I need your opinions!! - 53 Chevrolet front end

Hey Hambsters

I've been bouncing around this situation for quite some time in my head and am completely on the fence as to what I should do. I have an old clapped out front end in my '53 chevy 2 door. It has a roof chop and my mission is to keep it as a traditional 50's style custom. I don't want airbags. I am posed with a conundrum which has plagued many people on this forum. Replace.. or rebuild? When this car is back on the road I will be using it as my daily driver; my only car, in fact. I do put a lot of miles under the wheels and I want it to feel nice on the road.

I am either going to put in a jag front end or rebuild the stock. I am currently in the possession of dropped uprights and arms (gambino), camaro disc conversion kit and a rebuild kit for the entire front end BUT I don't want to put it all in to have the car and just have 'OK' handling. I can easily put these on ebay and get a jag front end for less than what I recoup, provided someone buys them. I really want the car to track straight and turn well, but I really want to keep the car as traditional as I can. I had the idler arm resleeved and rebuilt, but its still got a little bit of that up and down wiggle when turning left and right. I also am running a V8 and for safety I think a collapsable steering column would be sensible for me to install.

I'll happily keep the stock front end if they can be nice. At the moment, long drives are quite exhausting on account of juggling that steering wheel to keep it all on the road. As I said, I'd like to keep the car as traditional as I can, but would it be *sensible* to go Jag?

All opinions are appreciated!!

Cheers

Jordan

 

well no matter how you rebuild the stock suspension its not gonna handel like a newer "jag" but thats the beauty of owning an old car

 

Here's some food for thought; some guys will poo-poo the front suspension that is under your 53, but keep in mind that it is essentially the same thing GM ran under the corvette through 62. Rebuild/ replace any worn components, make sure everything is properly adjusted and aligned and you'll be set. I rebuilt mine and it goes down the road straight as an arrow. Disc brakes are a major improvement, especially for a daily.

 

Its hard, you know. I've had no experience with a front end of this vintage thats in good condition. All's I know is that mine is all over the place. It would be great to hear a few opinions on this matter and what the trade offs are. I don't mind the stiffness of a manual steering box, I just want to give my arms a rest on the long highway drives.

 

Got a good condition stock front in mine with just a little bit of slop in the steering box, drove it lots before pulling the car apart to do some cutting and welding and never had an issue with it. It 's no sports car or modern car but other than the factory ride height the only thing I could complain about is the brakes, going down hill with all that car behind especially.

I'm only running a hopped up six with a powerglide but could comfortably cruise at 140 on the open road without clenched fists, shaking or anything unpredictable happening.

Something to think about is how low do you want to go, even with dropped uprights there's only so far you can go with these stock fronts before it starts turning to shit.

Not sure what the modified vehicle laws are like in your state but might also want to check if the powers that be will sign off the uprights. My certifier in NZ has assured me they're fine but have heard more than a few other engineers and 'experts' saying they're not up to scratch because they're welded and not one piece cast.

I've looked at the jag front a lot as well and everyone I've spoken to says it's a really good choice for these cars. I've even got one sitting in the garage tempting me.

 

Currently i'm leaning towards throwing all the stuff I bought, putting it all on eBay and putting a jag in and driving the heck out of it...

 

does it need rebuilt or is it just bias ply walking? good stock front end will serve your needs and be a lot less work---lot of threads on this---search...

 

I'm running radials so it ain't that. Just old and worn. I guess, because I'm running a small block with a bit of power, I figure I should have the best steering I can have. Mind you, lots of V8 vettes are getting around with that front end...

 

And, you're right Black 62 there a lots of threads on the subject. I've read just about all of them, but I don't know. I'm still not sold either way...

 

Rebuild it and run it. Theses cars have a good IFS and handle well. No problem running it and alot less involved than a swap.

 

I ran the rebuilt stock front end on my '52 sedan with an SBC, etc. I liked the way it drove even with the stock steering box and drum brakes.

 

Rebuilt they work great the down side is there is no good power steering swap other than the Fatman rack conversion and they suck.

 

This is very encouraging, being told that they can work pretty well when built right. I could sure do with reducing my work load on this car (still needs glass and body work since the roof chop). I think my engineer will be more happy to see me truckin' round with the stock front end. I have camaro discs and a kit for it. I guess that's probably the go. What are peoples thoughts about getting one of those corvette ball bearing loaded idler arms?

 

well i'll tell you, after removeing the original front end and installing a new bolt in M2 suspension in my 53 coupe, If i had to do it again, I would rebuild the original. There really is nothing wrong with them once they are repaired and you switch to radial tires.

