The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Thinking of a Pacer IFS swap?

Hey, Mallard-Since you are planning on using 80's Monte Carlo spindles on your Pacer, and everybody complains of them being too high, you could instead use drop spindles for an S-10 2WD truck, such as BellTech #2100, Ground Force, AIM Industries, etc. They WILL interchange with the GM intermediate cars (like your Monte Carlo). That will get you another 2" lower. Just thought you might like to know.

Wannabe

I have looked at those, and would imagine it to work. But your talking several hundred bucks vs 26.95 for the Monte Carlo at the bone yard. I have the frame sitting pretty low in the cross member about two inches lower then using the kit. If this adventure actually ends up working the drop spindles may be an option. I could also take a coil or two out of the springs to get it lower.

That's cool, Mallard. You got any pix yet? How about mounting the spindles-has that come out O.K.?

Wannabe

Well I finished making perches for the crossmember somehow I screwed up and made it all level! I went friday and pulled the spinles off the '81 Monte Carlo. Got both Spindles, rotors,(which look pretty new), and the calipers all for lttle less then 100 bucks. Just one rotor and bearings costs that much! The orginal Pacer upper ball joint were it attaches to the spindle is to large for the spindle. But the Monte Carlo upper ball joint has the same pattern were it mounts to the A arm. Problem solved. The lower fits fine. The distance in the spindle from upper to lower ball joint is about one inch shorter on the Monte Carlo. That souldnt be a problem. I spent all day yesterday getting the bushings out of the A arms what a pain in the bohine that was but its done. Iam taking Pics but have to do it with a regular camera when the roll is done ill get them put on a disc to down load. :p

Well I have had it with the Pacer! :mad: Cant get any of the control arm bushings. Cant get the ball joints. Checked NAPA and AutoZone. Hope this clears up everything as to reather this is a good swap or not. Think Iam going to get the Mustang II from Ziggs hot rods. It looks like the best buy. Has anyone used that one before?
Guess Ill turn the Pacer IFS into some sort of funky lawn art or something. :p Live and learn! Thanks for everyones input!

Might try macgyvers.com. I've heard good stuff about them and with the Canadian exchange rate could be worth it.
Good luck
Dennis

Mallard, Watch switching the spindles with the monte carlo. Make sure the ball joints are in the same position on both spindles. If they are not in the exact same position you will never be able to align the frontend. There is a lot of geometry involved in a front suspension and a small mistake can end up making a truck undrivable due to horrible steering. I have converted two 59 chevys over to Volare front K-frames. The parts are cheap and readily avalable. I have 200 bucks in each with all new brake parts, bushings and balljoints. The one is in my daily driver. I went throught a series of geometry problems before I had it all figured out and could get the alignment correct. Now I know exactly how to set them up. It is not the best setup out there but it works well. Don't be surprised when you try to align the frontend and it takes you a few tries to get it correct.