PLEASE ADVISE: Front Subframe for 50 Buick?? Use??

My brother is ready to update his 50 Sledback with some modern technology. His main purpose for doing this is to be able to install a GM product V-8 and disc brakes. Next would be the rearend, any suggestions.

Thanks,

tudor40 "it's all in the name"

 

Measure the frame width behind the engine...that would be the determining factor...and the wheel/tire width at the front...early Nova's/Camaro's ('67-'70) are the narrowest and they are rear steer...later subs use a front steer and are a bit wider.

You certainly don't want to have the problem of the wheels/tires sticking outside the front fenders...or even with them and then have to radius the wells to clear.

I've installed a '78 Pontiac Trans Am sub in my '55 Cadillac...the car itself is plenty wide to not have to worry about the wheels/tires hitting anything when it turns...and of course, the sub is front steer...and that has caused a few problems, but nothing major...and it has disc brakes...

As for a rear end...use a Ford 8" or 9"...

R-

 

It's easy to narrow the frame up to fit. I would measure from the centerline of the wheels to the front sheetmetal and bumper mounts to make sure you have room for a front steer frame like a camaro. What are the front body mounts like. If they have the tower mounts like the chevys it makes grafting a real chalange. I'm not real familiar with the 50 buick but I picture it being a big car. Bigger the car the easier it all goes together. You have pictures?
Jeff

 

My Bro-in-Law runs a '81 Caddy front and rear clip in his '50 Buick Sedanette.
He is a H.A.M.B. member and I'm sure he'd let you know all he knows about it. PM him at Rick (rags) Clyne.
Later

 

+1- That should be damn close...

 

I just put a '73 Nova rear steer in a '53 buick that I'm doing for my wife. It's a good fit. When you cut the Buick frame,the cut seems best done where the X-member comes to the front of the fire wall. If you do this right the sub will slide right into the Buick frame with the X-member on the inside of the sub frame and the Buick frame rails on the out side of the subframe. It makes a neat and strong joint. I used trailing arms from a '65 Chev truck to mount the rear. They slide up int the X-member and work good. Getting the front pivots in place for the trailing arms was the hardest part. I used the stock panhard bar and currently have the stock springs under the car. Air ride is going to be installed. The car is still under construction so I don't have any handling and ride info for you

 

my 50 caddy i used a rear steer camaro/nova clip and it was a problem to set the steering box up with power steering.(just not enough room with the u joint angles)

when i do another early caddy i will use a jaguar 73-86 xj6 78-88 xjs subframe alot less work better/bigger brakes and rack n pinion steering. plus it is engineered for a 4000 lb car. there is also no cutting off of the front frame rails keeping all the front end sheet metal mounts stock.

 

Thanks so much for the info, time to make some decisions. Has anyone done the Jag swap? I also like the info on Camaro/Nova subframe. What's the best year model?

 

The Jag swap is what people often do over here.
This link shows a swap done on 1955 F100, just to give you the idea.

http://www.uk-hotrods.co.uk/v2/garage_scene/me/page_1.php

brake wise....the jag calipers are 4 pot standard and they work better than the GM 70's one you'll find on the mentioned subframes. The only "expensive" part is usually the rack and pinion.

 

Camaro/Nova started off with drum brakes ('67)...the later subs have disc brakes but I don't know what year they changed. So, if you want discs, you'll need to find the later subs...

R-

 

Very true!
It even has the same bolt pattern as a chevy.

 

Thanks, there is one for a 67 69 Camaro on Ebay right now, starting bid is 500.00

 

We're finishing up a 48 Cadillac sedanette, Lux and crew figgered out a mid-70s Trans Am was perfect..the sudframe fit snug just inside and up against the Cadillacs frame and we were able to get almost two feet of welding in rather than butt weld and fish plate..should be rock solid..you get the big sway bar, big disc brakes and shocks of your choice..I don't know about the Buick, but we set the Caddy frontend back on and with your basic rubber biscuit body mounts in front everything lined up perfect!..changing the mounts to accept 472 Caddy engine wasn't difficult either..it is a tight fit for steering column and shafts to clear engine though...

