Narrowing a-arms Nova subframe

Ok so I have a ch***is(under a '39 Chevy two door sedan) with a '79 Nova subframe. It's just a little too wide and the tires rub. I like my cars low so is there anyway to narrow the a-arms? Or anything else to try? I know somebody makes narrowed a arms but they are way too expensive for me. If not I guess I'll look for a S-10 frame or maybe a stock '39 frame.

 

Nobody?

 

Narrow the frame would have been easier if its not mounted under the car yet , cut the crossmember and draglink and you got it. Thats what im fixn to do to a 65 nova.

 

cut the clip...quick and easy once you get into it. Narrow the frame rails...........do it the simple and easy way..........

M .

 

Cut the clip but make a jig so you don't loose your geometry..........
Wouldn't it be easier to buy new front wheels, or if you have enough meat on back side mill some off if it's just a little rub.........

 

this might be worth a shot. why not get rims with more backspacing. Most wheel makers can do it. I had a set 15x6's with 5" of back space. If you're running trick mags, you are probably out of luck.

 

You can narrow your a-arms, pretty easy actually. Don't go more than 1" though.

 

The sub is already on the car.

Has anybody ever narrowed a-arms before? Pics?

 

Narrowing your A arms will most likely still require cutting the sway bar and center link...................

 

Cut them 4 and aft and box the **** out of them..........
Jim Meyers, Art Morrison may sell shorter tube A arms........

 

New narrowed A frames are to expensive? Is buying and installing an S-10 frame or a stock frame cheaper and easier? i'm just askin. Gregg

 

Fatmans and Heidts both have shoetened arms for these sub-frames. I have bought them and I think they give you 1" or 1.5" per side.

I used them on this Panel truck.

 

Why not just swap to g body/ s10 hubs? You'll narrow the track 1&1/2" If you need more then have the arms narrowed. You won't need to narrow them as much.

 

I used s-10 4x4 wheels on my F body clip. it fixed a lot of the clearance problems.

Best of luck.

 

S10 spindles will bolt in to a Nova clip?

 

2wd or 4wd? Also what is the bolt circle on both?

 

What they said....

 

I would have to think that you'd use the 2WD spindles unless you're building a mini-truck. S10s have the same bolt circle as most of your '49-up Chevy cars, their front suspension was based on the car stuff in the first place.

 

just the hubs I'll be doing one this week, It takse a different outter bearing and caliper. I have the info at school, and the parts at my buddys shop. I'll gather the info and post it along with exactly how much it brings things in. Same bolt circle, metric threads on the studs. Easy to change the studs.

 

BTT,For the morning crew

I also have an issue with the track being too wide on my 35 chevy. I have a 69 camaro clip in it. I also researched the A arms but is was close to 1000.00 from the Fat Man.

Will the S-10 route work on the Camaro stuff as well? I would like all the detailed parts if possible.

 

use rims from a space saver spare. my 16x4 with 4" backspace tucked my wheels in fine. and they cleared the sway bar and tierods. you can get them in 15" also. i have a thread on here somewhere about using spare tire wheels. lots of info and pics. i'll try to post thread later. they might be a little to narrow for you but they saved me tons of money and time and they were free.

 

I helped a friend do it(narrow the control arms) about 15 years ago, we cut 1" out and welded it back together and boxed the under side...........truck is still running around.
After the first cut it's all down hill.

 

So did you get the part numbers or whatever??????

 

Tinbender, please do a post on the S-10 hub swap. I've heard about it for years but have never gotten the bearing and caliper numbers. This swap is supposed to narrow the track width about 1 inch per side. That would be plenty for the A-D trucks that are already subed-or other similar vehicles. Sam

 

What he said.

 

That's an interesting point, someone aught to research this and see if it's possible with any existing caliper, it would help those clips fir 49-54 Chevy a lot better. That's going to be the hang-up, finding a caliper that will work.

 

Seems like shorter A-arms would change the leverage and make the springs super stiff, as well as other geometry considerations. Would you change to lighter-duty coils?

 

Just cut them and weld back them up underneath with some strap iron. Only thing you will change is scrub line.

 

I've done it, but I would advise against it..

if you have never done something like this.. spend the money to buy


if I figured out the TIME I had in my project (plus materials) I would have been ahead to BUY..

if S10 stuff bolts up, and narrows theses sub's.. go for it..

 

I posted a similar thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=379840

Problem with Fatman is that you also have to use their spindles/rotors/brakes. Comes in at around $1500. All money that I hadn't planned on spending!

Have a fellow HAMBer narrowing my control arms right now. I will let you know how they turn out...