I need your opinions!! - 53 Chevrolet front end

Funny you would say that.
There are literally dozens of Jag conversion threads
on the HAMB and in all sorts of cars and trucks.
Plenty of early '60's rods had jag stuff.
What is traditional then?

 

don't kmow if it has been said that the stock front ends were ripped out to go under many a older streetb rod before the jags or mii were around.

 

The original steering boxes were made to be tight in the center position and a little looser as you turned the wheel.

This was done for a reason. They knew the most wear on the steering gears came in the straight ahead position. That is where the steering is positioned, 99% of the time. When the gears got worn, they wanted to be able to adjust out the wear without causing binding when you turned left or right.

This was standard practice on all kinds of steering boxes.

 

Well, i did change a lot in the original front end 6 y. ago, and is very happy with the result! My 50´Fleetline is nearly as any newer car....But, the work in doing...... well som time ,testing & fabrication....
Shorter front springs, uprights from a ´54 , king pins altered to roller bearings, disc brakes, changed steering arms, and a power steeringrack & pinion.
Exceptional needed to get the angles right! And without upgrading rear end (open driveline) you gonna feel rear are loose....use wider springs than the originals ! And a panhard rod keep it in line is a good tip..
Stiffer front end stabilizer bar helps a lot on rolls in sharp turns,together with a thinner rear one...

 

IIRC the low buck way to power steer the stock front end is to track down a particular Astro Van steering box that apparently is a reverse steer and someone was making a bracket so you could more or less bolt it up if you didn't want to fab it yourself.

 

Mine road great going down the road the steering box needed to be tightened up but it was a good handling front end. I would rebuild it and drive it!!!


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I don't know what a Jag front end under a Chevy would be like, but as an owner of many Jags over the years, I can tell you that Jag sedans corner, stop, steer, and ride better than a stock 53 Chevy.

 

I've gone to the trouble of putting in a narrowed ht Holden front end in my 51 and it handles great, but in hindsight I would of left the stock front end, it was a lot of work when the stock front end performed pretty good with no real down falls.


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