TECH: Camaro Clip in your 58 chevy-in one day!

I know this may not be the place but i need to ask has anyone tryed to put a 56 gmc short box on a late model frame i have a 03 silverado frame L/B complete with a 5.3 drive train

 

Thats exactly how i did my '59. Good tech.

 

I had Mike Chesser in Lawerenceville, GA put a Camaro clip in mine. I cut one coil off the spring and it sits and drives great!!

 

Hey Lux,

I was wondering if you could do me a favor....I have a 57 that has a clip installed already and it looks like the front wheels are to far back in the fender well (not centered). Now I was wondering should I just move the cab back to help center everything or would it be better to install a new clip.

The reason I thought about moving the cab is because the truck is a long bed and I have some room to play with, but I am going to make it a short bed soon.

Now, If I have to redo the install of the clip I want to do it the way you have shown on this thread, but I am wondering where I could measure from to get it right.

I noticed in photo #10 on the first page, two holes in the chassis, I was wondering if this would be good to measure from to get the subframe in at the correct length for the wheel base, or could I use the cab mounts??

Thanks, for a great how to.

 

My ?s are the same as 50 GMC GUY

I am Going to clip my 51 chev Pickup Is the Sub frame to wide in stance for the older pickups???

Thanks Jaime

 

Any progress on the truck???

 

i want to do this swap but i dont want it slammed to the floor....what can i do

 

Good thread. Thanks .

 

seriously folks. he drives it so much that getting it here for pictures is a stretch. worse things could happen, I guess.

 

after the round up a couple of years back we had a truck come in with collision damage. it was running the camaro clip (if memory serves it was a 54, not a 51) and he haad some pretty funky stuff going on to make it clear. for one, they had fashioned "spacers" between the frame and clip. they were made of c channel. (yikes!) secondly, it was running some wheels with a really weird offset- like a 4x4 s-10 wheel.

I would Imagine that a set of narrowed control arms would make it work well, but those things are $pendy. I would look into other options.

contact ElPolacko on here. I think he has a dakota clip (or something similar) that would work better in this application.

 

good question. I have heard of guys using later model truck set ups- like the 70's stuff- that is pretty comprable. the ride height wont get as low. ( might be 80's. can't remember.)

I think speedaddict mentioned it on one of the first pages.

 

I know a guy who did a 73-86 full size 1/2 ton clip on his truck. The stance was so wide he couldn't find wheels to fit under the fenders. Here's how it turned out...

If you run a Camaro clip and don't want it too low keep the stock springs and spindles. It should set high enough for even a wife's daily driver. If not, get longer front springs.

 

I did it in one day!
Slide in the Camaro subframe in the (56) Truck frame and it will hit the asfalt
http://streetracerghia.blogspot.com/

 

Does anybody know where I get motor mounts like the ones he's using?

 

Got'em from Summit. Made by Energy Suspension.

 

Did I miss this? I like cheap shocks.

 

Me too WTF!

 

I would like to add here, because I've seen the question come up several times without a satisfactory answer. The question regarding moving the wheelbase on 55-59s can get confusing. While they are basically the same truck over those years, the frame on the dual headlight trucks, 58-9, is 2 inches longer, all in the front. The wheelbase stays the same. The later, 58-9 trucks have a larger wheel opening to compensate for this.

Devin

 

Remember when aligning these clipped trucks, to give as much positive caster as possible, with just a hair less on the drivers side to compensate for the crown of the road and 0.5* positive camber, 0.2* toe in on both sides. Makes 'em drive straight as a string and return easily.

Just thought I'd throw this out there for kicks.

Brant

 

Damn Brant, you always have the best information! Where do you keep all this stuff???

 

I'm all new to the classics..I'm looking into converting my front clip on the 55 Chevy Pickup.When I purchased the truck it came with a Dakota clip and late model Camaro rear end.I'd like to stick with the same bolt patterns.I have a late 90s S-10 sitting.Is it possible to manage this? If the S-10 or Dakota clip won't work for me,what year Camaro clips are recommended?

I'm excited yet scared on this build,I'm running on an extremely low budget.Sorry for the written book off ?s.

Thank you,Michael(MUGGZZ)

 

55 1st or 2nd series? If it's 2nd series the S10 is to narrow and the Dakota or a Camaro is a much better option. 1st series and the Camaro is to wide in my opinion and you'd be better off calling Steve over at http://www.industrialchassisinc.com/ and going that route with the Dakota and one of their crossmembers.

 

I have seen s10s used but depending on model you may need to do some frame adjustments. As for the narrow wheelbase you can use rims with a bigger offset to fill the wheelwells. I used a 70 camaro on my 56, installed it by myself in a weekend.

 

Thank yopu guys very much for the feedback,I noticed the frame width is 34" outer 29 1/2" inner widths.I found a 75 clip close by i can get if needed.I'm going to research the dakota clip more before i let it go.I like the stance on your 56 JJJmm.

 

Any one look at the 03 up crown vic front suspension, bolt on aluminum crossmember 12 inch disc brakes big swaybar if you get one from a cop car, seen one put on a 1967 f100 http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/716058-buildup-06-crown-vic-front-suspension-into-67-f100.html havent checked how wide the frame is yet but i would like to put this under my 59 apache

 

I keep it in a shoebox in the corner of my closet...

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that the track width may be too wide if you don't use the stock vic wheels. I know they are terrrible positive offset.

That said, I don't know where they measure the track width from on one of those. I think I read it was around 62" Stock camaro is similar from hub to hub. If the crown vic is measured the same way, then heck, just might could work.

Do one and take pictures so we can see.

 

the crown vic frame rails outside to outside are 34in

 

I went and purchased a 75 Camaro clip.Its what I've heard from to many people to try anything different,specially since its Chevy to Chevy.The S-10 clip is 4" narrower on each side.It'd look a lil funky n I still can run a 8" width up front and 10" out back.Now its time to save up to wire up the 6.0 under the hood.

 

On the crown vic swap I believe the track width is 64 inches, might be to wide for that truck.That is what I read, I have not actually measured one so I can't say for sure.