Modified Guys-A Little Help here!

Howza Bruthas,
s I struggle to get my son's ride RIGHT, I finally have the frame being welded with a 18" kickup in the rear. I reversed the Model A frame horns to give it an additional drop. Suicide mounted front axle is targeted and for the rear,well, i was going to use a banjo rear for looks and old timey feel. However, with a smallblock Ford, I fear the boy tearing it apart and the feverish scramble for parts to get the rig going again.
Here are my questions.
I was recently given a rear out of a '99 S-10(thanx to Danny of the Flapjacks and Brutha James) that seems to be a near perfect match for the rear of the car. I think that may be the target. Use the Model A rear spring and adapt some mounts for the Ford trailing arms. Is this a good choice? What ya think?
Also, for the steering box I have two options, an early Ford box with the steering column intact( Late 30's early 40's) or I was also given a F-Body steering box that has a quick ratio. Which would be better? The F-Body piece would need some extra pieces to have it work, but could be a really cool piece done Sprint Car style.
ALSO, floorboards. Is plywood okay?
Thanx in advance for the help.

 

18" Z?!?! Good lord, man. show us some pictures.

I'm not sure how much abuse the banjo rears can take, but I would have to assume a limited amount. S-10 rears, I know, can take any good small-block. The V8/S10 crowd regularly runs built 400 SBCs in front of those axles.

Maybe let us know how much power the SBF is putting out?
d

 

A 99 S-10 rear is a 7 5/8" ring gear with 28(?) spline axles, making a stronger unit than the older G-body, F-body, and S-10. While I blew apart my fair share of them in my teens, they were in cars MUCH heavier than a modified. They are kinda ugly though. 8" Fords are inexpensive and ,in my opinion, look good.


I'd run the F-1 box just for the ease of it. You could play with pitman arm length to speed the steering.
You could loop the hoses on the F-body box to eliminate the need for a power steering box, but once again, they are ugly(and big).


Karl

 

Plywood floor is just fine. it had better be, or i'll have to take mine [ what there is of it] out. now for steering, you best check the turns lock to lock. most of them are slow, i.e 5 plus turns lock to lock. that's how many turns i have in mine and it's to slow. i'm putting in a 35 ford that is 3.5 turns . have fun.

 

Heya Foul,
Since the car will weigh squat the SBF will remain relativly stock. A little head work, a four barrell intake with a Y adapter with two Ford 94's atop it. Defeats performance, I know, but looks cool enough.
So on the steering box, I'd love to shorten it and have it mounted so the pitman is kicking out of the cowl, any suggestions?
Thanx as always...

 

Whatever you do,make sure you make the mounts for a cowl-steering box atleast TWICE as strong as you think you need...
Better to do it right the first time.

....Dont ask me how I know.......