The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 1954 Frame Modifications Completed

The attached link shows the recently completed frame modifications for my 54. I tried to provide explanations and descriptions but if there are any questions/comments - let me know.

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=5860053&uid=2902753

Keep up the good work! It's really coming along and is going to be AWESOME!!

Looks great! Nice job with the boxing of the frame. What kind of motor are you going to run in?

The engine will be a 350 +.030 Chevy. Pics of it are in another of my albums. Once I run the fuel line I will be able to install the engine/trans for good and start running the exhaust. Never done that part before but I had not done alot of things before I started this project. Why pay someone else to do it if I can muddle through myself?

sweet..like the pics, keep up the good work will put it on my favorits so can watch the progress..mike j

I was able to complete the frame this weekend with final detail welding and re-painting with Zero Rust. New pictures have been added at the end of the album showing this. I am now ready to install the engine/trans and all the fun details that follow that. Stay tuned.

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=5860053&uid=2902753&members=1

Looks great, I love the look of frames boxed with the holes cut in em' like that, it just makes it look faster..
MONGO

Looking good man! I was just starting to get things together for my fuel lines and was wondering how to mount the fuel filter, thanks for the idea, I was making it too hard!

How much wider is the G-body track width over the the ole straight axle?

Cool! Nice job, very thorough. Should go like stink with the 350. Are those just slave rims or are they the ones you're going with? Christian

The rims shown are what we plan to run until the rubber is gone or something else falls in our lap such as a set of 15X8 rallys. These S10 rims polished up pretty well and will suffice for now. I have a set of old Western turbines that would look good if I got them powdercoated to contrast the final paint but that is down the road.

The width of the G body track is about 59 inches which fits well but there are several gotchas when using this subframe which nobody had previously identified. Live and learn. It is just taking more effort and detail than originally believed.

I cannot take the credit for the fuel filter bracket idea. I can't say where I saw it before but it did turn out slick and only $1.25.

Lots of gotchas on the g- body clip.Nice pixs! I like that you showed it takes longer to make the jig than to install a purchased IFS. We just replaced one as MVD would not inspect it with boxed frame and paint on the welds. Your lucky your in texas.
We have had several real bad wrecks in the past year so they are getting tuff on cut frames. Also rebuilt cars,salvage titles. Kits are cheap and quick. Did the new frame in 4 days 1600 bucks with paint and its all new. Not knocking yours but thats a hell of a lot of work and welding that costs$ to try to save a few bucks. Might not be something i would let my Kid drive either.

Looks good,
You certainly put forth the effort...I need to box my frame...the pictures are a big help! Not to mention your source of preshaped boxing plate...
Thanks,
Bill

DJ - To each their own but I don't have any doubts on the strength of this frame. There is internal gusseting included which the pics could not show well. The welding is not expensive unless you get some chassis shop with high overhead to perform it. The key is to hire an independent welder with their own rig. The guy I used for the stressed member welding is an ASME certified welder not a hobby guy. The cost for an experienced welder runs between $32 and $45 an hour including materials around here with a four hour minimum. As for total cost I am positive my subframe cost me much less than an IFS kit and the sway bar, brake lines and steering hookup were included while those are typically extras for kits.

The simplicity of a kit is great. If you can afford that method I would recommend it. If you have the time, the patience, and the skill to do a good subframe job then there is really no reason not to do it if that is what you want. It was a challenge I accepted when we drug the truck home.

LOL I here what your saying! 45 and hour wont get our lawn mowed.100 plus and they wont come to your place. Your lucky. I dont think i would use the stock rag joint or the old brake lines either.
I have seen the g-body done that way 3 times. Did you happen to talk to a Frank before you did yours?
The one i helped a friend with took pixs and showed MVD the graft before he covered it with the plates.Allmost like yours .Some Frank from Ohio told him how to do it on the net. He should have keep his mouth shut as they said NG.
Thanks for the pixs and still not knocking it as i did my 49 but it took forever to get the bumper and radiator support and i think i got a little less money for it because of the sub.
DJ

The boxing plates with the holes are great. Nice idea!

I happened across Frank's website when I was thinking about doing this mod. I talked with him several times for clarification. The tricky part is the core support cross member. His pictures are a bit fuzzy as to how he did that so I came up with a different solution. As to the rag joint and brake lines, they have been inspected and good to go. I will probably make new lines from the proportioning valve to the MC though more for appearance than anything else. I took care during the parting out of the donor to save as much as possible. You are right though. These are critical parts and if there is any doubt as to their condition they should be replaced.

Would I do a G-body subframe again. Probably not. If anyone is reading this and considering doing this type of mod to their advance design series truck I would suggest they use a kit. The 55-59 trucks lend themselves better to a subframe mod in my opinion. On the ADs the distance from the front of the engine to the radiator is much shorter than other series and this causes engine placement issues. Although others have done the camaro subframe to the AD series there are other problems such as tire/fender clearance that cause problems with that. Just easier to use a kit on ADs from my personal experience but not cheaper.

Welders get $80 an hour here. Looks great to me,, Brian

NO TIRE/FENDER CLEARANCE ON A A.D. IF YOU USE A
REAR STEER SUBFRAME.....

Truckman,
Can you provide more details and pics? I for one have heard that the rear steer subframe creat exhaust routing problems. The core support/steering box interference is eliminated though. Have you done one and can you provide resources? Several sites I visited before doing my recommended against using the rear steer.

HOUSTON54

I HAVE HAD 2 TRUCKS WITH THE REAR STEER
ALOT BETTER SETUP

HAD ONE TRUCK WITH FRONT STEER - DON'T WANT
TO GO THAT WAY AGAIN...

EVERYBODY HAS THERE OWN WAY

THE REAR STEER IS ALOT LESS PROBLEMS SETTING EVERYTHING UP...

I have no problem with your opinion. Why not provide more details and pictures to show off the modifications? Everything currently provided out there contradicts your approach. The mechanics of it make sense but the available information and the scarcity of rear steer sub frames dictated another approach.

Seems you are in a position to disspell some of the myths of rear steer on AD trucks. I hope you provide more details than just "I did it".

BTW All caps gives us the impression you are shouting.

did you move the axle centerline at all, or did you keep it in the same spot?

It is hard to tell if I moved it from stock centerline as what I did was ensure the wheel was centered in the fender opening to my satisfaction. The rear axle was moved back one inch from stock position though.

Houston54

I have no pictures. I stay to busy in the shop.
It's been about 4 or 5 years since last subframe job. It's all been MSII

1-ton of fun

I keep the axle centerline in the same spot

i was thinking of bumping the front centerlin forward 1", and the rear back 1" to place the wheels in the fender openings better.