The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop AD IFS Will this work??

Well I got the front bady parts striped off my '49, measured the frame and headed to the junk yard. It Looks like to me a IFs off a '82 (or there a bouts) would fit. The frame width is the same as well as the tire width. Has anyone used one of these before?? what are the pro's and con's?? Thanks!

An '82 what?

Oh DUH!!!! Surban, blazor, or pickup.

Mallard, I think you better get out that measuring tape again. That '82 is wider at the hubs (wheel mounting surface) than the AD. I am not sure how much but I believe a few inches, which is a TON. Have yo been following the thread titled "Art deco subframe"? It may be of intrest to you.

I wasnt sure on what the differance on the hub width, but the frame width seems to be the same width. It just looks like it should work and for just a couple hundred bucks for the whole shooten match, power steering and all. I didnt get to spend much time measuring it.

Hey, I found some web sites and have talked with a guy who had done this. His truck looked great all this convinced me to give it a try on my '54 chevy. I have already bought a front end off a 81 c10 2wd truck. I am cleaning and preping for the project right now. I'll let you know how it goes. Though i did something evil to my back this weekend so the project has slowed a little.
check thes sites out http://home.jtm.net/bfischer/trkifs.html
he isn't great on detail but it gives some info
and http://50chevy.freeservers.com
go the the topics page and find the link for his IFS project. He gives some good info

Yeah I saw that one on the 50chevy also and the artical he has posted on it. let me know how yours goes. hope the back gets better!

Wasn't there a long discussion on this swap posted here recently?The end result was the front end is too wide, leaving the tires sticking out beyond the fenders and sitting up high too high. To solve that problem, you had to change control pivot points ,shorten critical steering components etc.seems way too much trouble in light of the other swaps which work better with less work.

I didn't realize that this was a bolt in. The width is too wide, but if the truck isn't lowered a bunch it may work with narrow, neg offset wheels.

I couldn't get to the first link, but the second one was interesting. On the bolt in suspensions instructions there was something I have never seen in any article on the subject, incuding the one on Camaro clips on the same site. That would be getting the angle of the upper control arm shafts off the doner! That is a huge mistake forgetting that! But it doesn't go into much detail. For instance that angle should be gotten when the doner is at ride height, not with the engine pulled, it does you no good then. It should be with the engine and front sheet metal installed. Then that angle should be duplicated on your truck, with the truck at ride height, front and rear. Your truck will then align just like the '82 C10 you pulled it from.

Martinsr, ok you get the front all set up properly, what about the rear suspension? The donar 80's trucks has vastly different spring pivot points or roll centers ,which are much lower than the old truck.Is it wise to duplicate the donar rear suspension for stable handling? Or maybe it doesnt matter?.Last time I asked this question, I was slammed by Phat who said I was a stupid and didnt have a clue to suspension set ups.

Is it NOT a "bolt-in" swap! Nor is this swap for everyone. For every guy who's done it and liked it, there are probably 3 who didn't like it.

This swap requires some fabrication (spacers for the IFS and steering box mount), welding (for the shock mounts), and even more work if you have a non-stock engine (V-8/250/etc.).

The 80's trucks have a 4" wider track width, and just over 1" wider frame width, versus the AD trucks.

They also have 5 lug wheels versus 6 lugs (at least for the 1/2 tons). The 3/4 tons both have 8 lug wheels.

Ride height is a problem - don't plan on lowering if you go to this swap. Some folks have reported problems even going to stock ride height without majorly cutting springs.

You also have to cut through the inner fender to put the steering box in the fender well. You also have to hack up the steering column, but these are the only "non-reversible" changes you have to make.

That much said, I'm currently (and have been for the last 1 year) doing this swap on my 3600. I found a donor IFS ($115, including power steering pump+box) and manual steering box ($30) in the junkyard.

My cousin cut some 5/8" spacer plates in his high school metal shop, and we drilled them for mounting the IFS to the frame. Waiting to get the frame painted, then will start bolting everything together with good pics.

We had to make our own engine mounts because the 250/V-8 engine mount wants to be in the same place as the IFS mount.

Check out my site, with some pictures of the parts:

http://www.homeacres.net/chevy


Here are my notes on the IFS swap - most of this information comes from Bob Fischer, some other guys who did the same swap, and my own investigation:

http://www.homeacres.net/chevy/ifsswap/index.htm


Feel free to e-mail with any questions, comments, etc. There is also lots of discussion in the archives. Check it out...

-Boyo

Thanks! Boyo that looks like some good info you have there. Its starting to get to cold here to work outside here so Iam going to move inside and start building an engine. Plus its duck season. Maybe by spring I can afford that package from Zig's Dan

Boyo your web site has re-inspired me!! I think iam going to go that route plus the one I was looking at was off a '82 blazer and had the v8 engine mounts all ready. It seems to me the easiest and cost effective way to go. The only down side it seems is the 1-2 inches on each side. Thanks again!

Tony, I am by no means an expert in suspension design. If the height were similar I would think it's fine. Let me put it this way, as I said about modifiying A arms and such...."It may not live up to what every thing the GM enginers built into it, but it will work".

I havn't installed the Camaro rear leaf springs but plan to. This way it WILL be as close as you can get to the Camaro.

As I type this I am trying to remember just how the '82 truck is set up in the rear. The springs are on the outside of the frame on the '82, much more stable. The length of the springs is similar as I remember. I just don't think it would make that big of a difference with either rear set up. But it better with the '82 rear, that I know.

Classic Trucks magazine (Oct-Nov 2001) had an article on doing a clip on a 50s Chevy truck. They used a custom made clip from Chassis Tech in Redding, CA. The clip used GM G-Body suspension components (78-88 Malibu, Monte Carlo). The process looked really slick and fairly easy, although they never showed how the finished truck looked with the sheet metal back on. Has anyone out there seen the article or used Chassis Tech components?

Hold on there Mallard - I don't think you can use the V8 mounts built into the IFS. I didn't see any way to use them for my 250, so we did a lot of work to modify the 250 mount to fit the IFS.

Definitely go through and read all the bad things about this swap by scanning the archives for this board. Don't want you to be dissapointed, then come blame me. I was tryin' to scare you off...

-Boyo

Oh I wouldnt blame anyone but my self if I didnt like it! Besides Iam worse then a woman on changing my mind and I am sure when I get to that point Ill probably will be doing something completely differant! Thanks!

Seems like an S-10, etc IFS should be more appropriate for an AD truck, tread, weight capacity, etc.

Ed

Is there a good reason to respond to a 15-year-old thread?
Jerry

I would think a choice has been made by now

I hope so, did not notice the date.

Ed