well I got the truck into my vocational school about a week after school statred. bought a 79 LTD with a 302 and a c-6 aod. cut the front of the truck off right in front of the firewall and welded the LTD front suspension on it (while the motor is still mounted) I took the LTD 8.8 rearend (i think its a 2.7something) mounted it on top of the leafs--side note--with the axle like this there is barely 1/4in from the bump stop...i removed it, but the rear leafs ar still kinda...well spongy. could i add leafs from my orig front to stiffen it up a bit?--i also welded the front frame horns from the truck onto the LTD frame so the core support has a mount. earlier this week i took all the sheetmetal off the frame and had to make a transmission crossmember from one that i cut off the font horn portion (bought a trans mount from the store for $7) then i had to cut the dinky crossmember that was in the middle of where the cab would be and make a loop going down for driveshaft room. upcoming week i need to run brake line ( the LTD had a proportioning valve mounted on the frame which i saved -sweet-), mount an s-10 gas tank, and finish prepping the frame to prime...the body is just sittin there waitin for me.. by the way I am 18 and this is the first time i have did anything this extensive. and i provide my own funding! no mommy and daddy loans here. i'll post pics when i get some gimme some feedback

 

How about some photos ??

Sounds like you have been hooking in on the '55

My '48 chassis is up and rolling and I'm about to start the body work

I'm not 18 and this isn't my first project........but my parents won't pay for mine either!

Mark

 

i'm gonna try to get some pictures today. yeah i have been hooked on to it, mainly cuase my teacher out there is a real ******* when it comes to getting things done fast...but i have to go a little slower cause i havent did half the things that i am wanting or have done to my truck


you're lucky you're not 18..i get no respect!

 

Glad to here you are making progress and maintaining your interest

Look forward to seeing the pictures

Tell your shop teacher doing things right is more important than doing them fast ! (Blame some "old guy" on the internet!)

Respect doesn't come with age
People respect you because of the things you achieve and how you treat the people around you.

Completing a ground up build of a 55 will be an achievement that people around here should respect

If you read the magazines there are a bunch of guys who have the respect of their peers that aren't a whole lot older than you. They have just achieved a lot.

Mark

PS Damn. Now I'm hijacking threads with philosophy. I should get back in the shed.

 

haha if i told that to him he would flip...he's an ******* remember. thanks for the words though. i try to tell myself the same thing all the time...i mean veteran body men are even challeneged by doing this. and i only have a few years expierience. oh yeah the pictures are in my gallery, i would post em but i forgot how

 

Saw some of the pictures in your gallery, keep up the good work. Looks like a restoration shop. Good luck, George

 

restoration shop..hardly. that studebaker has been there for 3 years( its a 55 with 53 fins on it-which i put on) and that chevy front end was just brought in that day (58 panel on on a 78 4x4 frame - 58 frame on the 78 frame)last year we had a 67 mustang, a 40 ford truck that was put on an s-10 frame, a 56 fairlane was brought in, ****** jeep, and there was gonna be a falcon wagon this year but the guy might not get it.....easily mistaken for a restoration shop lol

 

I haven't done mine yet, but I am thinking about installing my Chrysler rear end with the springs on top for the very reason you mentioned. I expect the Chrysler springs which I will use to replace the original F-3 springs (13 leaves and very stiff) to be much softer. Would you lose too much lowering if you moved the rear end to bottom of the springs? You could always add lowering blocks if it raises it too much. A 1/4 inch is woefully too little travel. You need a minimum of about three inches even if you aren't going to carry a load in the bed. You could try using overload springs and adding leaves, but it's going to take some trial and error fitting. Good luck...

Vern

 

When you relocate the rearend to the top of the springs you also need to "C" notch the bottom of the frame rail to regain some room for suspension travel. When you do the notch you should plate the inside of the frame also. One other thing don't cut the notch square, where ever you have a sharp corner you will be inviting a stress crack.

I notched my frame using a few pieces from Mid Fiftys, I think I have a picture of it in my gallery if you would like to look. If you have the steel on hand you could make your own.

Chuck

 

I agree with Merc 546

You need to C notch.

I didn't bother with a kit (I have done a few over the years) I use a piece of thick wall pipe about 5" diam. Cut off a piece the width of the rails. Cut it in half so you have two C's. Use a big vice to squash them (spread the legs of the C)

Grind down the internal corner so you have some meat to weld too and then weld them inside the rails. Make a boxing plate that fits about half inch in from the edge, goes arround the C notch and extends at least 6 inches forward and back.

When it is all weld in, slice the outer rail and bottom lip out of the C notch (plasma cutter = best, sawzall and grinder OK) then grind, weld, grind from below for neatness.

This way the strength is all on the inside, and the ground down welds are just cosmetic.

NEVER remove more than 50% of the rail, unless you put a "bridge" on top of the chassis, side to side. Mini truckers call this a step notch.....read Truckin' magazine too see articles/pictures/adds for this

A 2 C notch should fix your problem

 

well i have already welded the flat pieces on the axle for the leaf springs to rest on, so i can;t flip it back around unless i wanna cut and weld them all over again- plus the stance is really nice . my teacher recomended adding leafs from the stock front suspension..i am going to give that a try, even if that gives me what i need i will probably c-notch it just in case. if that does not give me sufficient room i will try and find some leafs in the salvage yard that are the same length but are stiffer and have a greater arc..maybe off of something four wheel drive....oh and also today i stripped 3 of my u bolts...cheap POS things, so now i have to get some new(better) ones..and i found a 15x10 crager ss where my dad works and it is the right pattern! so when i get $180 i will get another and have some wide back tires

 

nice truck , i am thinking about doing the same front end graft would you happen to have any more photos? or could you give me some pointers on how to go about doing this type of front end . thanks

 

no pictures off hand. i took those a week ago so they are pretty updated. The only advice i can give you is to take your time, measure alot, make everything square...thats pretty much it. just get in there and do it, slowly. its not as hard as you think

 

55 effie,

I know some people who could give you some guidance on this type of Front clip. Two are in TN, One is in North Carolina. Two are in South Carolina and one in KY. Just let me know and I get you some info. Also see my gallery for a few pictures. That 79 LTD is similiar to my front clip with exception to it being rear steer meaning the steering box is behind the crossmember.

 

55 also see the 6th picture in this trucker's gallery.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...p?&albumid=806