The ol 49 - 54 chevy front end debate

Hey kids

The front end on my 53 chevy is a bit tired: the control arm bushings are worn, springs are dead and bottom out a whole bunch, front brake drums put the whole car high on the Richter scale when pulling up, so on and so forth. Anyway, I was lamenting these soon to be done repairs to a friend and he suggested I change to a HT Holden front end. Apparently they bolt in real nice. My first impression was to reject the idea. I like my 53 Chevy being mostly just that - a 53 Chevy. Having said that, the sensible part of me is suggesting I investigate this further, I understand it could be a very good move in a few ways.

Now, what is everyone's knowledge on the front end swap? My front end needs a bunch of work and I hate that the steering gets away on me on the fast sweeping turns, its quite dangerous. After all this is my daily driver and it needs to be as sensible as such an old tank can be. I'd like to go SBC in the future also, and one of the legalities in Australia is that you must have disc brakes if you do an engine swap of 15% or larger increase in engine capacity, and the HT swap would help me out there.

Any thoughts? I'd be up for keeping the stock front end if I can make it handle really well, but at present its kinda like doing slalom in a shopping trolley. All of your opinions are valued, thanks in advance.

 

Jaguar front ends are also a good source, and upgrading the master cylinder for disc brakes is a snap.

 

I wouldnt waste the money on it unless its a restoration. Dont know anyhting about Holdens but theres lots of good stuff from Fatmans etc

 

There's two different answers here. I don't understand people swapping out a perfectly good front end on one of these cars. In good condition they work absolutely fine.

Now, if yours is worn out and needs replaced and you have other motives (the V8 swap you mention) do what you want.

 

I just did a full rebuild on my 50's front. Wasn't too expensive in my opinion (about $360 U.S.). Made a huge difference in the handleing. I don't think changing the suspension is going to help bottoming out. That will likely be fixed with new shocks assuming the springs are not completely shot.

As for brakes, I upgraded mine to discs about 12 years ago. Used a kit from Master Power Brakes. Was real easy to put in and has worked well for me. I did a power master cylinder conversion at the same time. No issues stopping with the V8 in it.

 

Nothing wrong with the stock front end on your Chevy. I rebuilt mine and installed it in my 38 Chevy with a 350/350. A disc brake upgrade would be nice to get rid of those old expensive ball bearings and upgrade to roller bearings. If yours is a daily driver, you probably don't want it down for too long.

 

He is in australia. Lets all follow along. It is cheaper to do a swap, and fits within the law. by the time you rebuild the front end, upgrade to discs, get lowered uprights, you have spent the money to buy a mustang II. For very few $ you can get a parts car and presto change-o. replacement parts are cheaper, and more importantly, accessible in Australia.

 

That doesn't have anything to do with what I said.

He isn't going to be outside of the law in rebuilding what he has either, unless it would seem he wanted to definately go larger displacement.

This seems Deja Vu. All costs being equal, I'm sticking with what it came with.

 

The front suspension on my car bottoms out because the springs have in a past life had a coil cut, and coupled with that they are very old and saggy. The shocks, however, are brand new. I do have a nice re engineered idler arm and rebuilt the steering box a little while ago. I think most of my steering maladies lie in the shabby condition of the coils. If I can get nice, stiff coils in the front I'm sure everything will be fine. Still, what can be said about the steering getting away on me on the banking turns? At their best, these old steering boxes have zero play only when the sector roller is at top dead centre to the worm gear. As you steer, play is introduced as the roller distances itself from the worm (even though the worm gear compensates by getting bigger towards the front and back, it still doesn't work completely).

 

Jasper, I was considering a front end swap in my 54 Dodge Kingsway, to something like a HT/HG. But then i looked at the amount of work required. Pull the engine & front sheetmetal, remove all the suspension & the crossmember, modify, line everything up, & so on & so on. Not to mention all the piss I would have to drink in the process. I've decided to recon the original front end, convert to discs (P76 with a bearing change) and maybe put a rack & pinion on. Just a 1 carton job now!

My original steering is like I'm driving on ice.

Louie

 

A front end swap can be ambitious I agree. So is your steering pretty sketchy now?

 

The jaguar suspension bolts on similar to the stock suspension. Still cheaper than rebuilding stock. Way cheaper than a mustang II. Still gives you the disc brakes you need for a v8 upgrade. And best of all, available on your continent.
Pictures here.
More opinions here
More Here
And some final install options here.

 

Haven't driven the car for a couple of years now (laid up in the shed - other priorities), but it was all over the shop. Everything is just worn out. I plan to start pulling it down once winter really sets in...

My hands would be going from 2 - 4 o'clock just keeping the bastard straight on the road. At about 50 mph I'd get a wobble in the left wheel.

Scary shit.

Louie

 

Sounds like the front end is too worn out. Mine runs straight and true to over 100 mph with no issues. It does start to feel a little "floaty" though. It's rock solid at 70 mph.

