The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop NEW IFS frame

as some of you know I am trying to keep the originality of my 38..... but I want to make a nice "cruiser" out of it. been up and down and around with "how to do it" Well I think I have found the solution.

I was at a Hot Rod shop yesterday, talking to the owner about my goals. we finally came along with a solution. A brand new frame (not hacking up my old one). He would make me a new one with the Mustang II IFS, new rear frame rails, all suspension components, disks, calipers, steering box, tie rod ends, and body & drivetrain mounts. I would have to install the motor-trans, wiring, brake lines and other minor things, but, basically I would be able to pop my body off my old frame and bolt it up to the new one. All of this for a ballpark $3500-4500.

This sounds like a very good deal to me, but want some imput

Unless your original frame is wasted I'd think it would be cheaper to stay with that. A friend rodded a 40 Chevy truck (in his family since new) by stripping the frame of crud and rust, squared it and boxed for strength. They used a Pacer front suspension, V8 etc etc and it's been run hard for many many years. This prep work only took a month, a rod shop could futz around with your NEW frame for a year.

Sounds like a good deal to me.Any decent M2 frontend is going to cost you $2000.A whole new frame,no rust ready to go with IFS is a good deal.

It's your truck, do what you want to do. But you are not keeping the "originality" of the truck by putting in a 350 and hot rod frame.

Seems 2 me that the price range is a good 1 for what the shop owner is offering. Would get a definite time frame nailed down. JiMerit has some good points concerning using your original frame. It could prove 2 B less expensive, however, you must be able to insure that every thing is square and that the front clip is correctly welded and gussetted. If it were me I would be looking at building a jig to insure squareness. If you have the skill sets necessary to perform these tasks then you could be money ahead using your own frame. Just remember over 80% of the finished product will be almost 70 years old.

Get it in writing. Sounds about half what it oughta cost. For reference:
http://www.progressiveautomotive.com/37CTC.htm

If you do decide to go this route I would insist on a progress payment schedule and NOT pay all up front. The first payment should be only for the material required. After that you and the builder should agree on milestones for additional payment. I would recommend withholding 10% for the final payment as many times in my industry, that is a healthy portion of the fabricator's profit on the whole show.

thanks for all the imput. I think this is the route Im going to go... now I need to start rounding up a axle and tranny!!!

It's your truck, do what you want to do. But you are not keeping the "originality" of the truck by putting in a 350 and hot rod frame.

I know, that Is why I want a COMPLETLY NEW FRAME so Im not hacking up my original one....

I think it is a good price and agood thing not to cut upthe orginal frame

Buyer beware theres alot of Boyd Cottington wantabies out there.

If money is an issue why don't you graft a camaro subframe assembly onto your old frame. It will strengthen the frame and the engine and tranny will bolt right in. Just a couple hundred bucks and some sweat equity.

One problem of saying that the engine and transmission will bolt right in with a camero subframe. The axle centerline on the truck is much further ahead of the engine than the camero. You would have to move the engine and trans mounts to the rear. I had to do the same thing with the volare suspension in my 46 suburban. The engine sits about 6 inches further back.