will definitely end up doing if I keep the stock setup), but then you're still stuck with the original steering design. Ideally I'd definitely like to go with a newer steering design, ps and quicker ratio turning like a ZQ8 gearbox hence why I was thinking S10/monte/etc Also if anything I'd rather end up a hair narrower than stock than wider since I'm planning on running sick deep looking rims. So a clip thats narrower than stock wouldn't be a bad thing but anything thats any wider like a nova is a no go. I wouldn't mind a leading r&p setup like the jag, I was unaware of that one but will look into it. Fabbing shock mounts is no prob. I'm curious to find out what the brake size is on those now. 53sled, are you doing the same jag swap that rustynewyorker is talking about? pdq67, I like the sound of your idea too... thinking how badass those big discs will look behind the wheels... might have to hit you up for specs
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