1949 Chevy 3600......making it a daily driver!!

Finally got my parts from my local fab guy. He works cheap.....and the quality is top notch, but speed is not his forte. :lol:

The parts allowed me to complete my dehumping of the stock S-10 lower control arms. Got one done last night. Pretty straight forward project.





After these are done I can mock up the front bags and make my upper bag cup.

I received my tracking number for my rear knuckles. Scheduled to arrive Friday. With any luck I will be back to a roller this weekend!!

1. Finish LCA's
2. mockup front bags
3. install rear knuckles
4. install rear bags
5. Temp air lines for air ride!!!
6. install SBC and mock up Rack and Pinion
7. SBC back out, install heads, paint etc!!

 

Interesting. Wouldn't the way they were made originally (with all the bendy parts) actually add strength to the shape as opposed to just a flat surface?
Just wondering out loud here.
At any rate, I'm happy for you that you are this close to being back on the streets!

 

Yes I am sure all the bends add strength without adding much weight due to thin material.

Unfortunately this will not work with a bag set up. You need a flat surface for the bag to sit. The flat portion is 1/4" and is fully supported underneath. No worries about strength.

 

See~ I knew you were all over this.

 

EXCELLENT looking work! You welding looks real good, Coach.
Aren't you an electrician in real life???
Multi-talented...

Steve.

 

Yea my day job is an Electrician, been one for about 16 years. We do a lot of welding for pipe racks, hanging equipment, etc.

Thanks!!

 

Spent a couple hours in the shop. I almost got the drivers side LCA done.

While waiting for the welds to cool I started mocking up the passenger side bag. Went together pretty easy so far.

The way the Danforth crossmember is made, I did not really need a cup to support the bag at the top. Just a plate.











Not sure how I am going to my air lines yet. The center of the spring cup has a small tube in it to hold a coil spring. Somehow I need to either remove all of it or some of it. You can see it in the picture below.

 

Coach,
I have a question: Are shock absorbers not used in a bag setup? Never really thought about until I looked at your pictures (which are all excellent btw), and it occurred to me there isn't a hole down thru the middle of the bag.
A bagged suspension setup is very cool, something I have always appreciated from a distance. Not so much the mini-trucks "laying frame", but nice rides that have the perfect stance while going down the highway, not unlike what the original "concept sketches" looked like back in the day.
Awesome stuff, keep the pictures coming!

 

I will still run shocks. They will be mounted on the side of the LCA, either front or back.

 

Super busy day.

We now have a roller. Such a great feeling.

My Knuckles showed up from IRS Machining today. They look great!! That allowed me to assemble the rear suspension.



I am about 1/2" to 3/4" higher in the rear than during mockup, which I found out to be the difference in the stock T-bird wheels and my Cragars and WW. Looks like I could easily take 3/4" out of my lower cups to get lower. Now sure if I will or not. The only part that really bothers me is the running boards are not parallel with the ground at air out. Kind of a pet peeve of mine. The back either needs to come down, or I need a bumpstop to raise the front 1/2" at air out.



The front is all loose mocked up. Just enough to roll.

 

Happy to get him rolled out of the garage and get it all cleaned up.





I spun spun him around and put the 350/350 combo in to the rack and pinion mocked up.

 

Coach,
In an earlier post you were hoping to have the rear flanges drilled for a 4 3/4 pattern instead of the standard 4 1/2, any luck? I've followed your post closely as I've been considering the Tbird/Lincoln irs swap for a few years now. My truck runs a 79 Camaro sub up front and a 9" with a fabricated 3 link and coils in the rear. Your swap and workmanship is some of the cleanest I've seen. Great work. John

 

Unfortunately the machinest I used will only redrill to 4-1/2" pattern. I just order the same wheels I have been running in the new pattern.

 

Thanks, John

 

Come on, Mike~ What the heck do you think a 2X4 and a BFH is for? Beat those running boards into submission! (adjust the bed to match)

 

Still plugging away on this install.

Threw the motor in to mock up the rack and pinion set up.



The mounting on this rack was offset to the drivers side which makes mounting a bit more troublesome. I picked up some 4" x 4" x 3/16" tubing to make some mounts out of.

Scott suggests a 3" notch to clear the rack. This WILL NOT work with a Ford rack. I had to open up my notch to almost 6" to clear the Ford rack. Frustrating to cut apart something that was finished.



I had to remove some material on the passenger side of the crossmember to clear the rack. I got a little overzealous with the skinny wheel and sawzall.



mock up





Making brackets





Tacked in



Fit test. I did end up opening up the notch after this.



Both side welded in and the relief boxed in. I just need to rebox the bottom of the notch!!

 

Coach, remember, the tie rods should match the angle of your lower control arm. Has to be, to, avoid bump-steer.
Mounting rack and pinion units correctly is critical.

Steve.

 

Thanks for the reminder. I have been conscious about it during the install, and think I have it dialed.

 

Frame is painted and the rack is in.





I screwed the tie rod ends on until they bottomed out and checked the toe in. Looks like I am about 1-1/2 too wide in the front.

I need to verify again tomorrow, but looks like I will need to trim the rack a bit.

 

Still pluggin away. Motor is now buttoned up. New set of reworked 601 heads installed.



I threw a fresh coat of Chevy Orange on the motor and tossed it back in the chassis. First thing on the agenda is steering.