I have a 50 chevy styline that I'm going to subframe, probably with a 'G' body. Does anyone have photos of how to make the cuts. I don't think straight square cuts would be very strong when welded. I think some kind of notch on each frame would be better. I hope I explained it well enough. Any help would be appreciated
I'm all for the right subframe on the right car. If carefully matched, they CAN be better than a MII, regardless of the nay sayers. I used an early camaro on my 39 pontiac, and the frame widths matched so well, that the old frame "plugged into" the subframe, so it's a very strong connection and practically invisible, but I think it may be too wide for your car. If you're suspension bolts in like my 54, I'd go with a bolt in aftermarket, MUCH simpler! I'll bet you're gonna get some flak here for talking about a subframe, so just be prepared.
i would advice against it.. they are too wide for our body style.. i did a camaro front clip.. when lowered.. i couldnt get a finger in between the fenderwell and tire.. plus none of your front sheet metal bolts up any more.. you have to build new radiator supports.. cut the front stubs of the new frame because they go through the center of your grill... its just a mess. Yes it will work.. but i messed with mine for almost a year.. bought the clip for 500 bucks.. but after the time involved to try to make it work.. and buying material and parts.. junk yard trips buying different offset wheels to get them tucked in more.. i cut the clip off... welded my original frame back on.. and bought a Mustang II.. was intalled in a couple hours.. and all my stuff bolted right back up and works perfect. Been driving on it for 4 years no problems. Just my two cents!
I agree with the Mustang II or similar kits that allow you to use your frame. They're nice and clean and made to fit your car. Bob
Wow, why do these come up so often? It has been done, but it's not easy. or pretty. or a good fit. I went with a Mustang II front end, it went together in a few hours (accounting for beer)
heres a pic of my front wheel with a clip.. and one with out.. also the mustang II.. you can see how wide the subframes are. you can do a narrower frame.. maybe an S-10, but there is still alot of work involved to get everything to bolt up correctly. Cant beat "factory" location!
Camero is too wide. S-10 is too narrow. G-body is just right. As far as track width. Depending on how much work you wanna do ( bumper and sheetmetal mounts and radiator mount because they're front steer and box in the way of the stock stuff). The MII is easiest but cost the most in my exp. Lucky 13 Ft. Worth, Texas
On the 49-54 Chevy the Mustang II works the best <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> If you want to lower the car. I did mine over ten years ago, I have had several cars with different front ends and sub frames but I think my Chevy drives the best.
The Mustang is a claen and easy route. If you have the money to spend. G body and s10 are narrower and cheap. More work to make them fit yes. But it can be done
I used a Mustage II with my air ride on my 51 Chevy 2dr ht. In my opinion this is the best set up for your car. You can get disk brakes and rack & pinion streeing. all in one package. Works great and fits nice, and is easy to install.
check this out. Its a pain in the ass to deal with clips on these cars. Keep it stock or MII http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=713213
I will join the fray and tell you that your car is about the easist car on this planet to put a MustangII under, and done correctly with stock geometry and such, they work better than anything else, period. That unfortunately leaves out lots of the kits on the market because of comprimised goemetry. Whenever possible I use a stock crossmember, or if that's not an option, I have Elpolacko build what I need so I KNOW it's right. With that said though, if you absolutely MUST do a clip on your car, you could do no better that the '78-'87 A or G body clips. They are the right width (about 58"hub to hub versus 61" or so for most Camaros) and the frame rails have a good shape to meet up with the stock frame. The geometery is miles better than the Camaro stuff too. The biggest problem you will have is the front where the steering box, core support, radiator and all try to occupy the same spaces at the same time. In my opinion, this is why the "how do I put a rack and pinion in my S-10 clip" threads start almost every week, too. They are just too narrow to package well. It called painting yourself into a corner... The best way to do this in my opinion, is to pull the springs off of the clip, make some temporary spacers to hold the clip at ride height, pull the front suspension off the car and block it at ride height and level. measure where the wheel base and the frames match closest and make you cuts there. It helps a bunch to know exactly what wheels and tire sizes you intend to run BEFORE you pull this deal off too. Lot's more work than a Mustang II...
it really amazes me does't anyone own a tape measure anymore? check out some of the other brands of small trucks because they work great also.
It amazes me no one understands the stock front suspension UNBOLTS off the frame. There is no reason to cut up the frame on these cars! Can't afford a Mustang II kit? Use a Jaguar XJ front end - they also unbolt - and fab a couple upper shock mounts. Tons less work and you get all the same benefits, and a better front end at that. No way do I want a rot-prone G-body rubbery flex frame under anything but a G-body.
heres what u run into on these situations..... mustang II : easy to put in but costs alot., subframes are cheap but tons of labor and fab work,, not intended for a beginner
Rusty new yorker brings up another good point. The Jag XJ is a perfect width and a very nice one piece sefl-contained unit that is common as dirt. I have honestly never installed one in anything, but it would be a great candidate for this car. Given my druthers though, I'd still go MustangII.
If you have to ask where to cut for a clip, don't do it. Personally, I wouldn't clip a frame without a frame table.
AMEN!!! I've seen guys set up on jack stands...then shim with thin metal...then cut stuff loose, and the whole thing just rolls to the right (or left) I've also seen strap and angle iron clamped across, "Yeh, thet'll hold it..." and then the clip gets jacked into place, "O.K., tack it there..." If it wasn't 'precious metal', it would be laughable.
This question comes up often.....A year or three ago (I looked for it and I cannot find it) I did a very comprehensive comparison in a thread that another gent started compairing the costs between clipping and MII....I broke it out line by line. what I found was that while the initial cost of the clip is cheap....by the time you rebuild it to the same shape that a new mainstream MII was in, materials, fab work and other various costs (the hassle factor was free) that you were money ahead going with a MII system. I for one know I will never clip another car or truck ever again. good luck finding my old post....hope you can as it was a good one and very applicable cause I aint been able to find it again.
117harv....that one is ok (the one I wrote you posted) there was another one I wrote before the server crash and i havent been able to find it scince....(I had it broken out by cost after I looked at all of my reciepts for rebuilding the clip I had in the AD) regardless the one you posted is mediocre (on my part) and hopefully the OP can use some of whats in that thread....thanks!
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