I have a '55 2 door that has been in the garage for the last 10 years that I am finally starting to get somewhere with. Here is my dilema: I am going to put in a c-4 front and rear suspension along with a LS1 or LS2 engine/trans set up. I want something that rides like today's sport cars, but looks, well like a 55 belair. My current frame is Ok except that in the past someone clipped a camaro front end to the thing and did a REALLY SHITTY job. So that has got to come off. I already have 1984 corvette C4 parts including the front cradle. I have seen some very nice conversions of the front end that don't look impossble to do, and I have a blueprint of all the specs for the frame measurements. So here is the choice, either cut and weld up a new front end along with some slight modifications to the rear of the frame so I can bolt the rear suspension up and add a triangulated cross member for support, or just go buy a new custom frame and bolt it my parts on it. Cost like anything is a factor and so is the ability to look at what you have done and point and say I DID THAT! But so is my sanity and the frame of the car is something that makes me a little nervous about. So here it goes what do you guys here think. Any sugestions on frame fabricators-good and bad service, reasonable and rediculous prices, good and poor product. I have looked at 4 or 5 of them and the prices and configurations are as different as the colors I could paint the car! If anyone has actually done the conversion themselves on their own frame and can give pointers or suggestions would love to here that as well. Let me have it! Brandon
i've done lots, the rear is easy the front requires new rails made from where your stearing box is forward 10 gauge works good
Best frame for a `55 Bel Air is a `55-6-7 Bel Air frame. Anything else is reinventing the wheel, man.
Def Art Morrison, we're doing a 68 charger with an Art Morrison frame and the quality is out of this world. Worth spending the extra $
i helped a guy put an Art Morrsion chassis under a `56 a few years ago , it worked out nice if you are going to build your own chassis , i suggest getting a different frame to start with
I had looked at their website but I could not find anything for c4 parts. They use c5 front ends and custom rear ends. I want to stick with c4 parts all around. Did I miss a page on their site cause I liked what I saw? B
Morrison is the way to go. I currently have two of their chassis under two of my rides. Awesome stuff. Call them and ask for Kevin K. Super knowledgable people.
Just a few pics & info that I have found so far. I am currently trying to plan a similar build. 1956 Bel Air, '87 C4 suspension w/ D36 (on the look out for a D44), 2005 LQ4/4L80E. Anyway, thought I would post them up. http://www.picturetrail.com/chevynut http://www.picturetrail.com/55chevdelray http://www.picturetrail.com/56-210sedan http://www.picturetrail.com/tuned55 http://www.trifive.com/garage/56%20C...anual/2-17.gif http://www.wadesgarage.com/gallery/m...g2_itemId=2059 http://www.linger.com/nomad/Chassis.htm http://groups.msn.com/OtherChevCarsL...ut.msnw?Page=3 http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=479 As far as I know http://www.progressiveautomotive.com is the only company that sells a C4 suspension conversion kit for the tri-fives. Even that is to rich for my blood at the moment, so I am looking for C4 frame/suspension blueprints. David