[Rebelxt]

Quick noob question. Im going to start searching the junk yard for 75-84 or so chevy/GMC truck to start building a roadster. I want to build something like Cboys rat rod. Will the front suspension from one of these trucks be easily adapted for a hot rod? (I'm not sure what type they have) I am building this with my high school students and any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks All!

[T-bucket23]

Originally Posted by Rebelxt

Quick noob question. Im going to start searching the junk yard for 75-84 or so chevy/GMC truck to start building a roadster. I want to build something like Cboys rat rod. Will the front suspension from one of these trucks be easily adapted for a hot rod? (I'm not sure what type they have) I am building this with my high school students and any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks All!

Not 100% sure what your plans are but something a little smaller and lighter might be better. That will be pretty heavy duty suspension for what will most likely a really light car

[Rebelxt]

Ah okay, I was thinking truck for the larger length rear axle, that way with the tires mounted outside the body you can get a little more width inside the cab.

[1ownerT]

Depends on the look you are after. The upper/lower control arm set up does not look right if the project is a fender-less/mostly exposed front suspension.
A full size truck is pretty wide.

[Blazin72]

How about a 78-87 GM midsize car like a Malibu, Monte Carlo, etc? They are full frame cars. If you need a wider axle you can order/adapt almost anything you want to fit.

[a67tempest455]

If your building a roadster type rat i would shy away from a full size truck. the frames are massive! I have an '84 and with out measuring i would say the frame is at least 10 inches tall, not good at all for a low stance. B and G bodys wouldn't be great either as they are a perimeter frame and would be to wide in the passenger compartment area to fit a roadster body. I would look at an S-10. frames are pretty strait and the front suspension is the same as a Monte Carlo so aftermarket suspension parts are plentiful and you can buy motor mounts to bolt a small block into the frame. as far as axle width once your done tearing the body off sell it for scrap and go back to the yard and buy another axle. Cool project and thanks for being a shop teacher that cares there's not enough left.

[willowbilly3]

The vans of that vintage have a really wide axle.

[Rebelxt]

Okay I will look for some type of car! I am building a frame and everything with my students. I think I may have to end up buying a front suspension because more are to complicated and wont look right I agree. I don't want to buy anything (that takes the fun out of it). We have a real lack of cheap junk yards in my area, most have computerized systems with full online parts catalogs and do stock the old stuff anymore! Damn them for trying to stay competitive and make money!

[Tony@AirRideTech]

I agree..... You have to keep track width in mind and what overall you are wanting to accomplish. While you have the options, be sure to keep proper geometry in mind. Quite a few OE crossmember are lacking in the "good" suspension geometry area.

Tony...