I did the same on my '54 , used the front mount from the Camaro beefed with
a side plate and moved the rear (truck) mount back and made spacers to make
up spring width. I made the whole thing bolt on so no frame welding. It
lowers the truck just right and rides good too.
Lee
Prosser WA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Nordwall" <jimnordwall@yahoo.com>
To: "James Hays" <thomasind@nventure.com>; <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Rear Suspension
> When I replaced the rear end in my truck, I used the
> springs and rearend from a 1974 Firebird (Camero is
> the same). I made new shackles and mounts for the
> rear of the springs, these were very simple to
> fabricate and required minimal welding. The rear
> mounts were installed by bolting them to the frame the
> same as the originals. The Firebird springs are
> longer, so they got mounted further back on the frame.
> The front mounts had to be completely replaced. They
> were in the right location, just too narrow for the
> Firebird springs. Once I looked at how General Motors
> made the original mounts, it was easy to fabricate
> wider replacement mounts. This also required minimal
> welding.
> I probably have $20 in material and one hour in
> welding . That is a lot less than buying the parts
> prefabbed.
> If you choose to pursue this method, I will be happy
> to send you pictures of the mounts. I may have even
> kept the design sketch showing the dimensions.
> The Firebird springs are a vast improvement over the
> stock truck springs, but then, you already know that.
>
>
>
> Jim Nordwall
> http://www.geocities.com/jimnordwall/
>
>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Nordwall" <jimnordwall@yahoo.com>
To: "James Hays" <thomasind@nventure.com>; <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] Rear Suspension
> When I replaced the rear end in my truck, I used the
> springs and rearend from a 1974 Firebird (Camero is
> the same). I made new shackles and mounts for the
> rear of the springs, these were very simple to
> fabricate and required minimal welding. The rear
> mounts were installed by bolting them to the frame the
> same as the originals. The Firebird springs are
> longer, so they got mounted further back on the frame.
> The front mounts had to be completely replaced. They
> were in the right location, just too narrow for the
> Firebird springs. Once I looked at how General Motors
> made the original mounts, it was easy to fabricate
> wider replacement mounts. This also required minimal
> welding.
> I probably have $20 in material and one hour in
> welding . That is a lot less than buying the parts
> prefabbed.
> If you choose to pursue this method, I will be happy
> to send you pictures of the mounts. I may have even
> kept the design sketch showing the dimensions.
> The Firebird springs are a vast improvement over the
> stock truck springs, but then, you already know that.
>
>
>
> Jim Nordwall
> http://www.geocities.com/jimnordwall/
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