About once every three years I ask a question... My project is about 15 years into now. I have the frame done, and working on the body now. Cab almost done getting ready to bolt everything together to make sure of fit before final body work done and paint. Question is, I would like to make the truck more of a cruiser...better suspension, with a small block... nothing exotic just something I drive up to 70mph without doing 6,000rpm's.... What is the best and maybe the cheapest way to go this???
Hey Coach. My truck is not done this way, but a bunch of the folks here brag about using the Colorado rear end, (if you want to keep 6 lugs) and it's 5 speed OD transmission. This will bolt up behind almost any GM engine, if I understand correctly. I'm sure Evan, (Coilover), Russ Petty, or Nate and some others will fill in additional information. Be sure and keep us in the loop as far as progress goes! Maybe a couple of recent pics? ;o)
350/700r4 if you want automatic, T5 if you like manual. Mustang 2 suspension works great and eases small block install. I like Fatman. Rear options: Colorado for 6 lug, S10 blazer 4x4 for chevy 5 lug with disc brakes. Also a 95 Impala SS works well with discs. Lots of Camaro/ Nova rears are in these. If you swap front end to M2 you can go to ford 5 lug, 90 town car rear fills the fender well with stock steel wheels. Most rear ends in the 58" to 61" will work ( measuring bolt surface to bolt surface.) Crawl Pull a part with a tape measure and see what you like. Grab driveshaft with whatever you pull.
Your last sentence can't be done; BEST and CHEAPEST. For best follow what Russ said. For cheapest a 305, a 350 trans, an Explorer 2.73-3.25 rear end, and a Nova clip for IFS/disc brakes. We just did this route on a 52 and the total parts bill for these was a $1000. It will run 70mph all day long at around 2500rpm ( depending on rear gear).
Thanks for the info! I have a 50 right now with a actually 54 motor sitting in it that was running well when I took everything apart. Now I am thinking about going with the small block. Evan how hard was it to install the Nova clip? What year?
updating You have a three speed or four speed? Mine was a four speed and my kids were very upset with me when I contemplated the 350/350/M2 thing. They felt it would ruin the whole "flavor" of the truck. "But Dad, we love the smell and the sound of this old truck. Don't RUIN it". So I kept my good running 235, swapped out the back of the Muncie SM420 tranny for an open drive yoke, put in a '72 Nova rear with 3.08:1 gears and the Speedway front disc conversion kit. That converted all four wheels to a 5 X 4 3/4 bolt pattern. Used the dual chamber brake master cylinder conversion kit and late model rear end installation kit from our host and a '67 Mustang master cylinder. That kept the smell and sounds the way the kids wanted and gave me the ability to drive at 70 on the highway and stop safely as well. Just another way to do it. Andy
The 74 and older Novas had the steering box to the rear and were very nice but they are extinct now so the 75 and up is what is used. We have a 49 Studebaker pickup in the shop that the owner let us guide him through the steps and he did it in one long weekend. He just had a stick welder and a saws-all. First level the frame front to back and side to side. Next make a "T" bar with the leg fastened to the cab and each arm will have a plumb bob hanging EXACTLY through the center of each spindle end (picture). This will put the wheel back in the factory position and free your hands from a measuring tape or stick and allow use of both hands to get the new clip into place. Roll the clip back into place and raise the rear till the upper A-frame shaft is at an eight degree angle---same as factory (pictures). Now is the time to raise or lower the cut off factory frame to get the desired height and rake. We usually take off the tires and wheels on the stock truck and raise or lower it till the owner chooses what he likes. Then measure from the bottom of the frame at the cut line to the floor and duplicate this measurement when the new clip is attached. With the clip at the correct angle and the frame at the desired height you then make up boxing templates out of cardboard, copy them onto steel plate and weld it up. The joint will be the strongest part of the whole frame. I also have pictures of several we did which are prettier but probably not any stronger or better. Let me know if you want them. The "T" bar with the one plumb bob is just for the picture; real ones are out of square tubing and welded to the cab. Clips have the advantage of everything mounting just like factory but the disadvantage of having to trim inner fender to clear A-frames and make up a core support mount.
Safety , FAST Andy did it the way I like things but Evan's simple explanation makes good sense . FWIW , any time you do frame works on an old rig , boxing it , makes it not only safer but it'll handle better too as older vehicles tend to have willowy frames that naturally flex and bend as you go down the road , more so when you drive them over 45 ~ 50 MPH .
