Need help with suspension ?'s

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Old 03-28-2011, 09:29 PM
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Default Need help with suspension ?'s

I have come here to ask for you knowledge. I recently bought a '46 Chevy Fleetline coupe. The previous owner grafted on a '70 something Camaro front clip. I think its an earlier year due to the fact that it has drums up front. I found an article in Hemmings for swapping disk brakes from a later year car. I have also bought a set of 2" drop spindles for a '70-'78 Camaro. The article says that if I use the taller spindles that I should use the shorter A-arms. This is where lies my question. Which A-arms are the short ones? The ones I already have or the ones from the disc brake set-up?

~C.C.~
 
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Old 03-28-2011, 09:33 PM
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Heres the article I was talking about.

Hemmings Motor News: Front disc brake conversion

~C.C.~
 
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Old 03-29-2011, 12:44 AM
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No tall or short spindle for seconds. I also THINK discs were standard. You may have a first get sub frame. I also haven't heard of a shorter A Arm for our cars. Good news is there are a ton of parts for that front end. Bad news is 2" drop spindles for the wrong year. I would start looking into finding out what you have before purchasing and more parts. Sorry I couldn't help more, but I can't recall ever seeing a second gen with drums up front.
 
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Old 03-29-2011, 09:24 AM
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Ditto. You've got a 1st gen subframe most likely, and you need to send the dropped spindles back and exchange for the correct ones for your subframe.
 
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Old 03-29-2011, 10:08 AM
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If my memory serves me right the tall spindles are for the 67-68 and the snortys are for the 69. All 70+ Camaros had front disk and a few even had 4 wheel disk.

Massey
 
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Old 03-29-2011, 05:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Massey
All 70+ Camaros had front disk and a few even had 4 wheel disk.

Massey
all 70-81 camaro's had front disk/rear drum..only T/A's had 4 wheel disk
 
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Old 03-30-2011, 12:26 AM
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O.K. I too think I have a first gen frame. But according to the article the second gen suspension from a donor will bolt up to the first gen frame. So my spindles will work just fine. I want to do drop springs also but that will have to be first gen.

~C.C.~
 
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Old 03-30-2011, 12:29 AM
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Never heard that either. I would get 1st gen specific parts. The second gen suspension was a refinement over the 1st.
 
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Old 03-30-2011, 06:47 PM
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Well its all about doing disk brakes on a budget. Some people don't have four grand to throw into a suspension. In this case you are getting all your parts from a junker donor.

~C.C.~
 
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Old 03-31-2011, 12:57 AM
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I totally understand budgets. Sorry if I sounded condescending. I just don't think the first and second gen parts interchange at all. As for what I have into mine. Its all income taxes that get me my parts. If I didn't have children and all that I'd be building mine much slower. It took me three years (all taxes too) to get the parts for my engine.

As for what A arms are shorter. I couldn't tell you because the only thing that changed between 70 and 81 was the wheel bearing.
 


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