48 Olds in the weeds - HOW? Questions...

[Sam_Fear]

OK, I gotta start getting a plan together on my 48. First thing is I want it to lay frame, have disc brakes, and power steering (my wife or daughter may drive this too.) So I figure I have three choices - frame swap, front clip swap, or individual upgrades. I'm thinking individual upgrades are costly upgrades on an outdated base, so that leaves me....

Frame swap or front clip swap? Obviously its going to have to have bags to lay. The rear is already on coils, stock, but I haven't taken a good look beyond that (snow). The floor is going to have to be re-done so if altering or channeling is needed, no big deal there.

I'm thinking less heavy fabbing is the way I want to go. So is it worth messing with a front clip and leaving the rear, or is the rear not worth keeping? So a full frame swap would make more sense. What frame then? What do I look for, etc. etc.... help....

This is the biggest project I've taken on to date. Never done a frame swap or worked with 40's or GM stuff. But I'll dive in head first...Hey ya'll, watch this!

 

[Rev Tex Devlle]

I'm thinking less heavy fabbing is the way I want to go. So is it worth messing with a front clip and leaving the rear, or is the rear not worth keeping? So a full frame swap would make more sense. What frame then? What do I look for, etc. etc.... help....



camaro or trans am clip it and 5spead with a chevy astro rearend quick and easy,, low fab factor very good drivablity

 

[Gastrick]

If it were me, I would front clip it with a front frame section of your choice and and use a later model rear, possibly from the same doner car, in the stock rear chassis section. It may seem like more fab work on the surface, but I don't think so in the long run, especially if your doing a full chassis swap with a doner car that doesn't have the exact same wheelbase as the 48 Olds.

 

[DirtRatsSpeedShop]

If it were me, I would front clip it with a front frame section of your choice and and use a later model rear, possibly from the same doner car, in the stock rear chassis section. It may seem like more fab work on the surface, but I don't think so in the long run, especially if your doing a full chassis swap with a doner car that doesn't have the exact same wheelbase as the 48 Olds.

+1..............

 

[bob w]

You can park it in tall weeds and it will look very low. I'm a fan of clips to update front suspensions on cars like yours.

 

[Gastrick]

Here's an example. This is my dad's 48 Pontiac. It sits pretty low and it doesn't have bags. If you added bags to this setup, it would probably sit on the ground. I front clipped this car with a Fatmans front stub and installed a 9 inch Ford rear with a 4 bar setup and panhard bar in the rear. No frame notch or anything. It rides like a new Cadillac and sits low without a back breaking amount of work. It was work, but not too painfull. If I replaced the coilovers with bags, I bet it almost lay frame.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Gastrick, will I have any problems with the X-frame since I want to lay frame? Like transmission, drive-shaft, or exhaust. The 48 Olds already has some kind of 4-link set up - I assume the 48 Chevy had rear leafs originally.

Right now, I'm I'm sold on a front clip swap. Fatmans is out purely because of the $$.

I can't get to the car to look at it right now because there is a bunch of 10 degree weather in the way.

 

[Rev Tex Devlle]

Gastrick, will I have any problems with the X-frame since I want to lay frame? Like transmission, drive-shaft, or exhaust. The 48 Olds already has some kind of 4-link set up - I assume the 48 Chevy had rear leafs originally.

Right now, I'm I'm sold on a front clip swap. Fatmans is out purely because of the $$.

I can't get to the car to look at it right now because there is a bunch of 10 degree weather in the way.

i got a suggestion,, measure ya front wheels spread, and find ya a chevy astro van,, to measure,, they have a bolt on front clip like early camaros, also they have short horns on the front and the steering box is in a better location,, also they have like a 373 rear end, if ya run something overdrive with that rearend, you can have good lowend, with a small block and get pretty good gas mileage,, besides that there is alot out there, !! ok i just let my secret out, i had planned it for tech tips,, but oh , well who better to share it with that the guys here,, well wait a minute if i had used it on tech tips wouldnt that be the same? sleep i need sleep,, MAN i addicted

 

[Gastrick]

Gastrick, will I have any problems with the X-frame since I want to lay frame? Like transmission, drive-shaft, or exhaust. The 48 Olds already has some kind of 4-link set up - I assume the 48 Chevy had rear leafs originally.

SF,

My dad's Pontiac also has the x-frame, probably the same as your Olds or very similar. There was no problem in the front with the frame splice. I just had to make a small tranny cross member which lays in the factory x. I had to slightly modify the x at the rear of the chassis for the forward 4-bar mounts. The only hard part was that I had to do the whole thing lying on my back with the car on jack stands with the body on the car and the floorboards in tact. It was cramped and my work there is not as tidy as it usually is.

Any front clip that fits will do. My dad just wanted me to use the Fatman's on his car. My photos of that part are on film and I don't have a scanner but I think Santa is bringing me one

Tranny cross member.................



Rear 4-bar forward mounts after years of road use and grime...........

 

[Gearhead10]

I've heard of guys goin with a s-10 front frame clio also,depends on width of stock frame rails.You can get lowered spindles for that clip too help get it in the weeds.Nova or camero should work too,don't know about spindles for those though.

 

[Sam_Fear]

First - Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate it.

This is going to be a cruiser that gets used so I'm concerned an S-10 or Astro front clip would be a little fragile since the car, 4 people, and a cooler of beer is gonna weigh in at around 4500Lbs. I'm thinking I should be looking for something more like a Park Avenue or the like - Yes/No?

