Kind of new here, this is only my second post. I'm building a 57 short bed on an s-10 4x4 frame. I no longer have my original frame and I want a lowered truck with 4 wheel capability.

My question is for those of you who have adapted Crown Vic or other aftermarket suspensions to you trucks. I have read that many builders stretch the wheelbase an inch or two when putting on the new front end. Other than handling improvements does the change make the wheels fit the fender oppenings better? Is there a measurement that works particuallarly good?

I would like to shorten the frame before I mock up the body and need to know if I should go with the 110" stock measurement or something longer. The truck is going to sit fairly low and level, but not slammed on the ground. I want the tires to fill the oppenings, not be hidden up in the fenders. Anybody have any measurements or pictures?

 

lots of people when dropping these trucks move the axle forward about an inch. when I did my front end I moved my front axle center line forward 3/4 of an inch and I think it looks alot better that way than it did stock. It centered the front wheel in the opening alot better. Im at work at the moment and dont have any pics to put up but ill try to remember later.

 

Thanks for the info. I like the way your truck sits in your avatar. I was thinking at least 1", maybe 1 1/2" longer wheelbase than stock. I have seen both measurements on trucks in magazines, but yours seems to look pretty good with 3/4".

My only concern is that I'm planning on running fairly large tires, maybe 20" like they do on the SS Chevy trucks. I don't know if they'll rub on the front of the fenders. I can shift things arround quite a bit but once I decide on the wheelbase It's going to pretty difficult to change if the tires don't fit properly. Anybody moved their front ends out further than 1 inch?

 

Welcome to FTE! The CV front end is used on these trucks because it is relatively easy to convert to the stock frame. With your truck sitting on a s**tvrolet frame you may not be able to use the CV front suspension.