 

Even though I went mostly straight, I ran a stock front suspension with lifted up channel iron blocks on my 54 B/Gasser with narrowed steel wheels with Pirreli tires and never had a issue. (check it out in my albums) Even when I put it on the road. As was mentioned earlier, the design was good enough for a Corvette. What's with this Jag idea?? That must of passed me by in my lifetime.

 

I find that particularly interesting imnuts. I've heard great things about M2s but some say they can be a bit twitchy? Jags are a common route over here in Australia, because they are very cheap and readily available. Never heard a bad review of a jag front, but I like keeping things traditional (we are on the HAMB after all) and if it ain't broke.. as they say!

 

I put a rack onna 54 I built and it was pretty easily done...

 

You mean you adapted a rack to the original front end?

 

I drove my 53 Chevy everyday for about 2 years with the original front suspension/steering. I loved it. The only thing I would have done different, being a daily driver, would have been upgraded brakes, but it worked just fine. If you touch nothing else. I recommend at least switching to a dual brake reservoir for that "just in case".

 

As others have said---it is the same as the early Corvette. I used the factory handling package springs in my 59 vette for 5 years and though the ride was a little choppy(for the day) it did go around the turns very well. If you research those spring rates you can probably come up with something close or even a little stiffer which in the heavier sedan will provide you with a little more fun for short money.

 

The front end in my 54 was rebuilt when I bought it. It drives good. You can't go real low with them or you are going to start hitting stuff. Mine has Fatman dropped spindles and disc brakes and I see nothing wrong with it. I would suggest if you redo the front suspension, that you replace the lower shock mounts. I hit a pretty good chug hole yesterday and broke one. It was the original.
Later,
Dick

 

I had 54 when it was only 10 years old. It drove like a dream on bias ply tires. Very under rated front end. Can't you get a power steering update nowadays. Last 54 I owned had the power steering and it was a pleasure to drive. Jus sayn

 

i run a stock rebuilt front -end with a 300 hp sbc in my 50,coupe no problems

 

I just removed my stock one cleaned them really well, added new O rings and grease fittings, and threw it all back together, what a difference. I also added a dual reservoir master cylinder and it stops way better. Maybe someday I'll do the disc upgrade, but at least for now, I can drive it.

 

Did not the 54 uprights swap in and lower the car about an inch? Jag front would be
a nice improvement in many ways but not traditional, but neither is disc brakes not
collapsing steering wheels. Either way it is your car- build it your way and enjoy it!

 

It looks like the stocker is the go. Discs are a legal requirement in AU when running a V8. I do prefer a manual steering box after all. There's something about the 'realness', for want of a better word, that makes it more enjoyable to drive. Its very encouraging that these things can be fixed up. My car was sitting in a paddock for about 30 years prior to me rescuing it (all the loose change I found in the seat dated up to 1972) and it still works...but its fair to say that that the front end deserves a serious overhaul.

 

I have to disagree with most of the crowd. I had a 54 I built for myself, which meant it was going to be driven a LOT. I nixed the 54 front end for the following reasons: kingpins, monkey motion steering, lousy brakes., ball bearings. I put in a clip from an 80 Monte Carlo, and was very happy with it's handling, ride, stopping and steering. I ran it all day long going from Jersey to Holland MI, for a Leadsled Spectacular, doing 75-80 on Rte 80, and a similar run to Huntsville AL, going through the mountains on 81.
I'd do it again in a heartbeat, the car was fun and easy to drive.

 

The original steering box on these things, you can pretty much adjust out most of the play in them, can't you? I had the sleeves rebushed not long ago so there's no play in the (pitman??) arm. As for the worm gear, it looks good. Someone once told me the wheel attached to the worm gear designed to be loose on either side of dead centre, but tight on dead centre. I guess the idea is to have less resistance either side of dead centre to help its return characteristics. Does that sound about right?

 

Why the worry about traditional? It's not a 20s-30s car, you can't see under there. The radials and disks bust that anyway. I've done a Jag on one of those, and have a good buddy with one. It's a pretty easy swap.

 

Normally I would say keep the stock front end but frankly it was adequate at best, even back in 54. In your case I would say put in the Jag front end. While you are at it put in the Jag rear end if you can, cage and all. It will improve the Chev a million percent as a driver.

As I say, normally I am all for keeping things simple but if the front end is that bad, and considering you are in Australia the Jag is the way to go.