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AD trucks done CHEAP!!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by NONAME, Mar 1, 2008.

  1. not going to say this is the way to go, but this is the way I went
    I just finished the front suspension swap and I'm in it $35.00 so far. now I'm going with new brakes, gas shocks, springs and sway bar. so it will be far from free.
    I started with 51 chev passenger car bolt in suspension (free). it's the same style as used in corvettes till 1962. I've upgraded to 54 Chev uprights and brakes ($20.00) and had to buy a new (used $15.00) idler arm.
    the beauty of this swap is it dropped the front seven inches (8 1/2" with the 54 uprights) without cutting springs or adding dropped spindles.
    I feel the weak area on old chev's was the steering gear, I'm using one out of a 87 Ranger pick up (free). I'll let you know how it works in a couple weeks when I get back on the road. I have a bunch of detailed photo's that I'll down load when I get back from the Portland Roadster Show this evening. here are couple of shots for now
     

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  2. Danimal
    Joined: Apr 23, 2006
    Posts: 4,149

    Danimal
    Member
    1. A-D Truckers

    That is great. I'm getting tired of messing with this S10 frame swap and have a '54 4 door that I'm half tempted to part out. I could use my stock frame and put it all together like this! What mods did you need to accept the IFS?
     
  3. customcory
    Joined: Apr 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,831

    customcory
    Member

    I always wondered if that would work, now I know. Looks good to me!:D
     
  4. I'll go into it in full, but I did the whole job with a cut off wheel in a 20 year old mikita 4 inch grinder about 3 feet of 3/16 X 4 strip of steel and a 220 mig and a sawszall
     
    drtybiker likes this.

  5. Trucked Up
    Joined: Nov 6, 2006
    Posts: 1,580

    Trucked Up
    Member

    Is the hub to hub width wider that the truck? Just curious as it could present a turning issue at the lower stance if it is.:eek:
     
  6. nope fits like it was made for it. here's a photo together with stock springs and early uprights. I believe the turning has increased a bunch. I centered the front wheel wells better than stock and won't have any fender problems even with the 5 1/2 inch Channel
     

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  7. I trimmed the stock truck front cross member (it was almost cut on dotted line simple)to match the passenger car hub to hub cross member
     

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  8. I had never seen or heard of this being done, was told that it was common swap way back when! " just unbolt it from the car and weld a couple pieces of angle iron on the truck frame and bolt it in. sounds simple.

    it fits the frame perfect but to get caster (it set in about 8-10 degrees positive) I would have had to Notch the frame deep. which would be a option.

    I elected to trim the front half of the plate that bolts to the stock frame and notch the cross member. drop the truck frame into the notch. with the frame level I set in 6 degrees negative caster (I plan on a heathly rake) should end up about 2-3 negative at drive height.
    I added 3/16 plates inside and out and welded the two crossmembers together across the front. looks like overkill but it's not going anywhere

    this 35 bucks has me buried in this truck $1031.00 on a self imposed $2500 build plan. don't try this at home. I'll be the first to admit the price is bogus, I cheat. I'm a pack rat and drag every free part I see laying around home. I have crap everywhere. and I'll barter labor with anyone. the real world cost to build to this point would have to be 3-4 grand if I bought the parts and just did my own labor
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2012
  9. saltracer
    Joined: Jan 4, 2006
    Posts: 293

    saltracer
    Member

    What's the AD stand for?
     
  10. I just work here but when GM brought them out in 47 it was Advanced Design. stayed AD for chevrolet till early 55. when they advanced the Advanced Design again.

    if you want check the rest of the build I have it under "shop truck build" on
    www.oldcarglassguy.com at the bottom
     
  11. they went to TF in late 55' "TASK FORCE" chevrolet advertising slogan. wow been many years since i had seen one of these conversions. the "lazy mans" conversion to get 5-lug was slap on the front hubs off a 54' chevy. the conversion your doing always seemed to work well. whats up with the steering box, the 87' ranger box, is it 2wd or 4wd box? you are correct the stock steering on those chevy suck! have you looked into R&P at all as that would really eliminate some steering issues. looks cool!
     
  12. You've already got a box or I would say that a Stude box and colum would be a shoe in for that setup.

    Looks real sharp definately thinking out of the box.
     
  13. I'm just one of those guys that walks around in circles picking and digging till I find something that works. I tried a couple different Racks then a ford ram style. finally went with the stock Idler arm and linkage. the ranger has 8 1/2 inches travel and the chev idler arm travels 6 lock to lock. I have already built my column (trucks channeled and sectioned) with a square gold metalflake 60 Desoto steering wheel (free)
     
  14. the box is in. building the link after dinner, looks like it might just work. I'd rather be lucky than good anyday.
     
  15. cool! looks like i need to stop byand have a look!:D:D
     
  16. flatblackindustries
    Joined: Oct 7, 2006
    Posts: 645

    flatblackindustries
    Member
    from Ogden, UT

    Wow. Perfect timing. I am doing a frame swap on my 54 Chevy 210 and have a 52 AD waiting for a front suspension. What a perfect swap. Brilliant. Please post more pictures if you have them....
     
  17. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Kewl, Old tech becomes new tech. Looks good.
     
