advice on build

[dvanecek]

Heah everyone,

I've been saving up and gathering pieces for my next project.  I have a '50 chevy 2dr deluxe.  This is a complete car.  I also have a '95 s10 longbed frame so that I can have better IFS, disc brakes and power steering.  for an engine I have a mopar 383 and a 727 tranny (looking for a A833).   I am planning on using a C4 corvette IRS that I found bu have not purchased yet.  I do realize that this is a wide rear-end.   Is it too wide?  I've heard that narrowing these IRS's will have neg effects on handling.  We are planning on putting the body on the S10 frame I the contours are close.  If not we will mount the S10 front to the chevy :?: It is 1 inch narrower and the wheelbase is within a 1/2 inch.  I figured we will need to fab body and engine mounts.  

On the hotrod mag post the only replies I recieved said to graft the s10 front to the cheyy frame.   They were heavily against using the later frame.  What's your opinion or advice.  Also I could you help with the corvette rear if anyone has any ideas.

I have done no mods to the car yet.  I will be selling the complete frame with engine (80,000 miles) that will turn over but hasn't been driven since '88.  If anyone is interested I let me know.  I'm in columbia SC.

Am I getting in over my head?  Is this the hard route?  Please help with any shortcuts.  

Sorry for the novel but I want to preplan as much as possible.  In past projects I have learned that redoin costs 10 times more than doin it right the first time.

Thank's

Dave

[rumrumm]

I have seen some bodies remounted on S10 frames and they don't look right to me. And some people have reported that modifying an S10 frame to fit correctly can be very time consuming. IMO, I would use the original frame and graft on the S10 front suspension or the entire front sub-frame. I think you will have a better end result.

[Bob Paulin]

I have seen a few '49-'54 Chevies with four-door Chevelle 115" frames set underneath.

There is a good part to this and a bad part.

The good part is that the wheelbase is perfect, and that the perimeter-style Chevelle frame fits without a lot of cutting.

The BAD part is that the Chevelle track is really too wide, and these people have ended up with some odd-appearing wheels in an attempt to tuck the wheels back under the fenders.

Fatman and others sell "narrowing" kits for $750 or so that consist of new control arms and steering components....but, I consider that to be a "patch job" that conflicts with and upsets the chassis' original design geometry.....my opinion only, ofcourse.


The S-10/15 is a ladder-type frame - pretty straight back from front to rear.

It also presents a challenge in the back seat area if you are working with a car that has a good floor which you intend to keep.

I haven't done it yet - I need to get busy with the tape measure - but I'm looking to eventually stretch and build a 108" GM intermediate chassis from the '78-'85/'86 era for my own '51 Chevy Sedan Delivery.

I have built a few of these into successful oval-track race cars, so I have a pretty good handle on how they work.

It is a perimeter-type chassis with a side rail width that is pretty much identical to that of the Chevelle, so it should tuck the frame rails up in back of the rocker panels just like the Chevelle did, but its track is narrower than the Chevelle- like that of the S-10/15

Its front-end components are interchangeble with the S-10/15, and it has a coil-spring rear instead of the leaf spring S-10/15. I, personally, prefer coil springs all-around.

Yes, you will need to stretch it to the 115" '49-'54 Chevy wheelbase, but that's really not a big task.

The 108" passenger car chassis also has a front end frame height that is one-inch lower than the S-10/15  due to placement of the front crossmember.

Bob Paulin

[river1]

welcome to the RRT lots of knowledgeable people here.

if i was building a 49-54 chevy and i am (a 53), i'd keep the stock frame. the frame is a strong design and is made for your car. a number of vendors sell mustang II kits for the front. on the corvette rear i can't help you but i'm sure someone else will chime in on that.

disregard this if your frame is not in a condition to use.

later jim

[dvanecek]

I appreciate the input.  I'm gonna pull frames out and do some measurments.  It sounds like the front clip only is the way to go.  Is there anything I can do to whle remounting the front to lower it while I'm at it without loosing any strength?  

