The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop front clip compatability......?

hi, i just looked over your tech tip about using a Camero front clip on an AD truck....i'm wondering, could i use a 76 pontiac firebird front clip on my 53 Chevrolet 3/4ton? or are there to many differences?

The Camaro and Firebird clips are the same as far as I can determine. The last one we used was believe it or not a 76 Firebird onto a 48 half ton five window. The biggest problem was getting front wheels with a back spacing that put the tire inside the fender and also cleared all the suspension components. The final ride height will be determined by how you splice the clip to the AD frame. I have pictures of each way---one puts the nose in the weeds and the other is at nearly normal height. We have gotten a lot of abandoned projects due to botched clip installs so the best advice I can give you is to measure all the dimensions AND ANGLES of the donor car suspension BEFORE the clip is removed so they can be duplicated on your truck. Also measure every possible point of your truck front end before it is removed and write those measurements on the firewall with a marker so they can't be lost. Good luck.

A crossmember kit is easier than a clip.

A clip is the "cheapest" way to go, if you do it yourself. If you hire the job out, I doubt if you'll save money vs crossmember kit. The problem with clips, plan on rebuilding the suspension components. If you've never done one get all the information you can, before attempting this. I speak from experience, I built mine to "low". It looks good, but I could have saved myself some headaches if I'd only known. Done right you can improve handling, steering, brakes, done wrong and you might as well scrap the project. Next time I'm going with the IFS crossmember.

Time to buy the Danforth front crossmember!

I realize that buying an after market independent front suspension is quite costly.But everything is right there to start your frontend changeout.True you can go to a bone yard and buy a front clip fairly cheap,but then figure in the cost of rebuilding it,and you are right back up there with an aftermarket kit,money wise.I was pretty lucky when I did my 55,I had a freind who was a dealer for the TCI setup, and I bought the unit at his cost. The installation was a snap,with only one phone call to TCI about the power steering install.And they were very helpful,explaining what pump to use,etc.So to me its gonna cost a lot of money,no matter which way you go.

The cheapest way to go is still a dropped axle from sids with new springs and a disk brake kit.

my kit with tubular uppers and salvage yard parts will be about $1k to install (not including welding supplies) if you do it yourself. If you hire out the welding, add $300.