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i need help im a die hard chevy man and want to updatemy 1942 pickup with a 327 300hp and 5speed manual tranny late model chevy and change the frount end to rack and pinon stering and disk without using a mustang 2 frount end any help??IDEAS ????HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad: :confused:

Do you want to retain the exisiting suspension and add rack and pinion or do you want to replace it with IFS?

Check out Jim Carters website oldchevytrucks.com
they have a tech article to bolt in a AMC front clip.
I read it a while ago and if memory serves me the
whole front end bolts in with a simple adapter he sells.
Good luck.

i want ifs

It is IFS. complete, bolt in. The whole 9 yards. if you can find a Pacer, and a good column. Or a Flaming River job if you got that kinda dough.

I know that camaro/nova subframes will fit in the 47-55 AD trucks. The 42 will probably have different dimensions. It might be worth measuring one to see if the width is close. Another thought would be an S-10 frame.
I know the thought of putting ford parts in a chevy is horrible to some, but the the mustang II styled front ends will probably be the cleanest approach to get a good ride and decent handling. Most of the aftermarket front ends are based on the mustang II design but hardly use any ford parts. Take a look at fatman or tci suspension setups.

http://www.jimmeyerracing.com/adjustability.html

these have a fully adjustable front end

1970's to 1987 GM pickup front ends bolt in with minmal mods.

If your looking for an aftermarket unit for about $2K, Scotts' Hot Rods in Ventura, CA has one of the best and cleanest installs. It's a single weld in crossmember (incl. spring hat and shock towers. No notching of the frame rails or boxing the frame is required. Each one is custom made to the dimensions of you specific truck/car.

use a pacer front end if you can find one. parts are cheap and easily found. the kit to put it in is about 100 bucks. mines power, and drives like a dream

Forget the pacer. Too hard to find a V8 model to use. You can do a clip if you like but the camaro subframe will be a bit too wide if you plan to drop it any from the stock height. The GM truck subframe is much too wide and looks goofy. If you are doing a serious re-build choose a IFS kit from the wide assortment. I did a subframe clip (see my pictures) it is very labor intensive. If you do not have the fab skills it is tough. The IFS kits are just so much easier.

hey huston, never seen or heard of a v-8 front end on a pacer. they all use ford brakes and saginaw r&p units. all this rebuilt or new for under 700 bucks.

Sorry I should have said V6. The 4 cylinder setup is too light to use. This is from second hand experience so your experience may differ.

The later gm truck front end works fine but you have to cut a cuple inches out of center crossmember,
If its done right it can look pretty good
if you know a good welder fabricater you can make almost anything work and look nice

On your 42 dont even think about the other stuff. Just buy the IFS kit. There is nothing in the kit that is F O R D so dont be worried. With the way your fenders are any clip or crossmember from a factory car is going to be a big mistake. TCI and proggresive makes a nice one for your truck. The gm crossmember narrowed has a lot of problems and does not even fit the ADs
Save up and do it one time. Pacer stuff is gone and worn out .Racks can be very hard to find and expensive. They dont look very good on the 42. If no money put discs on your stock axle for now.

Yup, depends on dosh. DJ's right, the ultimate must be a setup from specialists like TCI and Progressive.

On the other foot, I don't know about the fit on your 42 but the Pacer went on my 54 with no cutting and it's sweet. They're still out there in the boneyards. Autozone etc. do the AMC racks--about $100 with a core. They steer real well. If the springs on the clip are shot Eaton etc. do replacements. The brakes are great. And it all feels really robust.

But if as DJ says it would spoil the look of your 42, I'd at least follow his advice about discs. (Even though the great Italian racer Nuvolari shrugged off a question about finishing some race without any brakes with: "Who needs em, they only slow you down.")

Christian