To begin this website I would like to explain my intent. That was to implant an IFS without cutting off the original frame. I searched high and low for information on how to go about this but could not find any. So with a fair amount of fabricating ingenuity I decided to go it alone. The following pics and captions are the results.

 

How to implant '82 Monte Carlo IFS into '55 1st Series Chevy Pick-Up

 

Here is a shot of the original engine before the Implant.I thought long and hard before I got up the nerve to tear down a completely restored to original truck !!

 

The reason I chose the Monte Carlo ('78 to '86) was the wheel width is very close to the original. i.e. 58.3" Monte and 57.5" for '47 thru '55 1st trucks. First I torched the IFS from the frame 2 1/2 in. behind the a-arm housings. Note: Be sure not to dammage brake proportion valve you will need it later.

 

Before cutting on the frame I beefed up the inside with 1/4 in. plate. Then I torched out the area for the upper a-arms on both sides.

 

Here you can see that I cut away the area on the IFS where the frame should be located.Note#1. Before removing the old axel and spindles make a heavy mark on the frame directly above axel center line or measure from a fixed hole on the frame.Note#2.This measurement is critical in positioning the tire in the center of the wheel well.

 

As you can see here a lot of work has been done.I closed in all open areas where too much metal was cut away from the IFS with 1/8 in. metal.Next I sandblasted and painted everything black. Then installed all new parts on the IFS. In order for the eng. to set properly in relation to the radiator I had to move the eng. mounts back 4 1/2 in. and up 2 in. To do this I used a piece of 6 in. channel X 8 in. I drilled the new mount holes in the channel then welded it to the IFS. Well its time to drop in one Bad 327 eng.

 

This 327 eng. is from '68 Corvette rated 300HP. I rebuilt it from the crankshaft out using hi/per parts. Bored it 30ths over, turned crank 20-10 ,10to1 pistons, street cam,polished intake and heads, truck water pump and custom built 4-core rad. with GM cooler for 700R4 trans.Also Hedman ceramic hedders, 21/2 in. stainless pipes and Flowmaster mufflers. The rear end is '67 Impala Eaton posi. with 3.38 gears. The eng. should be pushing about 350hp now.

 

Next job was to hook up brake sys. I had to mix and match on this.The booster and pedal are Monte.The master cyl. is '74 chevy p/u.Couldn't use Monte master cyl. because fluid wouldn't be level in reservoir.The firewall is too weak to take the pressure from the foot pedal so used a piece of 1/8 plate 8X10 in. between booster and pedal mount. Then hooked up the lines to the proportion valve mounted on the frame.I had to do some serious fabricating for the steering column because the orignal column did not attach to the firewall.The column is also '74 chevy truck.and the connecting rod fits both the column and the Monte steering box. Yea!!

 

Going outside and gather up everthing from the yard and see if they still fit?? Things went just fine until I got to the bumper (oh no !!) I cut the frame off where the bumper brackets mount to it.( shucks &%@) Had to make new brackets and bolt them to front of the IFS. Wont do that next time(haha)

 

Decided to go with 16 in. fan in front of the rad. for extra cooling in summer. I run the wiring to switch on dash just below headlight switch.Later maybe hook it up to a thermocouple in rad.

 

Here is side view to see the stance of lowering it 21/2in. Also using 235/60R15 front and 235/70R15 rear.

 

"Hallelujah" Well after some smashed fingers, a few skint knuckles and 3 months of pure"Hell" (I enjoyed it) Ole Blue is ready for a test run. Think I'll grab me a "Cold One" and take her for a spin around the block! (15 min later)The ride was "great" almost lost it when it shifted out of 1st to 2nd. !!! Let me know what you think about the job good or bad? BowtieMax@webtv.net

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