Aspen/Volare front clip questions

[fatluckys]

What years should I look for for donor cars? There are a couple 78-79 cars near me pretty cheap. Are Aspen/volare/Cordoba all the same underneath? Anybody have any advice or experience with these clips? I'm thinking of this for a work truck project, but would this also be a good clip for Mrs. fatluckys 49 Plymouth biz coupe?

[metalshapes]

I have got a pretty nice clip here, good rotors, thick brake pads, P/S pump still on it.
I payed $175 for it, decided to go an other route, I doubt if I will ever use it, I will let it go to the right HAMBer for a lot less.

[29EHV8]

I use em all the time,work great and cheap too.What truck are you puttin it in?If you wanna put one in the lil ladys car you gotta do some measurin.You need about 20" of frame from the axle centerline forward.If you need any help e-mail me or PM me.I can do these things in my sleep......Shiny

[Bondo Slinger]

Don`t forget 5th Ave`s and pretty much any other RWD mopar pass. carbuilt after about `75

[fatluckys]

There's a 54 Dodge p/u that I'm lookin' at buying with the volare clip, 318, etc. already done. But- if these donor cars turn out to be cheap enough, I might chop one up and stuff the clip and drivetrain in back of the garage for future use. (There's a possible trade for a 53 Ford panel truck, and I have a line on a couple other ealy 50's Dodge trucks.)

[purple]

<font color="purple"> Good thing about the Volare type front is it unbolts as a unit from the car, even with the steering box attached. When you put it in your project, you need to notch the frame so it sits in the crossmember, then fab new mounts for the upper arms. Then build your motor mounts on the crossmember. </font>

[atch]

they work great as long as you don't insist on the front bumper scraping the ground. if you're lookin' for SUPER LOW use a subframe or mII.

the cordoba uses a different torsion setup. the bars are parallel to the frame. the aspen/volare are perpendicular to the frame and in front of the wheel center. that's why you need that 20" of car/truck in front of the front axle line.

i put one in clarence about a dozen years ago and have driven it all over the country.

if you decide to do one pm me and i'll give you some tech info. 29ehv8 offered, too. between the two of us we should be able to answer any/all questions you come up with.

[Fat Hack]

It's a cool way to run Mopar power in a fat fendered car or older truck!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I knew a guy at Ford who put one into an old F100 and then griped about trying to get a small block Ford to fit in it right. I asked him "Why not run a 360 Mopar?" and he about choked!! Ha Ha...it was hillarious at the time...he thought nothing of running a Mopar subframe, yet the idea of a Chrysler V8 offended him terribly!!

Some hot rodder! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Roothawg]

Look for the Dodge aspen, Plymouth Volare,Dodge Diplomat, the LeBaron and a few others. Have the guy in the salvage yard look up the interchange manual. I would say 1978 up to about 84.

[29EHV8]

I build dropped a-arms for volare clips.drops the truck an extre couple of inches.
I just finally found and bought a 57 GMC burban.I've already got all the donor stuff to do it.Maybe I'll get out the camera and do a "how to" while I do the clip install........Shiny

[purple]

<font color="purple"> Oh, you can put a Volare in the weeds, the lower you get the frame in the clip, the lower the ride. My buddy's 53 was so low when it settled I could not get my toe under the front bumper. We had to adjust it all the way up. Downside to some people, you can't run airbags on this type torsion bar suspension. But there are bolts to wrench on the get the ride hieght you want. Also, when you first get it done, it should be higer than you want, they will settle down and need re-adjusting days after all the weight is on it.

It was really funny on my buddy's, it was not touched after the engine was set in, months later he went back to it and when he stepped on the front bumper to see how good it bounced, it dropped 3 inches. Since it hadn't been moved or touched at all, it hadn't settled until he budged it. </font>

[tragic59]

Here's a list of donor cars to look for. I just picked up a running '85 5th Ave for $200. Complete. So I get my front and rear ends, 318 motor, power disc brakes, power steering, etc. etc. etc. for $200.

76-80 Dodge Aspen
76-80 Plymouth Volare
77-89 Dodge Diplomat
82-89 Chrysler New Yorker
82-89 Chrysler Fifth Avenue
77-81 Chrysler LeBaron
82-up Plymouth Fury or Gran Fury
80-83 Chrysler Cordoba
80-83 Dodge Mirada
81-83 Chrysler Imperial

[fatluckys]

Awesome, thanks! I'll look you guys up when the time comes. I just checked the police auction listing and there's a couple donor mopars on it. We'll see if these rumors of $50-$100 auction cars are true...

[286merc]

Take a look over on the FTE site, they are doing a study and evaluation on all the various IFS's that can be put into 48 and up Ford trucks.
Some interesting comments. If you post just dont admit to a non Ford engine!

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&amp;forumid=41

[zon]

Don`t forget 5th Ave`s and pretty much any other RWD mopar pass. carbuilt after about `75
My '47 Dodge 4-Door has an '85 Fifth Avenue Donor. I'm using the motor, trans, rear end and some interior.
My question is whether the Front Clip can be reduced in track width or if I have to consider something else for the front end?

[flamed34]

I posted this up last night. Might be helpful:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=636521

[terryble]

Been there, done that, loved the ride and steering a lot. Some misconceptions though are; 1. adjust the ride height with the torsion adjustment, false every adjustment of the ride height via torsion adjustment changes the caster and the camber. 2. these front ends bend under use and self adjust the camber which affects the caster and steering caused the California Highway Patrol to discontinue using cars with this suspension, don't believe me check it out on line. I am not slagging the front end or people that use them but it's only fair to mention the downsides I think. I am still driveing my 51 Ford with the New Yorker clip and enjoy it a lot

[yardgoat]

Been there, done that, loved the ride and steering a lot. Some misconceptions though are; 1. adjust the ride height with the torsion adjustment, false every adjustment of the ride height via torsion adjustment changes the caster and the camber. 2. these front ends bend under use and self adjust the camber which affects the caster and steering caused the California Highway Patrol to discontinue using cars with this suspension, don't believe me check it out on line. I am not slagging the front end or people that use them but it's only fair to mention the downsides I think. I am still driveing my 51 Ford with the New Yorker clip and enjoy it a lot


Thats good to know ...thanks for your post...................YG

[oldcarfart]

Look for the Dodge aspen, Plymouth Volare,Dodge Diplomat, the LeBaron and a few others. Have the guy in the salvage yard look up the interchange manual. I would say 1978 up to about 84.

Make sure upper A arms torqued to specs (125 lbs?), wagons, taxi's and cop cars have extra bracing for upper A frame mounting bolts.

[oneredryderone]

many years ago an old leroi tex smith 'how-to-build mopars' book had a build on an early 50's dodge truck. using front and rear suspension and driveline from a cordoba----if my feeble memory is correct. all the how-to steps were outlined.

red

[Scotts Enterprises]

29EHV8,

PM sent...

[73RR]

When this thread was new, 7 years ago, there was alot better parts supply for the Volare/Aspen front end. Today, not so much. Some of the other Mopar units still have some support from RockAuto and such but everyday the supply thins out.
The Jag is probably a better choice.

.

[gdub]

I got everything to rebuild my Volare, except the torsion bar bushings, from O'reilly's. Got the bushings from polybushings.com. Had absolutely no problem finding parts.

[73RR]

That is good news. For awhile the basic supplies were nearly gone.

.