I recently purchased my dream car, 50 Ford CUstom. The car has a Volare front clip that I'm not sure I like. My plan was to put a SBC in the car and not sure if it's worth keeping the clip. THoughts of changing to a Fat Man or even subframing on an S10. Any suggestions? Thanks
Give it a try if you haven't, see how it does. Throw a 318/360 in it to be different than all the SBCs.
Post up some pix when you get a chance. If the Volare stub is well-installed and you're happy with the width, etc, you may as well leave it. Grafting another ch***is depends on how much of the original ch***is has to be cut away to install something else. Anyone with excellent fab skills can overcome anything, I know my limits. Bob
Or a Ford engine. on topic though, the volare clips work well IF IT HAS BEEN INSTALLED CORRECTLY. Caster is going to be a product of how it has been installed. Another thought is that letting out the torsion bars to drop the vehicle will degrade the ride quality. It really depends on the install and the settings but they work well. I have one in my 53 f100 and it works great. Drive it and find out if you like it. If it is in correctly why go to the trouble to replace it? Dont fix it if it isnt broken.
Volare clips have there advantages. and disadvantages. If the torsion mounts are solid, and installed proper, Its a no brainer. Run it!
It's installed perfectly but the clearance between steering linkage and fire wall is only about 6". I've seen lots of these in trucks but never in a sedan. I'd like to bag the car and that clip will take too much fab work to bag. Reason for the SBC is thats what I have in the garage and very affordable builds.
That steering linkage clearance issue might be why the previous owner sold it. But guys had/have steering clearance issues with stock suspension shoebox Fords from what I've seen in the past when they do engine swaps. There used to be a lot of those with some real strange tie rod setups running around with overhead V8's in them.
I'd be willing to bet money the "sell" decision came just about the time the p/o figured out he couldn't put fron t wheels and tires on it and drop it down where he wanted it! A Volare clip is right at about 61", a shoe box Ford is maybe all of 58" hub to hub. If it were mine that Volare would be in a smoking pile in the corner tonight, period. I know where I was 20 years ago today, and it was helping Elpolacko and another friend install on of those clips under a '72 Ford truck. Worked ok for that, not even close to great for a Ford p***enger car
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