'51 new IFS installation

[bmacdona]

My first real post, I'm pretty excited about the new front suspension kit I put into my truck over the past couple of weeks. My truck had an old, worn out Pacer suspension. While looking at all the Mustang II options, I found Flat Out Engineering's Corvette IFS kit. With a LOT of help from a friend, we got this installed early last week.

I've attached a few pictures, I'm really impressed with the kit and hoping that it'll handle as good as it looks. I'm off to Alaska for a month, so I won't be able to get the rest of the truck together until I return.

Thanks for looking!
Brian

[NONHOG]

Dang ! Looks like a 1/3 of the weight. And nice looking too !

[blitz'd]

Looks much better, that front end looks really wide though. Are the tire going to clear the fenders?

[bmacdona]

Thanks! I think it looks great!

The Pacer front end had a track width of 61 inches, the Vette is 59 1/2, so the fenders shouldn't be a problem.

[entourageguy]

looks like a nice clean setup ....

[solidaxel]

How about the offset of the front wheels, what size tire and wheel will you be using
what is the finished cost of parts x-member and replacement bearings bushings shocke coilovers ball joints and R&P ?
Will the motor mounts and headers clear everything, how many u-joints in the steering shaft. Is the Corvette the same track width as the AD. Does the bottom Arm bushing line up with the piviot on the tie rod of the R&P (bump steer)
We are getting ready to put a front end on the extended cab project and I like Aluminum Arms. and Rob has some nice equiptment !!

[entourageguy]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

How about the offset of the front wheels, what size tire and wheel will you be using
what is the finished cost of parts x-member and replacement bearings bushings shocke coilovers ball joints and R&P ?
Will the motor mounts and headers clear everything, how many u-joints in the steering shaft. Is the Corvette the same track width as the AD. Does the bottom Arm bushing line up with the piviot on the tie rod of the R&P (bump steer)
We are getting ready to put a front end on the extended cab project and I like Aluminum Arms. and Rob has some nice equiptment !!

Man you ask alot of questions ....

[ratty 46]

Yes lots of GOOD questions .....

RAtty 46

[solidaxel]

I was hoping Brian colud answer a few of these as he is not selling these and would have a 1st person experience !!
I haven't purchased the next front suspension yet, and I have a few days to do some "homework".
I haven't used coilovers so I don't know the cost or how they ride on our pot hole streets!!!

[BigSix302]

Nice looking setup! I have a Pacer I am installing soon. You want to part with any of the old parts?

[bmacdona]

I don't have the receipts close by, but, these should be pretty close:

Donor Corvette suspension $500 (control arms, spindles, R&P, etc)
IFS kit from Flat Out was $795
Shocks were an additional $399
Urethane bushings, ball joints, etc (IIRC) approx $375
New motor mounts - $125

The motor mounts will install just behind the X-member (you can see the masked off portion on the frame in the attached pic).

I didn't have time to get the steering installed, I'm hoping to get away with 2 u-joints. The rack lines up pretty well (again, in the attached pic).

Track width for the AD is 59.5, on the '86 Vette it's 59.6

No decision yet on final tire size, what's on the truck now are 225/60-15's on the front, 225/75-15's on the rear

[bmacdona]

The Pacer pieces are long gone, I'm afraid....Sorry.

[bmacdona]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

I was hoping Brian colud answer a few of these as he is not selling these and would have a 1st person experience !!
I haven't purchased the next front suspension yet, and I have a few days to do some "homework".
I haven't used coilovers so I don't know the cost or how they ride on our pot hole streets!!!

I'd be glad to answer any questions I can, however, I've not a lot of experience, this is/was my first big mod to anything. (that's why I'm so happy with the way it turned out).

I decided to go with the corvette front suspension rather than a mustang ii because:
A. it was a bit different
B. the initial cost seemed to be (surprisingly) a bit cheaper than the US made MII kits.

Flat Out and Progressive Automotive both make Corvette IFS kits, the major difference being that Flat Out requires a bit less welding and allows you to use the stock Corvette rack, where Progressive requires a shortened rack. I have no doubt that the Progressive kit is of similar quality.

[entourageguy]

Man that front end setup looks nice and clean.
The coil overs work great. I had them in the front of my truck for the first 6 years. Found the coils like to settle in and you have to adjust them. They were finally bottoming out end of last year and I replaces them with a set of shock waves.

[Kabwe]

The IFS looks great.

[solidaxel]

Thank You for answering my questions. Keep us posted on your build and any surprises !!
Did you not have to replace the rack from the donor, do you know how much a rebuilt Corvette rack goes for

[mobileortho]

Awesome looking setup. Clean & simple.

[bmacdona]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Thank You for answering my questions. Keep us posted on your build and any surprises !!
Did you not have to replace the rack from the donor, do you know how much a rebuilt Corvette rack goes for

The Corvette ifs (including the rack) had been recently rebuilt by the previous owner.

A new rack is available from Flat Out for around $500. I've seen rebuilt ones advertised for around $250.

[blu52]

any progress? I have a front and rear kit from flat out waiting in the garage. What are the part numbers for the front coilovers?
thanks
Rafael

[Coronas56]

Nice..The motor will sit higher due to the rack ......I made custom motor mounts for mine.

[bmacdona]

The truck is back together and (as coronas56 mentions) I ended up having to fab some motor mounts due to the rack height. I'm not sure of the p/n for the Aldan shocks, I bought them with the kit from Flat Out (p/n 7000).

The end result was great! the suspension is everything that I expected, I only wish that I'd gone with the IRS as well, although, I'd rather be driving it than working on it! I'll get some pictures in the next day or so and post the end result.

[55dude]

sure cleaned things up quite a bit! reminds me when i remove a incorrectly installed corvair front end from a 51' panel some 30 years ago. nice upgrade even if it was a few bucks.

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by entourageguy

Man you ask alot of questions ....

That is what they taught me in Kitchener-Waterloo back in 1945 !!!

[Gabbyp]

Bigsix302 sent you a PM about Pacer parts

[bmacdona]

Here's a couple of pix to show the final stance of the truck and to try to show the clearance on the fenders (questioned earlier).

Sorry about the quality, but it's a nasty day in Olympia and I'm off to Alaska for a month.