A little help from Camaro IFS grafters (and RobNoLimit)

[nikwho]

So, my camaro IFS graft is nearly completed, thanks to the No Limit DVD. That was a huge help! Only lacking the '59 frame horns be welded onto the front of the Camaro sub-frame for front sheet metal/rad support and bumper. I grafted the sub frame a couple of months ago, BUT, I have LOST all of my measurments!!!!! I was curious if you have generic measurments that most trucks "should" fit into. I recall projecting out level from the brace and having a certain amount of drop. Then, I had measurments straight out to the end of each frame horn and diagonal from driver to passenger and vis-versa. Am I totally screwed here? Do I need to hang the front clip and build to fit or are there generic measurments that these trucks shoud fall into??? Thanks for any help guys!!!

[bobinbc]

Hope this helps, with the rear of my shortbox frame about 15" from the floor measured from the bottom of the frame and the mounting surface of the front body mount about 15" from the floor, my rad support mounts were about 14" from the floor and the bottom of the frame at the front was about 8.25. My truck has the rad mounts in the six cylinder position. I believe the hole is 46 13\16 from the front edge of the forward body mount measured along the top of the frame.
Sorry about the rough nature of these measurements but I'm not home at the moment. Maybe someone else can be more exact.

[mr48chev]

It's probably going to be set the front end on and use something to hold it up in front and then start fitting. Get it lined up and then figure out what you want to do for brackets and hardware.

From experience, don't over trim the inner fenders as it is easy to do. If I had somewhat junk set I'd use them for the trial fit and experimental trimming and then make a pattern to cut the ones I intended to use. That would prevent huge gaps between the inner fenders and A arms. my truck has ruined and ugly inner fender panels at the moment as a result of too much trimming around the A arms.

[nikwho]

Gotcha. Thanks guys. I was kind of figuring that I would have to bolt it up and block it exactly where I wanted it and start fitting things in place. I get a little too excited some times when I clean the garage and everything that can fit into my dust pan goes into the trash. I guess that my little folded up piece of paper with all of these magic numbers fell on the floor. Oh well....

[nikwho]

I had thoughts of using my buddies brake and shear at his shop and making some aluminum inner fenders. I'll play with that before I trim too much off of the stock ones. Thanks for the help fellas

[nikwho]

I think that I remember the drop to be 1 5/8", the diagonal to be 59 1/8" and the measurement straight out to the front of the frame(from the bracket that is welded on in the no limit location) in the 45 or 46 range...... Does this sound particularly close to anyone elses measurments? Not that I can fab stuff up from memory of two months ago, but im curious if these are close..... Damn, I hope I can find that little piece of paper. It might be just as simple to bolt it up and fab in place...

[OrrieG]

This might help. The factory assy manual shows 47.50" from the center of the front body mount hole to the center of the radiator bracket. It is 9.38" from the center of the rad bracket to the end of the frame on 55-57. The manual does not give the drop of the front frame in relation to the main frame, but you should be able to measure that on the piece you cut off.

[bobinbc]

Here's that page from the factory manual

[OrrieG]

Bob thanks for posting that, I don't have a scanner here at the house.

[robnolimit]

Wow, you guys are fast! The front drop on '55 - '59 is 1 5/8". this is from a line level out from the top of the frame through the mid section. The '58 - '59 frame is 3 1/4' longer in the front than a '55- '57.

[nikwho]

right on! thanks guys! that should help!

[Tanman]

So that blue print is good for a 57 Chevy? sorry to thread jack.

[bobinbc]

Same for 57 with 6 cyl engine. In V8 trucks the rad support mounts are further back.