52 chevy pickup

[bluetweedsuit]

Well I have been working away. I agree with everybody about the tabs. Not thick enough. So I remade them from 1/4 inch plate. Built up some more of the frame. Bags came in today! Also grabbed some drop spindles. Trying to get this done. Still need to figure out the shock mounts. So tired of making all these tabs. Takes so long. Trying to get this frame done!
















Didn't get a chance to take many pics. Just been building.

[HooWybrow]

You're on the right track, but I sincerely hope you're planning some type of crossmember for the lower link bars to attach to at the front. A simple piece of 1x2x1/8 definitely is not going to cut it structurally.

Looked again, link tabs look like they're made out of 1/8" plate? They should be made out of 1/4", man. Like I said before, I don't want you to feel like I'm shit-talking your build, but I've seen things fail and it's always better to be safer than sorry. Especially in something this old that now goes way faster than it was ever intended to.

[philavon]

totally love this! cant wait to see the finished product. you're doing great progress at a pretty good speed actually! sub'd!

[M.Doban]

You're on the right track, but I sincerely hope you're planning some type of crossmember for the lower link bars to attach to at the front. A simple piece of 1x2x1/8 definitely is not going to cut it structurally.

Agreed.

Cut those tacks off, rotate the mount 90 degrees upwards (so the shear strength resides in the longest part of the tube) and gusset it.

Actually you should just make it all a lot bigger.

[HooWybrow]

You're on the right track, but I sincerely hope you're planning some type of crossmember for the lower link bars to attach to at the front. A simple piece of 1x2x1/8 definitely is not going to cut it structurally.

[Belvader]

such an awesome build dude, But is that 4 link support off the frame stable?

[The Simps]

I completely feel your pain re measuring, checking, measuring, tack, measuring. Gets very boring! Good to get passed that stage but as enjoyable the fab work is its also very time consuming!

Looking forward to further updates

[bluetweedsuit]

I buy all of my stuff from airassisted.ca. He's out of Toronto. I usually just go pick the stuff up, Kevin is a great guy and is actually working on a customers '52 right now aswell. I'm heading there tomorrow to pick up my bags and such (borrowed a friends to mock up).

If you run an air strut with a tiny little bag and drop spindles, you'll have to run a lot of air pressure to get that thing off the ground. A bag like I'm running is truly a more comfortable setup, although a strut will perform better (so I've read). Keep in mind, the bigger the bag, the more volume of air, but the less pressure.

Thanks Man! I'll probably order up some bags from him.

Just an FYI on your parts car. Take all the window/t-top trim and glass off. Those are worth a pretty penny due to the rarity of T-Top cars

Yeah I had heard that the car I had had some valuable parts. But I didn't have time or space to part it out for best price. I mad money on it and it was apart and gone in a week.


So I made it down to the shop on saturday. Spent some time with the torch and the air hammer removing the last of the rivets in the frame and the leaf spring brackets. I was able to get my boxed section extended. I had to shorten my link brackets that I had already made. Now when I have the frame at ride hight the lower links are level and not lower then the frame. Then after a bunch of measuring and tweaking I tacked everything on. Pretty happy with how it has come out. Still lots to do to finish it but It's nice to have most of the measuring done and can just focus on fabrication. Now I have to figure out how to mount the upper links and I need to figure out my dimensions for the bags so I can build all the mounts.

[benz88]

Just an FYI on your parts car. Take all the window/t-top trim and glass off. Those are worth a pretty penny due to the rarity of T-Top cars

[CBURKE]

Love this!!!
Nothing better than a bad ass old truck!

[HooWybrow]

Thanks man! Glad you like the work



Haha! Well this just goes to show how great of an idea it is! Check out your build, looks great! We are doing the same truck but have done everything differently. I wish we could meet at one of the shops and discuss. Where do you buy your air ride? I've looked online. Everything seems to be out of the states and I don't really want to pay duty and shipping.



My thoughts with the drop spindles is that if I lower it with spindles my air bags will be fuller at ride hight. This would give me a better handling and riding truck at ride hight. Is this theory correct? I have never bagged anything or ridden in a bagged vehicle. For the front I would like to do the air shocks so I don't have to run a gas shock on the outside of the control arms. Do I have to cut the frame out like HooWybrow to run those?

I buy all of my stuff from airassisted.ca. He's out of Toronto. I usually just go pick the stuff up, Kevin is a great guy and is actually working on a customers '52 right now aswell. I'm heading there tomorrow to pick up my bags and such (borrowed a friends to mock up).

If you run an air strut with a tiny little bag and drop spindles, you'll have to run a lot of air pressure to get that thing off the ground. A bag like I'm running is truly a more comfortable setup, although a strut will perform better (so I've read). Keep in mind, the bigger the bag, the more volume of air, but the less pressure.

[scradley]

Drop spindles will allow better suspension geometry at your ride height, less bump steer ect ect. Basically if you can go with drop spindles why not. My 2 cents

[aLaFleur]

My thoughts with the drop spindles is that if I lower it with spindles my air bags will be fuller at ride hight. This would give me a better handling and riding truck at ride hight. Is this theory correct? I have never bagged anything or ridden in a bagged vehicle. For the front I would like to do the air shocks so I don't have to run a gas shock on the outside of the control arms. Do I have to cut the frame out like HooWybrow to run those?

To be honest, I'm not awfully familiar with strut setups for these front ends. I have always just planned to run a bag and shock on my 48 for simplicity and sake of not going broke haha However you are correct about more air providing a more firm well handling ride, to a certain point. Too much air and you'll feel like you riding a horse and buggy. You'll just have to find that sweet spot.

[bluetweedsuit]

This looks like a great project. I'll definitely be following along.

I really wish I had some fabrication skills like yours lol.

Thanks man! Glad you like the work

So, this is weird as fuck.

We own the same truck, we both bought mid-80's cutlass' to use various things from, and they're both '52s.

Did we just become best friends?

Edit: Ps, you definitely don't need drop spindles to lay running board with that clip (I guess it all depends on how monster of a wheel you want to run). Here's what I did.



Stock G-body arm, cut to bits and plated. Lays hard.

Haha! Well this just goes to show how great of an idea it is! Check out your build, looks great! We are doing the same truck but have done everything differently. I wish we could meet at one of the shops and discuss. Where do you buy your air ride? I've looked online. Everything seems to be out of the states and I don't really want to pay duty and shipping.

He'd be able to lay out with less camber if he uses drop spindles though. No one said camber is a bad thing however...

My thoughts with the drop spindles is that if I lower it with spindles my air bags will be fuller at ride hight. This would give me a better handling and riding truck at ride hight. Is this theory correct? I have never bagged anything or ridden in a bagged vehicle. For the front I would like to do the air shocks so I don't have to run a gas shock on the outside of the control arms. Do I have to cut the frame out like HooWybrow to run those?

[99sil-teg]

This build is going to make me jealous lol, can't wait to see more