 

their are really only 2 sub frames rear steer and front steer, the rear steer came first and really doesnt have the advance engeering of the front steer, the front steer all have disc brakes and better controll arms in your case i doubt if you are going autocrossing in a buick so you might not notice the difference. when i use a subframe i use the 70-81 camaro or firebird front steer, these also can be found on novas but lack the quick ratio stg box and large sway bar.

 

jag swap done by zman

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24785&showall=1

 

i just finished the sub frame on 53 buick special 2 door hard top i used the complete drive line from a 79 camaro i also own a 50 buick super 2 door hard top the wheel base is same on both. please email me in the morning and i will send you all the numbers you need has i recall the wheel base center to center is 121.5 inches

 

The front steer seem to drive better than the rear steer. The front steer gets in the way of the radiator, and the rear steer crowds the engine. You also need to make sure on the front steer you don't run into fenders. Having a steering gear sticking out of your front fender is damn uggly. I've seen it. You should have clearance for a front steer on the sheetmetal. For the radiator what I started doing is cutting the lower half of the radiator support off and mounting it to the front frame horns. Then you can move the radiator over to clear the gear.Sorry I don't have any digital pictures to post.
Jeff

 

Friend used a Fatman's Fabrication clip on his 46 Buick. Pricey. But he got a very good result.

 

i don't know what body you have. we have a 48 roadmaster that my wife's grandfather bought new. had a 73 buick estate wagon, i bought new. the 48 had a 128 inch wheelbase (i think) and the 73 had a 127(whatever, the difference was 1 inch). I took the 73 chassis and put 2x4 tubing between the front and rearkickouts and then cut off the perimeter part of the frame, then put the 48 body mounts on the 73 frame-instant(yea sure) p/s, disc brakes, room for any engine(including the 455 stage 1 that is in it), turbo 400, etc. do some checking around with specs and find something that you can buy a complete donor car for.

 

Here is a picture of my brothers 50 Buick Sedanette. He won the auction today on Ebay for a67-69 Camaro subframe with disc brakes
Hope this works well as I talked him into it.

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Me and my dad used a camaro front steer on a 48 buick sedan pretty easy to do on the rear we used the camaro leafs off the same car on the rear we also used the camaro rearend. This was for a customers car.we also put a 455 buick engine in it.The stance on this car was perfect. On the rear fenders we used buick regal wheel well flares as the rear fenders were terminally ill with cancer the car turned out pretty good.

 

The disc brake setup off of the early Chevelle/Olds f85-Cutlas/Skylark are a bolt on if you swap the (bolt on) steering arms side to side to point them to the rear. Some Camaros came with disc brakes starting in 67. The Camaro sub frame was the same 67-69 and the Nova/Appollo/Ventura/Omega is the same 68 thru 72.

 

My brother brought home the 67-69 Camaro front clip today. Does anyone have any pics of install or advice on mating this to the front of the 50 Buick he has.

 

has he got anyfuther on the project? HOw far ahead of the firewall should the original frame be cut?

 

I am putting a 1976 front clip in a 49 buick, do you have any measurements or things to watch for?

 

do you have pics of the match?

 

I was able to get a 1976 transam front subframe and the buick I am going to mate it to is a 49 Buick sedanette. I am going to use the rear end from the transam and put on air ride shocks. That would be so cool if you had some measurements. I am new at this and it is a bit overwelming....

 

Did you say you had some measurments?

 

can you let me know how the mate up goes, pics if possible. I hae a 49 Buick with a 76 Pontiac subframe and disk breaks, I am also keeping the rear end and leaf springs, I hope to be able to afford the air ride system.

 

Well I just finished her last weekend. Heres are a couple pics. 67-69 Camaro front clip in a 50 Buick. ETHER