47-59 Steel or Fiberglass front end - 1956

[hotrod1]

I have the factory sheet metal and also a fiberglass front end. There is quite a difference in the weight and getting 100+lbs off the front end would be nice. On the other hand, not sure about the looks of the two in comparison.

I am sure there are a lot of ups and downsides for both. I am building the 1956 Chevy truck for performance and aesthetics and don't want to kill either.

What are your thoughts?

[_Ogre]

Steel. Our trucks have the aerodynamics of a brick going down the road. 100 lbs won't make a difference for performance. Steel for aesthetics. Fwiw, TRUK gets 21mpg

[mr48chev]

Un;ess you are building it to actually run at the drag strip on a regular basis I'd go with steel. And not a Tilt front end.

I've had buddies run metal tilt front ends and as they have no inner fenders your engine gets splattered with road grime and rain or puddle water. Neither one raced his truck. Both were worth a lot of Bubba points at shows though.

Decide how you actually are going to use it and then decide.

[dsraven]

ive done fiberglass front ends before. usually tilt. they look good untill the bodywork starts, they aren't known for being awesomely straight and flat. they also need some sort of inner fender installed-like mudflaps hung on rods sort of like a larger truck may have. your choice but if the steel is decent thats what I would use. there can be a lot of flex in these style trucks due to how they are mounted on the frame. the rear cab mounts are rubber, the front cab mounts are metal on metal, the rad support that holds the front of the fenders is sitting on rubber. sort of a see-saw set up when things start to move, like over a speed bump with a bit of an angle that makes the frame flex. that is one reason why really close body gaps can cause body panel rubbing sometimes.

[hotrod1]

Thanks for your suggestions. The chassis will have almost zero flex (custom chassis) and everything is solidly mounted - Delrin bushings.

[mr48chev]

Ford F-1 that was at Maryhill yesterday that shows you what you are up against.


The Chevy was my buddy's truck that has the cut down bed from the truck I took my current cab off. He built it with a tilt nose back in the late 70's.



Note that on an AD you have to cut the bottoms of the fenders somewhere for clearance of the cab. It won't work any other way. Working on that car a few times those little "wings" were a pain and always in the way when you were working on the engine.

[hotrod1]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Ford F-1 that was at Maryhill yesterday that shows you what you are up against.


The Chevy was my buddy's truck that has the cut down bed from the truck I took my current cab off. He built it with a tilt nose back in the late 70's.



Note that on an AD you have to cut the bottoms of the fenders somewhere for clearance of the cab. It won't work any other way. Working on that car a few times those little "wings" were a pain and always in the way when you were working on the engine.

Thanks for the info and pictures.