Just wondering if anyone here has put a Camaro subframe in a 56 Ford car. Just need to know what all is involved. Don't know if I want to restore my Fairlane back to original, gasser, or restomod. Currently have a 351W w/ C6 trans and also have camaro subframe and sbc w/ trans. Found a rebuildable 312 w/ auto trans for $300. Any ideas welcomed.
i have a 55 i did granada spindles with disc's and a 1965 mustang master cylinder and just went through the stock A arms and cut the springs a little put in good shocks and re did the anti roll bar i have looked it over and i think adding a good rack and pinion rack will be very easy im very very please with my cars handleing and it stops grrrrreat i also drive it like im running moonshine now my rear end needs addressed i think its getting a proper triangulated 4 link with coil overs for the record i think what i did was an awesome option you could keep your costs under 5oo with all new stuff ball joints bushings ... also the granada stuff is interchangable with mustang stuff so that opens up a huge amount of possibilities
The original suspension works just fine and no reason to cut it up for the Camaro clip,save it for a project that has a straight axle. Sometimes just because you have something does not mean you have to use it on the first thing you come across,it sounds like the 56 is good the way it is and no need to make more work for yourself if its not needed.
measure how wide the front wheels are apart on the car, and on the clip...you might decide it's not the way to go
This thread gives me a headache. I'm not a Ford guy in the least and even I know most of the tricks to update the front ends in these. Swap in a 57-59 9" out back with the Granada stuff up front and it should be bulletproof.
Years ago we put a big FE engine in a '56 Ford and there was a upper a-frame/ exhaust issue, we ended up raising the engine. The basic suspension is good but I vote for Must II before a Camaro clip.
I did about 8 of the FE's in 55-56 and all I did was trim the upper control arm flange on the back side and the old motors and exhaust fit like a glove. The ford frame in my opinion is way superior to the camaro and stronger.
Just to let people know that this is not my first project car. Back in the early 90s I built a 59 F100 w/ a 71 Chevy C10 front. Fit damn near perfect. I had a 41 Stude w/ a mustang II front. My 49 F1 has a camaro subframe (fits nicely). I have also helped my father with his projects. One being a Model A w/ mustang II front. The other being a 50 Ford coupe w/ a camaro subframe. My question is has anyone here personally used a camaro subframe on a 55-56 Ford car. I want to build this car for $5000-$6000. I already have a sbc w/ 350 trans, 80 camaro subframe, 80 camaro rear axle, and camaro steering column. I also have an extra mustang II front, 9in rear axle, 351W w/ C6 trans. But I just came across a Thunderbird 312 w/ auto trans. I really don't know if I want to run the 312 because of the cost of a rebuild. That would be half of my budget. I would really like to use the chevy items because it would be close to my 49 F1. Less parts to stock on the shelf.
Camaro is too wide front and rear. I did one on a 55 about 15 years ago, for a customer, because he wanted it that way. The only way the tires would clear was with S10 4x4 wheels with lots of backspacing. The 55 tread width is just over 56" at both ends, the Camaro is near 61" at both ends.
Finally, an answer that I was looking for. Thank you Enjenjo. I will go a different route with my 56.
I don't have the exact experience you're looking for, but I can kind of surround it: My '51 has a Nova/Camaro clip (front steer) that was narrowed 3" and stepped 4". The power train is a ZZ3 & 700R4. Rear end is stock '51 with a 3.31 gear. It took a while to sort it out, but it works great: My '56 was built about 10 years later, and I was interested in (1) saving money and fabrication on the chassis, and (2) having a Ford-in-a-Ford drivetrain: It's lowered with Fatman spindles, Granada discs, lowering springs and blocks. The engine is a warmed up 351W built for low end torque, an electronically controlled AOD, and an 8" with a 3.80 gear. I like the shoebox 100% better to drive. It handles better, feels more planted on the road, and rides better. I like the sound and performance of the Chev engine and trans more than those of the Ford. By staying with the stock suspension in the '56 but severely lowering it, there's no room for sway bars at either end without major modification/fabrication. When I finished doing the shoebox, I said I wouldn't do the subframe thing again because of the amount of work that was necessary to do it right. But after doing the '56 by what I thought were wiser rules, I am very disappointed. Steve Szymanski (El Pollacko) has commented that the Nova suspension design is superior to that of the '50s Fords, and that it likely was improved further by narrowing it to fit inside the Ford body. In light of my own experience and Steve's comments, I now think that you might have a good result if you clip your own '56, particularly considering that you already have the necessary hardware. If you're capable of doing your own fabrication, so much the better.
My 55 with a rebuilt front suspension and lowered a little handles great,if I wanted something that rode and handled like a nova or camaro I would have bought one.
I've owned 5 56 ford and never had any complaints with front suspension. having saiid that, the coolest clip I've seen done was a mid 70's Dodge Magnum. slipped right inside the ford frame. had disc brakes, torsion bar suspension and the same bolt pattern for the wheels
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