Need to know if anyone has swapped the body from a 53-54 chevrolet 2 door over onto a modern frame and if you have what frame did you use? Looks like from fender well to fender well underneath is 48 inches across so that might need a pretty narrow rearend and frame out of something....any suggestions would be greatly needed ......tks
the original works best even the four door frames. i tried a late model frame once. its alot of work. saw a few and they look awful unless you channel body over frame. the frames are wider at the doors, you can see frame unless you channel. good luck
a buddy did that monte carlo frame and it was alotta work. it would be cheaper and easier for a mustang ll with some c10 trailing arms. just my 2cents
I fail to comprehend why people contemplate frame swaps... but I digress. Another vote for mustang II on original frame. WAAAY easier. The tophat-style frames in these cars are extremely strong.
Cheap: Stock front end. Brake rebuild can be done under $100. Another $60 for drums. '54 uprights will drop it around 1 1/2 inches. Front shocks are $30 each. More expensive: UNBOLT the stock front end and replace it with a Jaguar XJ sedan. Lowers the car, discs, rack & pinion, power steering, and it's the same wheel bolt pattern as stock. Two holes will match up and it's relaitvely simple fab to add some metal to polt it completely on and add some upper shock mounts. Most expensive: Umpteen vendors offer kits to put a Mustang-II type front end on the stock frame again after you UNBOLT the stock front end. Out back - Cheap: Second gen Camaro rear on 2" blocks. Bolt in swap with some minor fab to mount the stock shocks back up. Moderately expensive: change to a set of Posie's springs which are made to go on the car but take a newer rearend. Can be ordered stock ride height or lowered. More expensive: Fatman offers a kit to put the Camaro in with blocks, swaybar, etc. already to go. Another $100 or so - Waltons and Ch***is Engineering offer kits that give all new shackles, springs and so forth. Nothing challenging to install them. Let's not forget that Ch***is Engineering will also sell you motor mounts for a V8 swap for around $100 - in both bolt-in and weld-in varieties. There's a trans crossmember for about $200, also, but you can cut the stocker and fab something to work for a hell of a lot less money. There's just no good ******* reason to change a good stock frame, and the fab to create new body mounts will eat up any savings over any of the above options. Most late model front ends are too wide for the car and the tires will rub when you make turns - or too narrow (S10) and will look goofy unless you run deep dish wheels with full caps.
If your frame is not rust thru ,bent etc use your stock frame! Just update it. Mine was was too far gone to save so I had to do a frame swap. It's a lot of work.
By the way, 55-57 Chevy rear will also work with no major mods, and a 4x4 S10 rear works very well but you need to change the perches as they're spaced wrong. Which isn't a big deal if you're confident in your welding - Speedway sells a Mopar perch for like $15 a pair that does the job. 75-79 X-body (Nova) is also supposed to work like a second-gen Camaro. The second gen Camaro is a 10-bolt and can be had with just about any gear ratio you can imagine. I just put one in my '50 Chevy - What I did find on my swap is there was not enough meat to the perch to set the rearend back in the right place. The pin on the stock spring is ahead about 1 1/2 to 2 inches (it looks like mostly just so the tube could be closer to the spring to raise the car up) so I had hillbilly4008 make me a couple of custom blocks from 2" square tube to get the right setback. This can vary car to car, or you can take the springs off and turn them 180' to bring the pin back towards the center of the axle.
My 50 Chevy sits great, rides nice, and everything lines up well on its 1950 Chevy frame. There is nothing wrong with these frames, and nothing beats a frame that is made for the car. Just my 2 cents.
Time = money. Some of the recommendations sound expensive. But the fact is you can work a second job at a convenience store and buy the recommended parts and, compared to a frame swap, be ahead on time and money. And, when you go to sell you will have something that other people will want.
Stock frame if it is usable. s-10 rearend (4x4) C/E rear spring kit, fatmans bolt in MII. ask me how I know... Or a Jag front. would have done that if I had it to do over $$$$$ cheaper and they handle great
Drivers side on the front of the frame has a spot that is to far gone to try and patch.....Thanks to all that responded....the information is and will be a big help. Decided to do the subframe in the front only with a modern rearend and some strengthening on it.
<cite>Here is some good information for donor cars and suspension that will interchange. Just copy and paste to your browser. www.quickperformance.com/Technical%20Info/sus_measure.htm</cite>
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