I am about to pull the trigger on getting a 38 Chevy 5 window Coupe. I want to buld a 60's style hotrod I was thinking of going the m-2 route for the front but I am exploring the feasability of dropping the stock fron axle. Chassis engineering sells a disc brake setup for the stock front end along witha tube shock kit. Sid at droppedaxels.com can drop the front axle up to 3". Has anyone gone this route before? What did you do for steering? Saginaw or Vega I guess. Or would I be better off just going with the M-2? Thanks in advance. Todd
I went with the M-2 setup and think it is far suprior to a solid axel in performance and handling. Ride height is also very adjustable with the M-2 Charlie
Thanks Charlie, The guy I'm buying the car from has a 37 coupe that he built 20+ years ago. He is running a dropped axle wit a sway bar and says it handle very well. Just looking for othe experiences and opinions. Todd
i went m11 by fatman in my 38 pu. havnt driven it yet but it was easy to fit with a substantial crossmember,stainless arms ,and coilovers,anti roll bar available too.ive seen other lighter crossmembers by other companies wasnt impressed
Tug , if you want a true 60's vibe on the car either drop the stock axle or go with a 49-54 front cross member and suspension. This was a common swap in the day and it would look much more at home that a mustang set-up. You can get dropped spindles and disc brake s for them if so desired. I swapped the stock I-beam for a mustang II style on my 36 pick-up and have regretted it ever since. just my opinion. Mitch.
I went with the 54 front end on mine. Works great. Mine is a Master Deluxe and had the junk knee action factory front end in it.
Mitch, I built a 50 Chevy sedan so I am familiar with the stock front end. The 38 frame is the same design (tophat). Will the 49-54 crossmember bolt into the 38 frame? I'm sure all the holes would have to be drilled and so on. Is it a pretty straight forward swap? Thanks, Todd
I really don't remember 60s hot rods to being low,if thats the era you'r shooting for I would keep it as true to the year that you choose {almost every year or two had its own look or variance of it }and keep in mind that a lot of street cars mimicked the drag cars of the times.. keep the straight axel if you want 60s {even with all its draw backs}....or go with the IFS if you just want a hot rod that drives like a newer car.....
This is almost a clone of my 38 Chevy coupe that I put 2 different engines in before Uncle Sam called and I was forced to sell it in 1968. Mine had chrome front wheels because that was the only fancy wheel available for the 6 lug pattern. I bought them used when a buddy with a custom 41 Chevy convertible updated his brakes to 5 lug drums. Even changing the front drums to 5 lug pattern was a pretty big deal back then. There was not a lot of information on the change in that time period. Even the Corvair and 49-54 front suspension transplants weren't popular until the 70s. Don't take this the wrong way but I don't think you want a 60s style hotrod. It sounds to me like you want a late 70s streetrod. There is nothing wrong with that. It's just not what was available in the 60s. Build what you want the way you want it but it will not be a 60s style hotrod. 60s hotrods were pretty crude and not very cushy. The straight axle nose in the air look did not ride like a Cadillac. It rode like a gasser. It was pretty cool bouncing along way up there. Streetrods really started in the 70s with the trend toward cushy rides with power windows, independent front ends, disc brakes, tilt wheels and cruise control. Sorry for the rant but I just want to keep our history straight. If no one challenges your ideas then they will become internet gospel. That is what I'm trying to avoid.
Tommy, Thanks for the info. I guess your right, maybe it's not a 60's hotrod. I want it low with a slight nose down rake. Wide whites with steelies and spidercaps. Here is a pic of the direction I am leaning, except for the wheels. Todd
That's more like a 80s streetrod that somebody put the wide whites on to try and join the nostalgia craze. JMHO When I built my sport coupe in the 90s I had a guy come up and tell me that his very nice Deuce 5W got no attention at all until he put wide whites on it. Like I keep saying build what you like.
Tug,I honestly can't tell you exactly what's involved in the install. I'm sure its easier than a Mustang set-up. If it were my car, I would just keep the I-beam if there are no weird handling issues beacuse that what looks best on those year cars. Good luck Tug. Mitch
I went with a mustangII cause I like the low look plus it rides good for long rides and handles very well too. It's what ever you prefer, I like em both ways.
Tug, If you are looking for this style drop... best to go with the Mustang II I have had everything from 54 chevy front, Corvair, Camaro Subframes and straight axles but the mustang II worked the best, more adjust ability and if you want bigger brakes on the front or dropped spindles, power, non power rack it has it all. JMO
You can get the front axle dropped can't you? My father in law has a '31 that we were going to swap in a dropped '39 axle with '54 Chevy brakes. I also think you can get a little more by flattening the front crossmember maybe. There used to be a company that made a drop axle for Chevy's but they went out of business. ALSO!!! Instead of going through the M2 idea, I believe that '39 Chevy's had a factory independent suspension that could get the car down really low. BigO here on the Hamb swapped his axle out for a independent and I think his car is a tail dragger.
Went with a Mustang ll in my 37 coupe went done the road just fine with a power rack. Beside the fat fenders cover up the M ll ugly. Just for what its worth a M ll is a much better selling point then a straight axle.
When I had the strait axle in my 38 delivery, I used a Saginaw power box, I used a mount that Chassis engineering sells for the app. I had to use fender well exhaust because of where the steering box was, handled OK for what it was I changed to M2 to get a better ride and handling, and like others have said, you can't see it.
Both these cars are set up the same- 2 1/2 or 3" mordrop dropped axles, stock steering (with power added to the 37) and homemade disc brake set ups. The 39 has been on the road since 1980, the 37 since 88. While I can't recommend the stock steering because of the difficulty in getting decent parts for rebuilding any more, I've got no other complaints. If you go beam and want to retain the draglink style steering I think a early Mustang box is the way tho go. See-http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=338668
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