[62badboy]

Curious about fitting an A Body frame under my 62.
If not that one which should I use without cutting the unibody up?

[tom s]

First gen firebird

[tom s]

Not a frame but allows to put a front trans in EZ.Tom

[62badboy]

I also need to consider a rear end.....nothing is simple but the frame has pervisions to go with bolt in pieces

[codyyy]

Not sure on the frame, I would like to know as well on that. For the rear end, I would look into the '63 Super Duty Tempest and emulate that rear end, that's what I wanted to do anyway. Hot Rod did a lengthy article on this car. According to Hot Rod, they cut down a '57 Pontiac rear and used the springs from it as well. You may be able to research it more, maybe find the stock width of a '57 Pontiac rear end and compare it to yours. Currie or Moser could just build a 9" to those specs if you can't source the parts easily.
https://goo.gl/images/9kmnJc
https://goo.gl/images/s4zWfm

[62badboy]

Am looking at a 72 lemans full rolling chassis. 112 WB
Maybe a huge task.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by codyyy

Not sure on the frame, I would like to know as well on that. For the rear end, I would look into the '63 Super Duty Tempest and emulate that rear end,

The factory Super Duty cars used the production swing axle setup with two transmissions bolted together to create a clutch actuated automatic four speed.

That might be a bit much for the uninitiated, which is why most folks go with a solid axle suspended on ladder bars (or a four link).

Many folks here have done the conversion, including Tom S and beemergary. I would seek out their input.


K

[codyyy]

Wow, I did not know that. That's pretty complicated engineering.

[tom s]

I did my first one in 1964,have done 2 others since.Not for the weak of wallet.If your set on doing it PM me or email.Tom

[c5farmer]

The A body frame doesn't work. Use a G body frame from a malibu or monte carlo. That switch has been done several times. Some mods to the frame are still needed.

[62badboy]

we have had a major change of plans....Going with Ladder bars and coil overs in the rear. going to keep the front end configuration the same, only using a different engine mount design and disk brakes.

[rdtripn_rte66]

Stan Imoden from Central Kansas has the orange 63 LeMans hardtop with a black vinyl top he used a 86 Grand Prix and lower pan in his LeMans. He would be the expert.
Look for him by name on Facebook. He is under the 1963 LeMans Facebook group page he is also on the little Indians Club page

[62badboy]

Thsnk you..
Stan and I have been involved in several deep conversations on the issue...he is strongly advising that I not follow through with this plan and look more towards the use of a ladder bars system.

[Big Bear]

Had a chance to look at Stan's car at Norwalk. The GP frame makes it easy to service and can upgrade the handling with bolt on parts. I wouldn't go with ladder bar on the street. Just imagine coming off a curb. It doesn't articulate so something has to give . Could see cracks developing. Here are some pics of Stan's car .

[Big Bear]

There is a locale Corvair with G Body frame and pan. I think it's a big improvement.

[tom s]

I have driven my ladder bar car on the street for 20 years with just one issue.If money is no object there are better ways but on a budget they are the way to go IMO.Tom

[Transporter]

Hello all, I have not been back to the PY board for a while but I was thumbing through here today and saw this so I thought I would kinda clear the air.

I have had several people over the years ask a lot of questions and take a lot of pics of the orange car, and I am glad to answer any question anyone has, but I will state again, I can not take credit for that G body conversion, the man that started the project is long gone and my buddy Jim from Salina (63 longtop) finished up most of the bulk of the work, I only put the finishing touches on the car and sorted out some suspension/alignment/drivability issues.

With that being said, I did have a lengthy past career in frame straightening/suspension/alignment and of course circle track racing, so although I don't consider myself a expert, I do know what it takes to get around a corner.

So what follows are my opinions, and yes I have told different people different things, sometimes conflicting because here is the thing, EVERY situation is different!

In my mind there are 3 things that determine what you should do, first off,

What is you intended use for the car?

What kind of shape is the car you have in?

What kind of time, money are you wanting to spend?


Those three question are a must know before you do anything!!!


When 62BB first asked me about the Gbody deal, I did try and dissuade him, because he has a solid car, I just can't see cutting up a solid unibody structure to put a full frame under it, that Gbody is a nice conversion when done, BUT, it is VERY time consuming and/or expensive if you are not doing the work yourself, it DOES add weight to the car, also, the last of the Gbody's are now 30 years old, finding a really nice donor may not be that easy, and then you also have to upgrade or replace the rear if you are doing any serious driving with the car.

[Transporter]

Rear Coilovers,

As far as the rear coil over setup, I have that on my green/white coupe, it is a true street/strip car, and it works fine for cruising around,and of course at the track, however it is by no means a suspension setup that I would want to live with on a daily driver, it just doesn't handle well enough for me, BUT, it is by far the cheapest and easiest to install.


Rear leaf spring,

I feel rear leafs have gotten a bad rap, many say the cars sit to tall with them, but most of that can be fixed with "how" you install them, my 2 door wagon will have rear leafs, I will be using front frame pockets to locate the eye "into" the chassis rather than just sticking it below the frame rail, also I will be using rear sliders instead of hangers, and of course I will spec a custom double wrap front leaf for that car from AFCO, reason being the car is a 455/6speed stick, I wanted a rear suspension that could handle the lateral forces as well as plant the tires AND carry some weight, remember it is a wagon, lol

Multilink rear,

My Black 63 coupe will probably use some type of multilink, reason being I want this car as lite as I can make it but I also want it to be a corner carver, probably use some variation of a newer Mustang setup with coil overs and an 8.8 rear, I will be modifying the front crossmember to accept tubular control arms, a coilover shock and R&P steering and of course disc brakes all around, and I know this will cause some trepidation, but I may be going with an LS3/4l80e, again, I want this thing as lite as possible without sacrificing comfort/drivability.

Tube frame/Straight axle

I also have a full 2x3 tube frame with a straight front axle car that I am building, reason for that was I always wanted a Gasser, and that car had a poor and rusted unibody stucture, as I said it all depends what you want, what you can afford and what you are starting with, hope that helps?

As you can see, all different, for all different reasons, there is not a "This one is best" for everything option, again, just my opinion!

Stan

[BruceWilkie]

I'd consider doing the rear much like a "back-half" car. You dont have to go with monster tubs and super narrow frame/axles.

I would NOT use ladder bars...either triangulated 4 link, a 3 link(which would be a varient of the triangulated 4 link) or copy the torque arm design of a third gen f body(but torque arm mounted to crossmember not transmission.

PS That corvair bubble top roof in post 15 ^^^ would look cool on a tempest...I think it could be grafted on. A 61 done that way would somewhat resemble a 59 Catalina.

[tom s]

Bruce,I have to ask,have you ever personally done one of these cars?I have done 3 and they are not for the weak of wallet.What you are recommending are way more expensive to do.If money is no object you make sense.2 of mine have been coil overs and ladde bars and were the easiest.My first done in 1964 used coil springs and lift bars copied from the Tbolts.Tom