What is the best GM front clip to use on a 1941-48 Ford frame (Camaro or Nova) If you own one what would you use? TxKahuna Email: txkahuna@sbcglobal.net
Normally a 41-48 Ford is not made into a g***er but we have a shop in town building a 46 coupe and he installed a straight tube axle that he made. He installed a stock front spring shortened to keep the early look. I will try to shoot some photos. I think Speedway sells the straight tube type axles. The spring sits on top of the axle like and early Ford.
Sorry, Pewsplace!! I posted the wrong question, I have changed it to the right one! The g***er question was for a friend!
I wouldn't stub that ch***is ,GM stubs are too wide.My car has one and had to narrow the control arms and use offset wheels,plus you lose the vin number.Drop axle or mustang II would be the way to go,in my opinion.I bought my car with a stub and if I knew then what I know now,I would have kept looking,it's been a pain in the ***.
NONE OF THEM!!! Dropped axle or Mustang II. Mustang II or Pinto '74-80 is the perfect width, handles 10X better than anything Chevy had and fits like a glove. That's why they are so damn popular.
I a retired guy on a budget and I can't afford an aftermarket kit does anyone have a setup using a stock Mustang II or Pinto setup on the frame! If so do you have pic's?
Have you looked into a jag front end? There is a post on here by Chopped'46 from the Netherlands. It is ***led 46 ford tudor sedan build, Lots of pictures. looks nice. Where in Texas you at? Were snow turds that go to Harlingen Russ
It's been done about 4.3 million times! Long before the kits were out that's how we did them. Use the search function here and look for a thread by Scribjenkins about putting a stock crossmembered Mustang II/Pinto front end under a '48. He did it just last summer...
Rebuild the front end and use Posies spring with disc brakes. The cost is LOTS less and traditional if you care. No dropped axle is needed. I got a 47 last week for my last build (68 and getting older every day). That is my plan, hope to have a dependable running car for no more than $5000.00 including initial cost.
Do a search for Phat rat he has a sub frame in his and he knows what he had to change to get the tires in the correct location. And his car look great also.
I used a 74 Nova which is rear steer. Also we narrowed the A-arms 1 1/2" per side. I have to run 3 3/8" bs on the front wheel which limits what I can use. Luckily I'm satisfied with chrome steelies and baby moons. By the time you figure in the cost to rebuild the Nova sub then either narrow the A-arms or buy them it'll cost nearly as much as the Mustang II set-up. If I was doing it now instead of back in 92 I'd go Mustang II. As far as loosing the vin all you need to do is cut it out of the OE fram and weld it into the sub.
Hey, C46! Very cool, But now understand why you went with a Jaguar Xj frontclip! But in the us a Jag XJ front clip would be killer $$$$$$$$. But I did copy a few of your pictures for ideas! Thank, KJ!
Back in the days before pre-fab crossmembers. I did a couple of 46-47 Ford coupes with factory Mll crossmembers. The problem with ford stuff is. They are weak. Made from layers of sheetmetal spot welded together. The crossmember has to be cut up quite a bit to get good frame position and then the correct angles have to be figured out. After welding in the member, then has to have bracing added and the rear strut from the lower A-frame has to be figured out. LOTS of labor!!! I was real glad to see the first ready made. It had all the front end angles and anti-dive built in. Well worth the cost.. I also did a 48 coupe with a front steer Camaro/F-bird clip. Splitting the frame back from the firewall. Slitting each side of the ford frame stub into three parts, opened up like a banana and pushed the trimmed the donor front clip into place, folded the ford frame over the donor and welded. Again the clip tire centerline is a bit wide. But the correct off set wheel and tire look good. Problem with this car was customer wanted a big block in it and that was another can of worms in the exhaust.
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