Another new guy question here. The front end of my 50 Styleline is in need of some love. I have an opportunity to pick up a 1967 Camaro front clip for it for $400. But I've never clipped a car before so is it something that I should just rebuild using a Speedway kit for the same price or is it worth taking the plunge and putting in the 67. I know it will give me a lower stance and better handling but I'm concerned it may be over my current skill set... Having never done it before. Opinions?
For several reasons it is not one of the better choices for your car. For one thing, it is too wide to fit the tires within the wheelwells properly.....for another, it requires completely reconstructing your (new) frame clip to accommodate the Chevy radiator core support......you will need a different steering column, or have to modify yours by adding a lower bearing and u-joint......the 'graft' itself, to be done neatly and cleanly requires quite a bit of original frame and new clip surgery. The simplest, least expensive option is to rebuild what you have with new bushings, tie rod end, etc. Not the greatest front end in the world, but good enough for Corvettes from '53 through '62. The next choice up would be a MMII based kit, such as Ch***is Engineering's bolt in system. Your front suspension and front crossmember unbolt from your frame rails and their's bolts in in it's place. Costs little (maybe a lot) more, but will yield a very satisfactory improvement in ride, handling and braking. Ray
The **** storm will start in about ten minutes after posting this, so be ready! In my OPINION, I would never ever put a Camaro clip under that car. No matter what anybody is going to say, it's too wide to put decent sized tires on the front of without weird off set wheels if you like your cars set low. If you like stuff sitting higher than wheel wells, you've got a shot, but you are still cutting a frame to graft on an out dated front end designed around bias ply tires most likely with drum brakes that are no better than what you have right now.The second bit of bad news is that the stock front suspension and steering under your car ****s rocks too. In my OPINION, the best way to do this car is with a MustangII front end. The Chevy faithful will now swoon and yell and plug their ears and such, but having put tons of these under these cars, I can tell you first hand that they work well and fit even better. My preference runs to using a stock MustangII front crossmember rather than a kit (remember, '74-'80 pinto and Bobcat are the smame and much more common), because so many of the kits comprimise geometry in the name of fit. Even working with a stock crossmember this trick is aproximately tens times easier to do than a clip. And with the rack and pinion tucked away up front it leaves tons of room for stuff like what ever engine you want to run, exhaust systems, cooling systems, sway bar, it all fits. My preference too is to work with the stock strut rods in stead of the strut rod eliminater type kits because they are much stronger over the long run and the geometry is correct. That said, the next thing that is always said is "But Chip, Mustang II kits are very expensive" Ya, they are. That's part of the reason that I like to work from stock Mustang II and Pinto stuff. Have you priced all the stuff to rebuild a Camaro clip lately? I have purchase four MustangII/pinto suspensions for my personal projects within the last five years for prices ranging from 0$ to 150.00 complete. They are not super rare here and most every U-pullit type yard has a couple around at any time. I understand that might be a different in your neck of the woods, but look a bit and they are out there. Now, having said all that, if you are convinced that it "has to be all GM" or that there is "no way you can afford a MustangII", or even if some missinformed soul tells you that a Mustang II/ Pinto front end is way too light to hold up your car, (it's not by any stretch of the imagination, In fact some parts are a bit huskier than the Camaro) and you have to do a clip, Look at the '78-'87 GM A and G bodied cars. They are bit closer to being the right hub to hub width at about 58" versus about 60" for the Camaro, or 56" for the Mustang II. They were designed after the commonplace use of radials, and have a much better road feel and general handling than the earlier Camaro stuff. So ends my opinions. I have done or been involved in this transplant more times than I can count, and also in the installation of clips many times too. About the only thing that I would personally put an older Camaro clip under these days would be a '55-'57 Chevy truck. and then I would much rather do one of Industrial Ch***is' Dakota kits long before that. I don't mean to sound as though I'm scolding you, but the Camaro clips had their time and place back in the eighties before we had this stuff completely figured out, and they were common junk yard fare. But the width has always been it's stumbling block. You can do better these days...
Hey thanks guys. I have heard both good and bad about all of my options. I looked into the Mustang II also but when my buddy presented me with the Camaro option I wanted to get some other opinions. So I guess the real question now is do I go rebuild or Mustang II??? Time for some more head scratching. Thanks again for the input. At least part of my decision is made.
Well... I went with a Ch***is Engineering Mustang II set up. They included the motormounts. It was an easy-as-pie install : unbolt steering, then crossmember, and roll the old stuff out from under the car. Bolt in new crossmember, a-arms, add springs, shocks, brake brackets, rotors + bearings, wheels, set on ground. Having said that, if you opt to rebuild the stock front end, keep in mind that it's basically a C1 corvette ifs, and not too shabby in it's own right.
Do not clip your car! Mine is and I have spent too much time and money buying narrowed control arms and modifying wheels to get every bit of track width back to a stock 52 Chevy. I had a 49 with the stock front end with ball eating king pins and disks and it ruled.
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