I want to do a front sub.. In my truck but I dont want to send 3 grand doing it 1500 for a mustang II front end and thats every thing thats needed .??? or 300 bucks and all the coast of rebuilding a shit box you buy off craigs list so my question is what is cheaper ???
Well I'm pretty sure there are a few threads on what will fit your 58' chev? I'd go 2nd gen. Camaro/Trans Am..
Here is another thread covering some stuff you asked... HERE: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=560049&highlight=clipping+chevy+truck
If you are a scrounger like most gearheads, you can come up with a 2nd gen sub cheap and go from there. They fit great and ride like cadillac. If you're not a good welder/fabricator, then find someone that is.
Thanks i know it will work just want to get more bang for my buck and make sure that all the coast is cheaper .The fabs no problem i just dont want it to be 100 bucks from the mustang II and 10 hour less work . More time down is less time behind the wheel ..The last time i put a front end under my chevy II the bushing and tie rod ends all the stuff to make it safe coast about 700 hundred . just hope some one have done both of them and can say go this way
Ive done both and the camaro is more work and cheaper but the must II is easier. If you drive your truck hard/corner burner, must II wont be as good in my opinion. And with that statement, I'll get some flack from the police.
Depends if you shell out the money for updating the A-Arms to a more modern tubular set with poly bushing stuff.
S10's going to be too narrow for that big '58 Chevy truck. And you can still find second-gen Camaros and Firebirds for cheap. I even have one I'm thinking of cutting up, I swapped for a car I had $300 in.
Don't cut a perfectly good frame. Check out fatmans classic front crossmember. It uses GM 1/2 ton dropped spindels,12" disc brakes off the shelf pads and calibers. Blind Elwood
I myself have had the early camaro subframe on my truck since the early 90s and have had not one issue. It rides great it is alot more heavy duty compared to the MII, but there is more work to putting one in. I have also put in a MII on one of these trucks and frankly I am glad the guy is happy with it because I feel for what he paid it should ride alot better. No it was not my first install. Anyone who asks I will always push for the early nova camaro or ventura clip. The rear steer units look alot cleaner when finished and will give you years of reliablility. The later clips have the steering box up front and just are not as nice looking when done. but thats just me. Im not going to say it is much cheaper because really it is not. If done right you should spend around 3 to 400 bucks for a clip that will in most cases need a rebuild witch can be another 350 bucks or so. Then theres steering linkage you can do the rear steer with 2 joints and a small section of d shaft witch is around 200 add 150 if it is front steer. that puts you around 1100 bucks. I have seen some really cheap MII kits go for around 1200 hub to hub and thats before steering I know. dont hold me to those costs Iam just ballparking what I believe I spent in the last few years. Im just giving you some idea of the costs I have seen. If it were me I would go clip all the way even with the more work involved and close price, YOU WILL BE HAPPIER in the end.
im not a fan of the clip jobs... had a camaro clip in my chevy.. what a nightmare... went back to my original frame and just bought the MII... totally happy with it... but here is a good thread on clipping a 58 truck.. hope it helps ! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=148978&highlight=camaro+clip
I wouldn't do either! A Corvette is a very easy install and gets you MUCH Better steering geometry, Bigger Brakes, Lighter weight etc. Buy a complete Corvette front end from a wrecker for about $500.00 and the install kit from Flatout Engineering for $800.00 http://www.flatout-engineering.com/ Here is a link to an article I wrote on doing it and it is far superior to the others mentioned and you don't butcher your stock frame and have to build all the mounts for the radiator, Core support, bumper etc like you do with a clip. http://customclassictrucks.automotive.com/62642/0509cct-1955-chevy-series-2-truck/index.html I have installed a bunch of these and wouldn't even consider anything else anymore.
"" rides like a Cadillac "" ... no it didn't. probably rode more like a Camaro with truck suspension in the back. my 62 Caddy rode like a Cadillac. I like MII.
A guy named LUXBLUE (i think) has a huge thread about doing the camaro clip on one of these. I've done this swap and the MII. a lot of the "cheapness" fades away when doing the camaro clip from rebuilding the front end, etc... if you can find a good used clip that wouldn't require much more than new brake pads, shcks, etc...you'd be ahead. also, time is a consideration. I didn't do it the way LUXBLUE did (his way is faster) and mine was quite time consuming. (I think it's No-Limit Engineering that has a video on this swap) MII will get you on the road faster. in my opinion, it's a toss up except for one thing, I can go to any auto parts store or junk yard and get parts for my Camaro clip, not so much with a MII.
I have had a sub frame 67 chevy truck and drove like a dream . I have a 51 truck with MII but its never been done and i have lost interest and its a 90's pro street lost project...
Since I had a M-II fail spectacularly, I vote clip. Search the web for "mustang II failure" and you'll be a bit shocked. This one seemed the best discussion. This one addresses my own failure, without input from me (I discussed the issue only on the HAMB) Cosmo (the first to report M-II failure, I think)
I wonder if the later Jaguar XJ sedan front ends - the ones from like 87-up, that are too wide for a 49-54 Chevy car - would work on these? Can you take the stock front end off and leave the frame itself intact?
X2 here with Meddler on most all counts. I have a 78 Nova Front Steer clip under our 57 Chevy Truck for 9 years now and love it. Clips are a little wide if you like em low and have full turning radius. I have driven the same style truck with a MM II and there was no comparison. Also, it may have just been the installation of that particular MM II, but the front crossmember seemed quite low. I like the forward steer clips as you don"t have the exhaust interference seen with some of the rear steers.
The Jalopy Journal