 

I have been pondering the same thing for my 49 fleetline. I am aware of all the swaps out there. ultimately I think the mII is the best way to go but cost can be a big factor. untill you put on disc brakes and dropped uprights and airbags and...... I can't help but always go back to the MII. when you get all the parts in hand it is a very easy swap that reallistically doesnt take that much time. a compitent mechanic with some fab skills could have it done in a 2, 10 hour day weekend with a pal or 2.

 

Said it before and I'll say it again....Ever drive a Mustang II? Biggest piece of s**t on the road! They flip over on a straight road. Been there, done that! The stock front was good enough for Corvettes to '62. Rebuild it and forget the Pinto crap.

 

Drove a 48 buick the other day with a stock front end. That thing felt really nice. As good as any non power steering vehicle I've driven. I'm not sure that they're much like the chevy ones. It shows that old design doesn't always equal sloppy though.

 

Given it costs a small fortune to ship parts to Australia - trust me, I've sent a few things over there over the years - I would look at the Jag or the Holden - but here in the US no one's going to know much about the Holden, maybe there are some Aussie sites with more info on them.

I know the Jag is the all around easiest and cheapest swap for a good handling car here in the US - for what the M-II kits cost you could buy four or five beater Jags, strip the front ends out, and get most of your money back at the scrapper for the rest of the car even if you use nothing else. (I hear the seats in them are pretty nice, too).

From what I've seen, swapping the Jag in is as simple as making a triangle shaped plate for each side and welding it up - it seems one pair of holes already lines up. Then make an upper shock mount, and swap in a shaft or complete column from a later model GM car, hang your power steering box and - done. They even have the same wheel bolt pattern as the Chevy, so your stock wheels bolt back on if you want, or whatever you were running.

I'm trying to talk my buddy out of one to use myself -

 

just a few more thoughts. I think mustang ll suspensions that I have driven are to fast, lack road feel and seem twitchy and cost 2500+ installation. dropped spindles and air bag are extra.
rebuilding a stock front end about 400 plus springs and disc brake if needed.
I'm old and don't have a problem driving old cars. they were sweet when new and can be made to handle safely under 100mph

 

How can you possibly not like the front end setup under your 53 Chevy? It was used virtually unchanged under Corvettes from 53-62, yes America's Sports Car!

Which explains why a set of tie rod ends for 53-54 passenger cars may be be priced at $150 set whereas the exact same pieces are offered at $350-up set for the slightly more arrogant and perhaps ignorant Corvette owners.

 

picking up a jag front and rear for my 53 tomorrow night. considered rebuilding the stock front end but shipping costs make it way too expensive same for the MII, also considered the ht/hk holden front end but the jag came up first plus it was really cheap.
Brad

 

Sorry don't know how far you have looked into this, or maybe it has been mentioned, but im also from Australia and you do realise you have to have that swap engineered?
meaning paying an engineer to come check out your car ($80+ an hour from when he gets in his car to when he gets home) then you need the swap to be done (at least $1,000+, not including purchase of HT front end) then your engineer needs to come check it out again and say "yey, or nay".
Went through the same thoughts with my 52 chev, ive got a mates old man who has a 55 chev (i know, slightly different setup) with original (original in that its not swapped out) front end with a worked 454 in it, street registered.
in short, I'll be keeping my front end and reco-ing it, id recommend you to do the same, unless you have deep pockets.
thats my 2c ...

 

^ agree with ryan272
I have a 53 & 54 chev sedan projects and i previously looked at putting a holden front end in the 54 (till i aborted that project) (going to straight axle gasser it). The thing that came up was the engineering, and being 3hrs from perth i'd have to trailer it up and back etc, etc,
Anyway if you find out some details on a place for chev frontend parts i'd be interested, and i'd be great if you could post it up, or pm, cheers mate

 

Looks like several on here are doing an upgrade swap. Looks like to me there will be several front ends in Australia that you could get springs and parts from.

 

If your swapping to a v8 at a later date you are going to have to have it engineered anyway, and if discs are needed for the swap you will have to have those engineered as well. i am in the same position want to swap to a v8 and have discs for an extra bit of safety and have spoken to an engineer and the rta and it seems to me(and my engineer) that the swap be it holden or jag or whatever you choose is the best option.
Brad

 

you'll need some of this if you are going to rebuild or modify the stock front end

http://www.guffsturdpolish.com/products.html

 

Said it before and I'll say it again....Ever drive a Mustang II? Biggest piece of s**t on the road! They flip over on a straight road. Been there, done that! The stock front was good enough for Corvettes to '62. Rebuild it and forget the Pinto crap.

the only 'pinto' parts on my 49 are the spindles and rack. you might want to do a little reading on the subject of aftermarket MII based suspensions.

 

why even take a chance? Mustang II is the way to go...you can set it up for anything u want weather that be performance, comfort, or air ride..

 

one of my favorite subjects. bump....

you know what I'd like to see?? comparison between a MII 49-54 and a Jag 49-54. two or more real cars compare actualy driving and cost and all that other important stuff. jag might be the new MII...

nobody has made a kit? they got kits for everything now-a-days.

 

So you don’t like the FATMAN ultra low Mustang II in your 49?