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| | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 29 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 29 | well, i was talking with a freind over the weekend, and i think i found a 454 for cheap (read $100). i have a few questions. first, my truck is a 59 1-ton. i have heard that the 1-ton frames are narrower, but can somebody confirm this?
i was looking at the dakota IFS from industrial chassis, does anybody have any experience with this setup? can you just buy the crossmember, and then buy a f'ed up dakota and use the components of ot it?
thirdly, how do i mount the 454? does the crossmember for the dakota kit have a crossmember that will hold the engine? if not then how do i moun this thing?
'59 Chevy 1-ton
'03 **** Lightning
'96 Kawasaki 1100 zxi
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 58 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 58 | I have a dakota set up in my 57 1/2 ton with a bbc and I love it. All you buy is the crossmember, the rest is junk yard stuff. I C has weld in mounts for most engines too. What you end up with as a truck front end with big brakes, and a choice of 5 or 6 lugs, that is the correct width for way less than the cost of any other front end out there. | | | | | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 36 Member | | Member Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 36 | Richie Z
I chatted with you about the Dakota front on a different forum. Called them up and talked for a while about what I wanted. Nice guys. They were tossing around the possibility of doing a current model Dakota conversion, Which would make the long travel suspension I want a lot easier. I'll have to call them back soon and see if they ever pursued that.
Larry | | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 12 Member | | Member Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 12 | Richie, i also have a 57 half ton, i like the idea of the dakota crossmember, but what did you usee for a rear end?...i'd like to keep the same bolt pattern. Is the dakota rearend wide enough? | | | | | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 36 Member | | Member Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 36 | Chopped top
An early 9" F-ord or an 8.8 out of a Mustang V8 if you want one a little narrower [bigger tires] will give you a 5 on 4 1/2 just like the Dakota.
Larry | | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 58 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 58 | My truck is a pro street deal with a narrow 9" **** rear and a four bar with coilovers. It would seem that if the front end width was correct on the Dakota for a tri five, the rear would have to be very close too. But a word of caution, Dakota rears are soft, probably the worst thing on the truck. I would look for a Torino style **** rear with a 5-4 1/2 bc. Don't forget, later 6 lug rotors will fit early spindles on Dakotas which opens up a whole bunch of options for rears. Hope this helps. Richie Z | | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 58 Member | | Member Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 58 | Hey Chop, I just noticed, were neighbors, I am in Binghamton | | |
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