In this video we install a Heidts IFS front suspension on a 1956 Chevy To support this channel please checkout www.lgspeedkus... Music by The James T Kirks www.facebook.c... Thanks for watching!
Fantastic video! I love the documentation of the build. Something I can rewatch whenever. All the little intricacies are wild, so happy I had you do the work - couldn't have turned out better. Cant wait for the next episode!
Awesome job, looks super clean, thanks for the honest assessment of the Heidts kit, You and Jim work very well together. I’ve got a’57 , some great information, thanks.
Nice work. Always lots of easter eggs to navigate around. I've done two of these conversions. A '41 Int'l PU with a Fatman's kit and a '48 F1 with a kit from your Canadian neighbors Welder Series. Both involved plenty of figure it out on your own. Thanks for the video.
I used street rod engineering for my m2 in my 55 chevy. The cross member had a “v” notch which located the rack and pinion lower and didn’t require a c notch in the frame and also provided a lot of clearance for the engine and balancer. I also used 1/4” plates pulled over with a c clamp as you did. I purchased motor mounts that were similar to what you made, had to be trimmed to fit tho and mounted nearly the same way you did. Those are some nice welds, very professionally done.
Fantastic video Lee, i love the stuff you show on your videos and the way you explain everything. I plan on building a late 30s to early 50s traditional kustom with MII front end, rear C notch with 4 link axle and bags all arround as next project, i need to finish my actual one but i started to save some drivetrain parts before having any car, car guys disease i supose haha. BTW i got my roadster shirt for my birthday last week, nice suprise from my girlfriend, thank you guys and keep on with the channel. Cheers from BCN Spain!
Hey, i just found your channel and I'm 20 minutes into this video. I've heard so many horror stories about Heits in the past few years that i decided on my 58 chevy truck i would do a Flat Out Engineering C4 corvette IFS (and IRS). The assembly was pretty much the same as a Mustang 2 (Heits) at least at the 20 minute mark, but the fitment was PERFECT, and i don't have Ford parts. Instead, off the shelf Corvette components
If you were to do the Flat Out C4 front only, you would need the corvette upper and lower control arms, the spindles and the steering rack. Then brakes and such. I found a guy who cut the whole front and rear suspensions out of a donor car, got em for like $700. The way i see it, that's half the price of a good aftermarket rear end. Then the parts from Flat Out were another $1200 iirc, and they arrived to my house in less than a month
@LGKustoms if you get the early c4 posts you can still run 15s. And you'll have aluminum control arms, hub assemblies instead of spindles, ABS if you really want, and the Flat Out has mounts for coilovers so you get rid of the c3-c4-c5 transverse leaf spring suspension. Win win win win
Good episode. I wonder if the differences are because their Canadian trucks so they ate slightly wider just because of tooling differences from plant to plat?
That kit from Heidts for this period of truck --- you have now done two ---- one would think --- by now --- that someone got a hold of them and they got these kits correct ----- I would imagine --- never bought one --- that these kits are not cheap --- and one should not have to grind - cut - and rework their pieces to make it fit ------ Maybe that other company you mentioned has a better product. ------- You mentioned towards the end --- IT IS -- so much better to get the work done --- BEFORE --- you put the sheet metal back on ----- Here is a thought from me ---- Have you done a -- Tilt Front End / Flip --- on a Truck --- whichever way you want to say it. Maybe this customer / friend would like to do one ------If he doesn't --- do you think you might do one? ----- I only ask because -- I'm getting older and climbing up inside the engine compartment to sit and do the work --- is getting old ---- I have what they call a Square Body -- '77 Chevy --------- Thank You for telling us ---ALL THE DETAILS --- in doing that front suspension --- I for one really appreciate going into every step ----------- Thanks Again ------------- Thanks for the Sewing Tips from the '59 Ford ---- I did get a sewing machine ----- Rodney
No I’ve never done a tilt front end before. They were pretty popular in the 80’s, but to be honest I’ve never seen one that looked good or fit well where the fender cut happens.
we just put the same kit in our truck and kit it perfect with no slack in kit ,, after watching your video ,instructions say to leave front cross member in when installing kit ,,step # 2 , i dont think i would of removed front cross member until after kit was installed
I did this exact same kit on a 55 Chevy pickup a few months ago, left the original crossmember in place and had the exact same issue with it not being too narrow.
