Thread: Setting up a suicide front need some input

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Well I have a 53 Chevy truck I would like to install a suicide front end but before I go out and get hog wild and buy the parts I would like to here some input on what length the I beam should be and other know info that new-b's don't know. Fact know is the frame at the start of th firewall is 36" and going forward toward the horns it tapers to 26".

What i was thinking of doing is cutting it at the fire wall z it up 2"-4" with 2x3 tubing and taper it to the front 26 or 28 inches.

looking for some advise thank you.

That truck might be a bit heavy for a suicide front, they are usually left for roadsters and light coupes.... Maybe an IFS would be better, especially if you are still using the stock frame. If you gotta have an IFS then be sure you buy a heavy duty enough one to stand up to the weight. The weight of an old pickup is probably going to stress a suicide front in it's stock configuration. I would also be concerned about lightweight dainty looking hairpins and would urge you to use a 4 bar setup on the front if you have to have the suicide front! I'd guess that the old chebbie pickup with a V-8, auto trans, and the normal accessories is going to tip the scales around 3,700 to 4,000 pounds. Most of the old pickups and fat fendered cars with straight axles had elliptical springs....