The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Is your advance design stock height?

Hey Bolters,

I've finally saved enough money to buy a new suspension for my truck. I've rebuilt a 1/2 ton rear end out of a '64 Chevy truck with 3.73 gears and now I'm going to bolt it up this Spring with a brand new suspension for the front and back of the truck.

I have a '53 Chevy 3100, and I want it to be a hot rod, but also a daily driver. I'm trying to find a balance between performance and practical.

My biggest dilemma right now is what height I'm going to make my truck. I know I don't want it super low. I'm dead set on keeping the back of the truck a stock height. From a diagram I've seen, it seems the front of the truck is higher than the rear for stock height and I'm unsure if I like that look, but I haven't knowingly seen any AD trucks with a stock suspension in it. I have the option of stock height in front or a 2.5" drop.

I know it's a small difference, but I was wondering if any of you had a stock height maintained on your truck, if so could you direct me to photos?

I'm looking into a complete suspension and rear end swap kit from Performance Online, if anyone has advice or opinions on that, I'd appreciate it as well.

I'm lookin at:

- U-bolts
- Tie Plates
- Axle Seats
- Lower and Upper shock mounts.
- Front and Rear Multi-Leaf Springs
- Front and Rear Sway Bars
- Front and Rear Shocks
- All Sway Bar mounting hardware
- Spring Pins
- Spring Bushings
- Shackle Bushings
- Shackles
- All hardware needed
~ $1800

Thank you for your time as always,

- Daniel

Are your current leafs garbage? That's a lot of $$$ for just leafs, sway bars and shocks plus little stuff. I don't have any pic of stock height since mine's getting airbag'd, but look in the users trucks and there's lot of stock AD's. I prefer a drop all around though just for handling purposed and looks of course.

You say you want a stock height rear and want the front a little lowered, so I think you answered your question with the small 2.5" drop up front

Hi, Daniel. Sounds like you need to plan out all aspects of your build before doing suspension. It will save you money & time. Going to a '64 rear means you are changing to open driveline. Do you want a 235 w/3 or 4spd or V8 w/auto or stick? If you go V8, you probably don't want solid front axle. Now's the time to think independent w/disc brakes. Each part effects the whole.
Look through the gallery at late '47 to early '55. There are many examples of stock trucks. My '49 has bone stock suspension with 225/75/15 front & 31/10.5/15 rear tires. Decent stance & fills wheel wells. I don't have pictures uploaded yet. With a 235, stock 4spd & torque tube rear(4.10 gears) I can do about 55 @ 2500 rpm. When money allows I will be upgrading to front disc. I've already spent about $250 rebuilding the drum brakes.
Good luck.

Yes, the current suspension is trash. The previous owner wanted to lower the truck, so the leafs were all heated and bent to lower the truck. The front leafs are almost perfectly horizontal. That's why I'm unsure how I'd like a completely stock setup. Also, the eyes on the springs are worn since the bushings are almost gone from wear.

It is expensive, but IFS will undoubtedly lower the truck, no one seems to make a IFS that will keep a somewhat stock height or even close, at least that I've been able to find. And since this will be a daily driver and I plan on throwing wood/brick/concrete into the bed when I need to, I don't want something with barely any clearance, especially being where I live, the roads have more holes than not. I'm going to use this truck as a truck and just keep it looking as nicely as I can.

I wish I could stick with a stovebolt, but I simply can't afford to do what I want, with the budget I have. I'm going to build a small block 383 myself. I have a bare corvette 4-bolt main block and vortec heads, I'm just saving to buy all the internals. I haven't made up my mind on a transmission yet, but I'm leaving towards rebuilding a Muncie M20 or M21 myself if I can find one for the right price. The only other considerations I've had so far are the Tremecs, which require winning the lottery, or an Turbo 400 with a manual shift kit installed.

When it's all said and done, I'll have a fully rolling SBC 383, vortec heads, aluminum air gap intake, Holly roughly 600-800 cfm (depending on what the engine actually needs), power steering, power brakes, wider wheels all around, maybe 8" (width) wheels. Drum brakes in the rear, disc in the front. Most likely an M21 4 speed with a Hurst shifter. Rino-lining on the inside of the bedsides, Teak, Mahogany or Apitong for the bed floor.

Mostly commuting, not long distances often, but sometimes. I don't want to be stuck at 3000 rpms doing 55-60 on the freeway. I'd like to take it to the track, but only for fun, nothing serious. I understand it's not going to be the best on gas or anything of the sort, but all the engine parts I've lined up and researched, the performance band for every part going into the engine is around 500-5000 rpms, so I think it will be well balanced for the ideal truck in my head.

That's about all I'll write for an outline of the truck. I have the whole build planned out. With the exception of getting a hold of an M20 or M21 for a price I can afford, I know what I'm going to do down to how I'm going to install the Dynamat.

$1800 is a bit pricey I admit, but I've gone through every catalog I can find online or printed and really, if anyone can find a new front and rear suspension for a similar or comparable price, then please let me know. So far an IFS alone is more costly and requires a lot more modifications to the truck and again, lowers it too much for my liking.

I'm still not opposed to an IFS, I just have little fabricating experience, so beyond moderate mig welding and minor body work, I'm suck with what I can save for and buy. I certainly can't afford, nor do I want, someone else to do the build for me either, so I'm stuck with what I'm able to prepare for and do on my own as well.

dubds10 and 49Neo, thank you both for your responses.

- Daniel

I would think a professional built would be the way to go. it would be safer that to fabricate one on your own. if you got a junk yard ifs it most likely have to be rebuilt. i have a pacer ifs in my 54 and it has worked well for me for the last 27 years but last year i had to replace the rack 3 times in one month. i think i have the problem solved but it still worries me. the only thing i regret is not going for automatic. i like the stick but i am 67 years old and concerned that in a few years i will not be able shift, also my son has no interest in the truck but it might be different if it had an auto, he lives Indianapolis and the traffic is terrible and to drive a stick there is no fun.

what i chose to do with my rear suspension was to buy a bolt in rear end kit from Chassis engineering.Other than havibg to weld the spring perches it is a totaly bolt in kit....very simple to install.
you get everything you need, all hangers and shackles shocks and shock mounts,2 1/2"wide springs with teflon sliders.very clean and simple install...I couldnt be happier.It did give me about a 5" drop in the rear and totaly centers up the axle in the opening.The kit is about $500.00...I also opted to get their rear swaybar which was about another $130.00
I've used alot of their products.I used their motor mounts,tranny mount both of which bolted in.And like WEbOLD I also have a pacer ifs which is mounted with a CE kit as well.
I'm limited in my fabrication skills.so I like their easy to follow instructions and simple measurements to use as guidelines.........dave

I really like the bolt in kit from Chassis engineering. I spent a good amount of time speaking to them on the phone a few months back. Great people, but as you said, it lowers the truck quite a bit. My continual struggle for options is finding things that keep it stock or at least reasonably near stock height.

I've used the Chassis Engineering kit on my 51 Panel, too.
I've used their stuff for years... good outfit.

Just keep in mind the kit WILL lower the truck roughly 2-4 inches.
I, too did not want to drastically lower my truck, because I want a working truck not a hot rod. It all went in fine as per instructions. I also felt the conversion left the panel a bit under spring in the back. So, I'm going to add Air-Ride helpers for days
when I'm towing or hauling a load.

Hope this helps
Squire