I have a 1957 Potiac, and am going to update the front end on it. It doesn't really drive that good, and the brakes are lousy. When I acquired the car in 2010 all front en and brake parts were brand new. From the beginning I was almost stunned at the lack of brake performance. Now I'm planning on converting to ball joints ('57 as the last year with king pins), dual-circuit, disc brakes, vacuum booster and a hanging pedal. I already converted to power steering. Any tips and thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. I want to use (mostly) new parts, and retain the 5 on 5" wheel bolt pattern, otherwise I'm open for suggestions. I live in Europe, so getting '58 control arms might be difficult or impossible.
Clip it with your choice of donor or custom control arms I personally would not do a mustang II but that's another option Sent from my VS996 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
DO NOT 'CLIP' IT....not yet, anyway.....leaving now for an important family gathering...be back in a few hours. Ray
On my 56 Pontiac I used a Scarebird kit and it worked out well. https://scarebird.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=63&product_id=78 The most difficult part for me was fabbing up a bracket to hold a dual reservoir master cylinder in the original location I used a 73 Chevy truck manual cylinder. (no pics due to photobucket) I'm sure there's different guys that did theirs a different way maybe easier As far as the front end goes I don't think you will gain much with a 58 set of arms in drivability, these cars drive pretty good if every thing is in good shape In my opinion, replace everything that is worn in the front end, make sure the zillion grease fittings all take grease, get a good alignment. and keep the front end greased often. Good Luck
Research is your friend, hanging peddles on a Pontiac are tough but a Scarebird conversion with the Kingpins may be the best way to go. The major advantage of ball joints is the ability to crank in more caster & If you really need ball joints, the '58 control arms is the best way to go. And yes, Pontiac screwed up the braking in '57 by going to 14" wheels. Stupid! Got pictures?
Okay...the two posts above offer good advice. I had found the near unobtainium '58 Pontiac A arms to convert my '38 Buick, but could not readily find a spindle that seemed to be workable for various reasons and sold the A arms a few years ago.. I think your goals for your '57 would be better served by keeping the stock suspension parts and doing the disc conversion recommended. Ray
Why not clip it? 58 control arms are impossible to find or out of price range. Not being a dick, asking for myself as I am leaning this way on my on build 54 2dr hardtop in need of total front suspension rebuild and might have to find stock control arms Sent from my VS996 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
On my '57 PU I used a '77 Impala SW front clip for a 5 on 5 bolt pattern to match my Lincoln disc brake rear. Wagon with 7" wide wheels was the same width, outside of tire to outside of tire, as the stock skinny 16" tires on the PU. A bonus was the steering column lined up perfectly with the box and cleared the BBC exhaust. I have heard but can't confirm that the early Sevilles used a front stub like a Camero/Nova, etc. with a 5 on 5 pattern. Also Astrovan may be another possibility.
The early Sevilles are for sure 4.75 for '76 and '77.......IIRC in '78 they went to 5"..and I know for sure they were 5" bolt circle for '79. I adapted the 5" bolt circle (one piece rotor hub) to Mustang II spindles to match a 5" BC '79 Seville rear end on a project '54 GMC pickup some years ago. I later discovered the Chevrolet pickup 5" BC rotors from the '80s are essentially the same rotor. The '76 thru '79 Seville used a front frame section very similar to the Camaro/Nova but beefier. The Seville was based off of the Nova platform, but much modified in the process. They are also front steer, unlike early rear steer Camaro/Nova, which also went to front steer about '75 or so. Front steer setups swapped into a rear steer chassis body creates complications around the core support in particular. Also can make mounting the bumper grille assembly difficult. The reason I suggested NOT clipping the car is because I believe the OP can get what he wants without that radical a change to his chassis. It seems brakes are his main problem and that is relatively easy to address. Correctly chosen springs, shocks and tires, along with all front end components being in very good or better condition, will do the rest. Ray
You are in Finland?? Is it a Canadian built car?? If so it's as easy as ordering any parts for a 57Chevy. Canadian cars used Chevy undercarriages. Any Danchuk, CPP, or other aftermarket stuff bolts in...
Post a few pictures, I've never seen the front end on one. Whoa, pretty weird front end set up, no doubt. The pix show an under-chassis dual master set up. https://www.gocars.org/for-sale-view-10239/1957-pontiac-star-chief-in-fairfield-california-94534 If the front end is otherwise in good shape, just do the brakes.
Mr57 is correct in that the 1957 Canadian built Pontiac were Chev based and used the same chassis, suspension including the ball joint front end as the 57 Chev, however if its a USA made 57 Pontiac then its the kingpin suspension.........andyd
One clarification regarding Seville wheel lug circle diameter ...the 5" BC rotors do not interchange with the earlier 4.75" BC rotors. The rotors on the 5" BC are larger diameter and the integral calipers brackets are of different dimensions as a consequence. IIRC they may also use a different wheel bearing set. To use the 5 BC rotor/caliper on the earlier model you must change the spindle too. The spindle is the same as some Pontiac Trans Am and likely a few other GM models as well.. Ray
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