I did a quick and dirty measure of track width on the rear and came up with around 60"-61".

Went and took a couple pic of my rear end too. Not sure what style you call it. I assume the other pic is a shock absorber system. What keeps the axle from torquing under acceleration and braking? There is a lateral bar that doesn't show in the pic. Is this original setup useable for what I want to do (bags)? If I get a different axle, would I be better off fabbing up a 4-link instead of trying to mate it to this system?

Many more questions to come....

 

[Rev Tex Devlle]

First - Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate it.

This is going to be a cruiser that gets used so I'm concerned an S-10 or Astro front clip would be a little fragile since the car, 4 people, and a cooler of beer is gonna weigh in at around 4500Lbs. I'm thinking I should be looking for something more like a Park Avenue or the like - Yes/No?

I did a quick and dirty measure of track width on the rear and came up with around 60"-61".

Went and took a couple pic of my rear end too. Not sure what style you call it. I assume the other pic is a shock absorber system. What keeps the axle from torquing under acceleration and braking? There is a lateral bar that doesn't show in the pic. Is this original setup useable for what I want to do (bags)? If I get a different axle, would I be better off fabbing up a 4-link instead of trying to mate it to this system?

Many more questions to come....

astro vans are 7 passenger, v6 ,, 5 lug chevy truck lug pattern,, and are a self contained sub frame,,

 

[Hopsing]

That looks to be similar in design to the early/mid 60's chevy truck "truck-arm" suspensions. The axle is bolted to the lower arms, there is no way for the axle to "twist" under acceleration/braking. The lateral bar (you can just see it in the pic) running from side to side keeps the axle from moving side to side (also known as a panhard bar) Not sure what those are in the other pic (not too familiar with the Olds')

As fars air bags are concerned, no problems there. Thats an easy fab set up and would work good with that layout. Looks like you would just have to set up some traditional shock mounts.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Well, sounds like I already have the back end already good to go besides maybe a newer axle. Truck-arm suspension - good enough for NASCAR, good enough for me! How does it stack up against a 4-link - Pros.Cons? (Doesn't really matter, I'm keeping it unless it's unsafe.)

I think that second pic IS a shock absorber - not sure how it works though. Anyone?

Any stand-out links I should study on front clip transplants? What should I be looking for, concerned about, etc. Track width, clip frame width, nose length, arm travel? What?

I've got plenty of bag questions too, but better soak up some basic info first eh.

astro vans are 7 passenger, v6 ,, 5 lug chevy truck lug pattern,, and are a self contained sub frame,,

I was thinking Aerostar. My mistake.

 

[Rev Tex Devlle]

aerostar!!

yeah i have done that too,!! till my dad got one, and went out one morning to leave, cranked it pulled it in gear the motor reved up and it took off and smacked him into a tree,, he was holding the brales with both feet still couldnt stop it,, now i know what the difference is, lol!!!

 

[Gastrick]

Those GM truck arms are way to long to use under that Olds without some major modifications to the chassis. You really need a much shorter arm unless you plan on completely eliminating the "x" in the chassis or running the arms in at an angle. You'll save yourself tons of work and fabrication by using a shorter arm. I'm not sure why someone would want to do that unless they planned on using a different chassis or making one from scratch, especially if you were trying to keep it simple.

Those are knee action shocks that you see out toward the wheels.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Uh, Gastrick, those pictures are what is under my Olds. I just didn't know what that type of suspension it is called - apparently it is popularly referred to as a 'truck arm suspension'. I don't think I'll need to change it at all in the rear, except the axle.

 

[Gastrick]

Okay sorry SF, I thought you wanted to switch to the truck arm suspension. Thats a typical coil spring/trailing arm rear setup in your car. I've never heard it commonly referred to as "truck arm suspension". It was out decades befrore that. Those rears are actually pretty tough. They were the same from 1937 to 1952 I think. You could even use it if you wanted to save some bucks. I would dump those old knee action shocks though.

You might run into some clearance and angle issues trying to use the stock rear suspension if you want to go as low as you stated. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Thanks again GT. Probably only 'commonly' called that by the Chevy truck driving NASCAR crowd.

Anyhoo, I'm curious as to what ANGLE ISSUES you might be thinking of. Like the arms or driveshaft binding? If you mean clearance with the floor pans - I've no problem changing the pan configuration. The whole floor has to be redone anyway. Likely gonna channel a few inches too to get the rockers to the ground.

So, about the front...What should I be looking for as a donor, concerned about, etc. Track width, clip frame width, nose length, arm travel? What? I'm hoping to get a clip and drivetrain all in one package.


Any stand-out web links I should study on front clip transplants?

 

[46carnut]

46 olds reserection

I am in the process of constructing my frame for my 46, witch has the same frame. I have went though all the Q and A's that you are going through rite now. The S-10 is to narrow at around 57'' I just installed a Camero clip, piece of cake, took about a day, I also am adding bags and drop spindles. The rear end is a disc 9'' out of a Lincoln Mark 5, I built a step notch, bridge, pan hard bar, and a 2 link with adjustable bushings for adjustment. This Mounts in the same slot as the original trailing arms and is ran by bags. The rear end with building it myself was only around 300.00 and the front end was very inexspensive