My main concerb with the C4 IRS is track width.  I plan on running steel wheels.  I'll prbably need to run 17's in the rear due to disk diameter.  I'm running skirts so hopefully you won't see much of the rear tire.  I plan on running www on 15's with fiesta caps on the front.   I'm not sure if I can get required backspacing on 17x10 steel rims for the rear.  Does anyone know the trach width of a 90's C4 rear?  

While I have a few pre tri-5 chevy guys here.  Where can I find patch panels for the lower front rear fenders.  I need to patch the area's in front the rear wheel well and behind the front.  

Thanks

Dave

Dave

[Bib_Overalls]

Don't care much for frame clips.  A lot of work, easy to screw up, and the sheet metal and front bumper take even more time and effort to fit up and mount.  Got an idea for you here:

http://www.chassisengineeringinc.com/chevy/1949-1954chev.htm

You can put a Corvette rear end in just about anything if you have the bucks.  These folks may be able to help:  http://www.progressiveautomotive.com/sweetrear.htm

Lot of folks run S10 rear ends in old Chevys.

[SKR8PN]

I have done TWO full frame swaps,on one car.........
My first and my LAST............
I would NEVER recommend going that route again.........
WAY to much work,and MONEY,for the benefits.
Keep your original frame and change front and rear crossmembers to get the suspension you want..............
I don't like clips either.
Just my $.02

[Dirk35]

I personally have put a MII under my 1935 Ford PU. I put a total car frame under my 1949 F1 PU. The car frame I used was a late model Merc Marquis. You wanna talk about a pain in the Rear!!!!!!!!!! All of the next vehicles I do, Ill try to go the MII route EVERYTIME!!!!!!! Ive cut almost the entire floor away, the firewall, most fo the bed structure, made my own mounts for the cab and bed and fender/hood/running board alignemt is a NIGHTMARE!

So, what does it come to. Time-vs-money.

The MII will cost more. Plan on a good couple of thousand, AT THE MOST if you go air bags. I dont have but about $600 in my MII under the 1935. All of the sheetmetal bolts right back on except for a little cut and hammer/dolly of the inner fenders to clear the spring hats.

Now, You can get a total complete late model frame for a few hundred. But, by the time you get all the sheetmetal worked out, , mount brackets, and rubber mounts, Ive added close to the same amount of dough. But with at least ten times the amount of work.

So, if you got the time and skill, the complete frame is do-able. But  me personally, Ill go MII the next time.

Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you've got quite the wild combo planned there...S10 chassis, Mopar engine, Corvette rear. It's an ambitious project, to say the least! Just be double sure you can pull it off before you sell that stock running gear and chassis!

I'm building a low dollar 49 Chevy myself...with (of all things!) a 2.8 Chevy V6 hooked to an S10 TH-200 trans in the stock chassis. (It fits okay!). I elected to go with the stock chassis for time and cost reasons...but it may get a Super Secret(tm!) front wheel drive conversion at a later point in time!

Back to your stock chassis...ECI makes a BOLT-ON front disc brake conversion kit that uses common 'off-the-shelf' brake components from Chevelle/Monte Carlo applications for 49-54 Chevys.

(Speedway offers a kit, too...but it requires machining your spindles...the ECI kit is a bolt-on deal).

The junk closed drive rear axle in your Chevy can be swapped out for a 67-81 Camaro/Firebird rear, 68-78 Nova rear, or even your S10 rear axle with minimal work. A 55-57 Chevy axle also fits, but may be harder to find. In any case...no shortage of viable rear axle swap candidates!

The only major drawback I can see if you intend to run the big block Mopar drivetrain...is that it won't fit! The goofy steering on 49-52 Chevys makes engine swaps tricky (ask me how I know! )...and the ribs on the firewall would have to be cut off...as well as possible modification or elimination of your vent tubes under the hood. (For sure if you have deluxe heat!).

I do recall a 55 Chevy from the 80s that ran a hot 440 Mopar in it...in it's stock chassis. You MAY want to look into the possibility of running a 55-57 Chevy chassis. I don't know off hand how well it fits...but it IS a perimeter type frame with open drive already, and it will accept your big block Mopar and 727 combo. (Bolt on disc brakes are also available for that chassis).

Good luck with your swap...just don't cut anything until you're double sure what you're doing!