  18. I have the steering hooked and am real happy how it works. don't have the engine in but can turn the wheels from lock to lock in 4 1/2 turns and can do it with one hand turning the shaft. should be easy when I add a wheel
    Have to wait for the wife to download the photo's on her computer

    lowered a 54 GMC 8 1/2 inches for 35 bucks, I know it's going to drive good with radial tires and gas shocks
     
  19. a few more pictures, I put the Cad motor back in today and everything clears, except the stock cast iron exhaust and I had never planned to run them
     

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  20. Boones
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 9,691

    Boones
    Member
    from Kent, Wa
    1. Northwest HAMBers

    Did you take any better pic of where you cut the factory truck crossmember and the car crossmember
     
  21. PoPo
    Joined: Jan 3, 2008
    Posts: 1,102

    PoPo
    Member

    this is outrageous!! I love it. I just purchased a separate frame for my 49 with a camaro front end. Now im kind of mad at myself, except the wife just wants the truck done for this summer, and she ok'd another project with the old frame!!! looks like im going to be looking for an old 54 car or such. I'd also like to see how you notched crossmember for the frame to go in.

    I just want to say, Thanks. I just got a new boost of enthusiasm for working on the truck when I get back home from my military school.

    PoPo
     
  22. the first two with the engine in place was jigged and tacked, if you double click each photo. you will see how it notched and the frame set inside. also note towards the back of the cross member, the back half of the flange or plate that bolted to the passenger car frame. i welded what I could then added 3/16 gusset plates inside and out.

    Boones if you look at one top view of the cross members my shitty welds ( never grind excess on essential welds) mark the cut between the two. they both have matching bends. I had a 1/8 inch gap for over twenty inches in the front
     

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  23. let me see what I have

    1. shows the unit as I got it and the Ranger Ram style steering that fit when I pulled it out of my scrap metal pile

    2. shows the unit under the car along with the stock GMC front cross member. I had marked the original spindle centers on the frame for reference. I knew about how much it had to go forward. but my biggest concern it was sitting about 10 degrees negative caster and I wanted 5-6 degrees positive caster. so it had to go forward and rock back

    3. I cut half of the attaching plate and cut the notches in the new Cross member. I didn't really measure alot at this point. just starting hacking (had the mind set that if this doesn't work I'll do a front clip) this first cut actually worked. I didn't have to cut the rest of the plate off after I got all the points lined up squared up, checked everything several times. I called in one on my professional rod building buddies he checked everything and it was spot on. (one measurement was 1/16 off but we determined that it was due to frame rail being tweeked and nothing to do with the clip)

    now if I were you I wouldn't run out and start cutting up you're trucks. I'll have this on the road in a few weeks and I'll let you know if it's been worth the 35 Bucks that I have buried in it

    I feel that it has to better than a dropped axle, reversed eyed springs and spring under the axle. that I was thinking I'd have to do to get this low.
    I still have the 54 uprights that will give another 1 1/2 inch drop. I haven't bought my new springs that could give me 2-3 more.
    like the guy that fell off a 10 story building as he passed every floor he was heard to say SO FAR, SO GOOD
     

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  24. droplord49
    Joined: Jan 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,690

    droplord49
    Member
    from Bryan, Tx

    Looks good, I have a been wanting to pull the front end and the 3:55 Torque tube rear out of my wife's 50 sedan and put it all under my 51 pickup for a while now. I am glad to see that it is as straight forward as I thought it would be.
     

  25. this will be a good test mule, it's my shop truck and I drive them 6-7 days a week 35-45,000 miles a year. I need something that will cruise at freeway speeds (80+)
    I know the Caddy will hold up and 3.0 gears in the ass end should get 20+ mpg to boot.
    sounds good I can't wait to get it rolling. I'm mounting the cab tonight:cool:
     
  26. blinddaddykarno
    Joined: Feb 5, 2008
    Posts: 121

    blinddaddykarno
    Member

    One quick question for you, what Caddy motor are putting in the truck? I've been planning to put a 425 out of an 80 something cad in mine. (free motor).
    Brian
     
  27. PoPo
    Joined: Jan 3, 2008
    Posts: 1,102

    PoPo
    Member

    Ok im catching on now. I couldnt figure out what you had cut and how the front end just sat so neatly under there. Im a very visual person. I guess if it was in front of me I might have noticed the front member hacked in half and stuff.

    I am following this closely. Im excited to see how it turns out and since you'll actually drive it, it will be a Great test mule.

    That thing is low too, just as we all want it. Keep us updated and thanks for the todays lesson. lol
     
  28. did you figure out the year of the ranger box? is it manual or power. got any real clear pic's of just the box mounted. still stopping by my trip got delayed because of death in family. i will have my camera.
     
  29. If I use the 54 Uprights it'll drop another inch and half.
    don't know if I do it as it is a service truck and I don't plan to just cruise a few week ends in the summer
     
  30. No not sure, I can have edsel (on here) check it he's a ford parts man. I just used it because it was in my scrap pile and it fit. I got it from a neighbor that put a 52 Ford F-1 on a 87 ranger extended cab chassis, so I assume it's an 87.

    I figured that moving the steering from outside steer on the truck to inside steer for the car would throw the column into a bad angle. but it lines up better than stock. I've got it all together but is harder to see with the 55 331 Cad motor back in
     

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