We have installed these before and YOU BETTER CHECK for bump stear those are universal kits make sure the rack is not too low we had to raise ours to get rid of the bump stear😢😢😢
Instead of using c-clamps to pull the boxing plate to the frame why didn't you just mark the plates and bend them to fit then weld them in? By the way, very nice welds.
A months later, I'd like to see how those motor mounts have held up? They looked suspect to me , but I don't know nothing. With gravity and load distribution, I always thought they should come from straight under the motor not from the side. I just see the truck hitting a bad pothole which are very common these days (you know tax dollars don't fix roads anymore apparently) and breaking them motor mounts right off.
It’s been 7 months and they’re holding up just fine. It’s a very common motor mount design. Look up Trans Dapt 4511 engine mounts for example. They’re not just straight out, they have two gussets on each side triangulating everything. Not to mention, it’s all 3/16” plate.
Thank you for the great videos. Im building a 57 and am having trouble getting headers to fit with a small block. Can you tell me what header you are using? I would really appreciate the information. Thank You
We put together a 57 chevy trk with a Plymouth Volare front sub frame Sheet metal was easy to install Because sub frame intsalled on bottom of oem frame that said 55 chevy trk putting in a 72 nova sub frame is thier any help in installing sheet metal on this Just need some ideas to complete This project Thanks For every action thier is a reaction
Great video again! Seeing all the steering wheels on your Shop wall i wonder if you have or know anybody that has a 49 to 53 chevy steering wheel he wants to part with. I need one to get my car on the road again. I fitted a grant wheel some 40 years ago and lost the original one. Car was in storage for the last 30 years now authorities wont let me drive it with the aftermarket steering wheel. Thanks for any help in advance. By the way i am in Germany.
Great video and nice work ! I was just about to order a HEidts mustang ii kit for my 46 chev pick up. I might have to look at a TCI kit or speedway kit if they fit like that or might just be that gen truck that they fit crappy on. What size welder are you using for the crossmember/frame ? I use my miller 140 mig for alot of thinner sheet metal and have built some hitches etc thicker wall but not sure if I should attempt this crossmember work with that machine . I have a miller synchrowave 250 tig but takes so much longer using tig. Cheers from Alberta
I welded this using 135amps and got nice penetration. Your 140 amp should be okay. Try and see how it goes, if you’re not happy with it, switch to the TIG.
Great videos! Hey I just finished welding in my heidts crossmember in my 45 chev. Truck frame is still sitting on jack stands with a slight 1.5 degree rake. I’d like to mount my engine/tranny in place and weld in my engine mounts while cab is still in place but I’m not sure if I should keep frame at this slight rake on jack stands before setting engine at 3 degrees or level frame out at the front frame rails ? I don’t have front suspension assembled and don’t have my new rear diff or rear suspension installed yet so not sure where my final rake or ride height will be
The 3° angle means nothing. As soon as you drive down a hill, or up a hill, you’re not at 3° anymore are you? All that matters is your engine and rearend are both mounted on the same plane. I’ve mounted engines at 8° before because that was the only way it would fit. Mounted the rear end at 8° and it was fine. Just put your engine where it fits best, and when the time comes to mount your rearend, just make sure it’s on the same angle.
@@LGKustoms right on thx for info ! Ya I got it sitting good , good distributer clearance , bottom of oil pan is sitting level with bottom of crossmember , rack has lots clearance , t5 tranny to floor has clearance . Call it home . I’ll degree pinion when I get to rear end install . Thx !
OEM rubber mounts on the block and the mounts are made from 3/16 plate with two triangular gussets on each mount. Maybe to some that’s wimpy? For a street truck with a mild small block, they’re plenty strong enough and I’d bet that rubber isolator will tear apart well before the mount breaks.
Hi Sergio. On average it’s around $8500 to install a kit like this. That’s you driving the truck in all stock, and driving it out with the new suspension installed, painted/powder coated, power steering and disc brakes.
