[40chevy]

I drove my 40 chevy yesterday and it was a blast! The only problen was the front end. Looking at the car you can see one wheel pointing one way and the other pointing another direction. You can see this by looking at my photos. I have new king pins but I was wondering can this old front end be made drivable?
It drifted and had alot of play in the wheel. Im sure it all need rebuilt but where to start? I have a 350 and 200 r4 tranny but I really want to drive it around this summer the way it is. Well, maybe all one color of primer.

[Centerline]

Take it down to an alignment shop and have the front end aligned. It looks like your ty-rod needs to be adjusted. This is something you should do any time you mess with your steering or front suspension anyway. Also if you have a 40 Chevy manual check how to adjust the play out of the steering box. Most manual boxes have some sort of adjustment on them to take out the play.

[40chevy]

I didnt know it had adjustment in the box. Im going to look at that right away. I meant just to clarify I have new king pins but they are in a box.

[TwistedTrbl]

I think tie-rod adjustment is exactly what you need. There should be a spec for the toe-in / toe-out. Usually you have about 1/8" that is allowable.

EX. 52" +/- 1/8"

[40chevy]

Lets discuss drivability, Will it be drivable and safe with maybe tie-rod ends and king pins? I know it wont carve any corners just wondering if fixing up the old front end is worth it.

[Centerline]

That depends...... The suspension on your 40 was designed to handle dirt roads at speeds generally under 45 mph. To properly upgrade this you'll need to replace the king pins and all the rod ends and upgrade those old lever shocks and brakes. You can't expect this thing to stop very well (given the fact that you are running a modern V8) with the stock brakes do you?

If you aren't going to drive it much then rebuilding the stock front end might work for you. On the other hand if you intend to do any cruising or long distinct driving at highway speeds then you might consider replacing your stock suspension with a Mustang II IFS or a Nova clip. Either will give you an easy route to disk brakes and better handling and each has it's pros and cons.

I think you need to decide how you want to use this car and then pick the route that will match your intended use.

[Kurt]

try these guys for the parts: http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/ We just did a stock one here. I think by the time you add up the parts you need to make it drive decent and be safe on today's roads, you'd be better off with a different suspension. Getting that old one apart is a bear, the design is terrible,{bump steer city} and the brakes are not up to the task of being safe. Unless your going total stocker, wich it doesn't sound like you are, change the suspension and update the brakes. Your car will thank you, your wallet will thank you cause you won't have to pay to repair for the damage after you crash, and the people you won't hit will thank you. Just my 2cents.

[40chevy]

Alright, I have a new plan. What about starting out with just a Ifs crossmember and building as funds permit? I will drive the car as is to local cruises and build the front end in the garage. I dont want to mortage the house to finish my car......wait, I do want to mortage the house to build my car but my wife wont allow it.

[Centerline]

That will work. Start collecting the parts and if you go with a Mustang II IFS you can just make it a weekend install when you're ready. Once the original suspension is removed and the frame cleaned you can install one in a weekend easily.