Thread: Cross member from 95 Roadmaster in 1937

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Only thing I would add to Tech's advice is before you remove the sheetmetal, engine, or anything from the Roadmaster donor is to remove the front shocks and make a set of tubes to replace them that are the exact same length as the installed height of the shocks when they are in the car. Easiest way to do this is to put a tie wrap around the shock rod and push the tie wrap down to the shock body, then when you get the shocks removed, measure the length of the shock from mounting point to mounting point with the shock compressed to where the shock body just touches the tie wrap. Build your tubes to this same distance between mounting points, put them back in the car and tighten them up. This will retain the correct angle of the lower control arm.

You will have to have the engine and trans installed and the body on the frame to set your ride height correctly. Once things are tacked into place, you can remove the body, engine and trans, and all the rest of the stuff in your way so that you can get at everything to weld it properly!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Build your tubes to this same distance between mounting points, put them back in the car and tighten them up. This will retain the correct angle of the lower control arm.

When Dave talks about "tubes", he's saying the same thing that I did above when talking about using 1/2" Allthread and locknuts to replace the shock and lock the lower control arm into the correct position to hold it. Tubing is the professional way to do it. Allthread is the down and dirty "home garage" way to do it. All of this can be very confusing to someone who has never done it, so I will try to over-explain everything.

Scroll down here to see tubing used in the place of coilovers during building......
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Thanks techinspector1 for this great detail on how to set up the suspension. I still have the drive train and suspension in the donor car so I can take these measurements and lock the control arm anges before I remove them.
Thanks Dave for your help as well.

Heres an update on some added info I found.
A gentleman named Ralph Sauceda described how he and friends have done this swap on three early 50's Chevy trucks.
http://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/...=504299&page=1
Here are some pictures.
http://s597.photobucket.com/user/rns...91486981051259
Looks pretty close to what I planned except I would like to keep more of the original frame intact for radiator and fender support.
Thanks