Chassis swap for my 1949 coupe.

:updated this thread: I started this thread just for suspension ideas and now have decided to just use it as a build thread.
Long ago this shoebox was built into a bagged wonder, after trying to drive it around on the bags I realized it was more of a nightmare than a joy... While serving in Afghanistan the last year I'm more than amped up now to step up and build this car. Simply just want to cruise for the summer.

Started collecting parts to lower the front of my 50 ford coupe and already have acquired aerostar springs and dropped spindles. I have done much research thus far on the hamb and know that the subject has been beaten to death. What never really comes up though is an alternative to a stock shock application. I do not want to drill holes in my lower arm, just looking for something that drops in. I've heard that a stock shocks will still work BUT I'm not going to pay 80 dollars at Macs for a set.... Macs is a great company, just looking for a alternative, less expensive route.


I will start posting pictures in a couple of days on my step by step, I am in the process of doing a complete ch***is swap for a 49 ford coupe.. so far I have stripped the 1950 fordoor body and sheet metal off the ch***is that I'll be using. "donated it to a fellow rodder here in town" after cleaning it up a little I found a rebuild tag on the front of the 8BA score! turns over nice and the plugs look healthy.

Im a rambler BTW.

Here is a picture of the car maybe 2 years ago? I can't realy remember. Looks cool as hell but Wouldn't handle for ****. It was powered by a Ford 302 and a T-5 trans.

 

Using your original shocks for measurement etc look here:
http://www.monroe.com/***ets/downloads/english/08_MountingLengthSheet.pdf

Nick

 

You can use the sheet that Nickleone posted and use the Monroe number to cross over to any brand that you would like to run if you don't want Monroes.
Just find the ends you want and then find the length shock you want with those ends.

 

I ended up putting Monroe shocks,aerostar coil springs and dropped spindles up front. For the rear end I went with 4'' blocks, the smallest 3 leaf springs removed and monroe gas shocks... Ill post part numbers if anyone wants them. Just about ready to swap the coupe body now onto the newly rebuilt ch***is. looks clean! will post pictures.

 

Mine has areostar springs, fatman uprights, and front shocks intended for a 69 Camaro. Same shocks sold by aftermarket companies as "the correct shock for lowered shoebox front ends"

 

Got a break in the rain and got a lot acomplished over the course of four days,
getting ready to drop the body on the doner ch***is.
some pics of the old frame, "hacked for bags and a 302"
And some of the doner, unmodified, flathead V8, 3 speed W/overdrive
I think I'm doing the right thing here guys.
These are pictures of the old hacked up frame




the doner




Sketchy!

 

Put in some rebuilt water pumps, now after the body is on and bolted down Ill be able to start tinkering with this. has a rebuild tag on it along with nice a nice even burn pattern on the spark plugs some im hoping for the best. I also picked up converted 12v gen for it.

 

I just set my '50 body on my '51 frame yesterday.....it was heavy. 6 guys, coneys and a beer run got it done though.

 

fatman uprights ,steering arms,spring pan kit dont have to drill any holes just grind the riviots knock en out with a punch.no real reason to change it.put a good box on it some ECI brake kit ride and drive as good as any

 

the only other thing I think I might of done was run another exhaust pipe while the body was off

 

"the only other thing I think I might of done was run another exhaust pipe while the body was off "

That would definatly make it easier... Eventualy I'm going to get a set of headers and run dual exhaust but maybe twords the end of summer, I always seem to be working on my cars in the summer time instead of driving them. THIS SUMMER WILL BE DIFFERENT!
Really glad I decided to do the frame swap, as you can tell the original frame in the pictures is just toast.

 

Did the body mounting holes line up with the 4-door frame??

Just wondering?

 

that is the scariest notch i have seen

 

The holes are the same for both cars.

 

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"fatman uprights ,steering arms,spring pan kit dont have to drill any holes just grind the riviots knock en out with a punch.no real reason to change it.put a good box on it some ECI brake kit ride and drive as good as any "

I'm swapping frames because the original is toast, just look at the pictures. The donor frame is from a 1950 fordoor. your car is sweet by the way, sounds like well be running the same set up.

 

I never get a straight answer from anybody.

Nor do I have the "green bible" as the shoe guys call it.

I plan on doing the same thing.

Good to know.

 

what are the rear shocks are you using?

 

**** man, you're going for it! Gonna be a big time improvement though.

Let me know if you need a hand!

 

Its just the shop manual for the shoes it has just about everything in it, kinda like the original bible?

I think?

here is one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Gree...Accessories&hash=item56419861c4#ht_1189wt_931

 

It's like the real bible, except full of facts.

 

Cool. Yeah let me know if you need a hand, I want to see this car cruising this summer.

 

Well, I got to the point of bleeding the brakes, and discoverd that the master cylinder is in need of a rebuild. took it apart and seems that the rubber O-ring is torn... Im on the hunt

 

Well after getting the master cylinder swapped out today GDoug76 came over and we dropped the body on the newly ready ch***is. getting close, Got a goal in mind.. seems to be about a half inch higher in the rear... guess that'll be alright for now.

 

Lookin goood,How did the ****** tunnel come out ,I had to noch the rear brace a bit in mine.I will tell ya this them coupes are really getting hard to find I love a coupe.One thing you have to check that is bad on allota shoeboxes is the steering box mount.It has a plate that is rivioted to the frame rail and the front rivot shears and lets the box move and the idler arm bolts they are notorious.The notch on your one frame on the front cross member is pretty much the norm.Years ago back before musle cars the shoebox was a favorite hot rod least wise where I grew up.Your car is lookin really good.

 

"It has a plate that is rivioted to the frame rail and the front rivot shears "

Yeah, mine was definatly sheared... I ended up cleaning it up and welding the bracket to the frame rail. The floors are the worst thing on this car now, And im going to have to redo them in the future.. maybe next winter, as I will be driving the hell outa this for the summer time.

 

Still needing to repair the front mount, but I've been getting things going on the engine... between the sun and bin ladens death, this made for a great sunday!

 

cleaned it up nice the looms look good

 

I was in need of a steering wheel, the ol one wasn't working, scored this 54 merc wheel on Craigslist bout 30 minutes ago. It's really in pretty nice shape.

 

sweet wheel looks good in the car. this car has been a fight since the first night we drove two states to get it and it didnt want to get on the trailer . I thought it was going to fight us going on the new ch***is

 

Looking good man. Thanks for the thread. Lowering my first 49 and want to upgrade the brakes etc so this info is coming in handy.