The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 1938/'73 dilemma

Long story short...
How could you modify the front suspension on a 73' Chevy 1/2 ton truck in order to shift the wheelbase 6" forward? The only limitation is that I hope to keep the same lug pattern for both axles.

I'm not a Hotrod guy because I'm lazy and just fix what's there, since engineers already handled such pesky details long ago. I also can't keep my foot out of a big block either so it helps my insurance rates to drive a 4 or 6 cylinder. That's why I have come here to take advantage of your collective knowledge!


(insert obscure Paul Harvey quote here)

Dad built this truck 12 years ago but got the wheelbase off by about 6" On PURPOSE because it was too much work to move the engine/transmission mounts! I gave him the '38 Chevy in the first place and the '73 has been his since 1979. He gave it back in '06 after he moved on.... to body swapping Ford trucks.

It has a 454 auto and ran like a scalded dog even way back when it was wearing the heavy'73 bodywork. Now the shortened '73 chassis is hauling around bodywork that weighs less than a beetle. I finally got a Walker radiator for it to replace the stock '73 that dad stood on end after laboriously relocating the ports . While I had the front clip removed, I replaced his no-idlin' cam with stock, as well as new lifters since it was all showing some wear. I rebuilt the quadrajet and now it purrs like a walrus. However I had the timing a bit advanced at first and after a good backfire the starter got loud like I ganked the ring gear.

I'm raising it up to stock height and going with mud tires and wagon wheel rims off of a '76 I have for parts. The Honcho look is only to distract myself from the gas axe job on the front fenders to make the wheels fit. When I was a kid everybody jacked up those Chevies, and put big tires on them, so for now that's a nod to '70s style. Plus it's a good way to annoy pops for also butchering my original 1960 VW rear fenders to fill the truck's overbite. It's my fault for teasing him about it I guess. He actually likes the mini 8" steering wheel I put in it. I feel like T-Rex steering it.
Eventually I would like to modify the front suspension in order to get the wheelbase right. Ideally it would look better lowered like a street rod. I have looked over the suspension and there's really no room to slide it forward 6". I was thinking of maybe fitting it with an I-beam and leaf spring front suspension. I don't have a measurement yet but it looks like the track could probably be a little narrower too.

Anyway thanks for any constructive suggestions.

I think you've shot yourself in the foot. Your second paragraph says your are lazy, this project is not for the lazy for sure. Lots of cutting and fiddling to make it look right. Big job ahead and I hope you are up for it. The all knowing guru's will be by shortly and solve your problem. Good luck.

The definitive suspension list posted above has already given me some constructive ideas. Thanks Scott.

For instance I hadn't thought of rack and pinion conversion. That would eliminate the factory 1973 steering box and it's conflict with the front fender. That is probably easier than just starting from scratch with a '76 long wheelbase I have in my pasture.

Meanwhile I'll finish jacking it up and enjoy it warts and all. Old Stovebolters and other car geeks like me are the only ones that even spot the shortcut.

When I develop the best plan going forward you can bet I'll measure twice and cut once.

Finally it's fully functional!

[IMG]http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx121/rusty_apache/IMG_1968.jpg[/IMG]


It's taken over three years and a LOT of foul language cursing hot rods. It's got 32"s and a 2" lift in the rear and even with the big mud tires it takes a concerted effort not to burn rubber from a dead stop.
Turns out the 454 was on it's last leg so I rebuilt it.
The brand new stock cam was either full race or defective so it had me chasing my tail for months trying to get it to idle before I acquired another new one.
The brand new Edelbrock carb had an internal leak that dumped raw fuel down the intake causing more tail chasing trying to get it to idle.
Then a Dodge Nitro sedan cut across two lanes of traffic and nearly broadsided me.
I swerved to avoid her but the farm truck bumper removed her outer door skin like a sardine can and my rear fender removed her door mirror. There happened to be a ball peen hammer in the bed so I tapped out the small fender ding out of boredom while waiting for the police. The officer chuckled when he looked at my "damage" compared to the Modern dodge.
Then the th-400 went out so I had my local transmission shop put a newer overdrive in it.
While they were on the test drive the fan destroyed the core on a brand new Walker brass radiator. They knocked $500 off the bill and had it towed to my driveway.

It seemed like the thing was just CURSED.

I went back in with a semi truck core and asked the radiator shop not to paint it so I could make that $1200 dollars worth of brass SHINE. I added a '99 Cadillac electric cooling fan to prevent that from happening again.
The only thing I really need to do now is fabricate floor panels and install a receiver hitch for the Airstream I'm going to pull with it. I'm really enjoying it now that it's more user friendly and people just lose their minds when they see it.