71 chevy to 59 chevy? ??????

Hi, I'm lost and needing some help, if u know anything thanks in advance!! I have 59 Chevy truck and a front clip from a 71 Chevy C-10. I was once told I could unbolted the suspension and cross member from the 71 and with a little mod bolt in on my 59 to basically get the ifs. Now I'm looking at it and the measurements come out to narrow to me. If anybody has heard about this or knows something I am missing the help would be much appreciated! !!!
Thanks,
Tim

 

I have seen it done with a 73 to 87 C-10 front cross member. It looked almost bolt in.

 

I doubt it's as easy as some folks say, since the frame width is about 6" different, and the 59 frame is mostly flat in front, while the 71 frame kicks up quite a bit over the crossmember.

I'd like to see some pics of the swap from anyone who believes it's a bolt in

 

Sounds like you would have to put the whole front frame in... Not very easy to do. Some one told me similar thing on my 48 but i just couldnt see really any similarities, or an easy swap...

 

As far as I know the only relatively easy swap is the 73-up suspension into the 60-72 frames, the rest are different.

 

Thanks for thoughts! You guys are right. Got bored and just took it apart to see and yeah, not easy to try and get that to bolt to the 59 frame! Way to many angle changes and I don't think it would go well thanks again for the help, anybody know a some what affordable idea for ifs for 59 Chevy truck
Tim

 

70-81 camaro clip is an affordable IFS (if you can still find one), takes a lot of work, but there is at least one thread on here about how to do it

I kinda like the original axle, but I'm not as picky as most guys I guess.

 

Rustynewyorker has it 100% right.

 

Theres always 65-69 corvair, easy to swap the ifs (4 bolts hold the entire unit in), and should be able to find one cheap, parts readily available

 

those old trucks are heavy up front...kinda light duty using a corvair, which isn't designed to hold an engine, let alone a frame

 

I did it on my 2WD 1960 Shortbed and it was a cinch. I have a 55 which is essentially the same as your 59 and I don't think that swap would work out very well. Plus I think the track width would be too wide to have much of a tire with the truck lowered. The Camaro or Nova swap is pretty easy on these. Check out 67-72chevytrucks.com for more info as they have a 47-59 truck section with a lot of information on putting independent suspension under your truck.

 

Greetings! A few years ago saw a '59 short wide that used the complete front frame section and suspension from a '73-85 Chevy truck (the later trucks had a factory swaybar), the frame was cut right at the firewall cab mounts and the "new" front frame section welded on, a added bonus is it didn't require a lot of effort to mount the front sheetmetal, a minus is it didn't lower the truck much and you couldn't go with a very wide wheel/tire combo. According to my measurements the late-model chevy truck suspension is only an inch or so wider (hub face to hub face) than the much-used Camero/Nova subframe (the Nova is an inch wider than the Camero), Good Luck, Mike

 

I used a 79 - 87 monte carlo frame it was the right width to slide in the 59 frame used the mounts and the brake booster off it to but i have not had time to finish that project yet. Also the grand prix ,regal and cutl*** frame would work

 

I second that. Any G body would be a good choice. Still lots around and very cheap.