Thread: 40 Studebaker frame and suspension

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Originally Posted by 40$tude

The car came with a Mustang II front suspension already grafted on and from some research I have done here and elsewhere, I believe it to be an original taken from a MII. I have the original strut rods and another set that looks like they were made to fit this frame although no frame brackets are in place for them as yet.

In my opinion, the original Mustang II independent front suspension system, using the original strut rods to support the lower control arm, makes a great front suspension swap. You will see a bunch of these systems folded up and resulting in crashes across the country every year, but the reason is because of the aftermarket lower control arm that the builder used, instead of the original strut rod. Some "fabricator" thought the car would look better with a wishbone lower control arm instead of the original. So, he eliminated the strut rod and fashioned a wishbone lower arm. Problem was, he made the "V" too narrow, so that it was not able to absorb and resist loads like the original strut rod suspension could, so the whole mess folded up. In the meantime, every other "fabricator" copied the first guy, making the "V" too narrow to resist loads, and the result is that we have a bunch of under-engineered components folding up in cars all over the country.

Sadly, I can't even find a video of an installation of an original MII into a hot rod. Every video I have found uses those inferior narrow little aftermarket control arms.

If you can find an original factory drawing or blueprints of the original dimensions showing exactly where to place the biscuit in relation to the lower control arm, you will have a winner in my opinion.

Originally Posted by 40$tude

The rear is the original leaf spring set up currently holding a 10 bolt Chevy. My questions at this point are: what can be done to the leaf spring rear to stabilize it some.

Although I have never used them, CalTrac bars from Calvert Racing might be the hot ticket for you. Call them and discuss it.....
https://www.calvertracing.com/contact-us.html

Originally Posted by 40$tude

and what brackets are available for engine mounting? I plan to use a 330 Olds engine and a TH350. I suppose I can build the mounts myself once I can line the engine and trans up with the trans mount which already exists. Sorry I'm not "old enough" to post some pictures which might illustrate this better. Looking for all good advice. Thanks.

330 Olds into a '40 Studebaker. Yeah, I doubt that anyone has those on the shelf. You'll probably have to make those yourself, starting with some stiff carbboard like a shoebox and taping pieces together to get your angles correct, then taking it apart and transferring the shapes to 1/8" cold rolled, to be welded together as the finished mount.
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