IFS for 1950 Buick ?

[buick50]

Hello everyone.

I own a 1950 Buick Super Convertible that Im going to strart building next month. Is my first Hot Rod project. Im going to strat building the Chassis and I will like to Addapt an Individual Front Suspension in that car, but I really have no experience at all, I see that there are many IFS fabricators, but wich one to choose? FAT MAN Fabrications has a compleete IFS for my car are they a good choise? What thinks I should considere before buying any IFS?

What Ideas do you give me for the rear end?

thanks for all your comments and help

Alex

Guatemala City, Central America:thumbsup:

[Bundy]

I built a 50 Buick sedan about 5years ago. I used the fatman kit, its based on a mustang 2, it went together very easy. I left the front sheetmetal on and removed the core support to gain enough room to install the cip, I was afraid I couldn't get the hood lined back up. For the rear suspension I made a set of truck arms that attacthed to the center of the frame right behind the trans. I also cut down a 96 Impala rear with disc brakes. The owner of the car at that time drove it about 10,000 miles without any problems. If you have anymore questions I might be able to help.

[buick50]

I built a 50 Buick sedan about 5years ago. I used the fatman kit, its based on a mustang 2, it went together very easy. I left the front sheetmetal on and removed the core support to gain enough room to install the cip, I was afraid I couldn't get the hood lined back up. For the rear suspension I made a set of truck arms that attacthed to the center of the frame right behind the trans. I also cut down a 96 Impala rear with disc brakes. The owner of the car at that time drove it about 10,000 miles without any problems. If you have anymore questions I might be able to help.

Do you have any pictures of your instalattion process? did you lined back up the hood? So you think FantMan is a good choice?

What about the aligment of the car?

thanks for the help

[buick50]

Hello Bundy, Today I call Fat Man Fabrication, they told me that they offer to me a compleete weld-in Mustang II frame stub kit, is like a compleete front clip, that means that I have to cut my front chassis and install the stub kit. Is that the way you go?

they told me that I need to use a compleete stub kit because of the geometry of the car.

thanks

[Teetoe_Jones]

Two words for you.

Art. Morrison.

/thread.

Tyler

[bret]

Fatman is definetly the way to go for that Buick. Not only does his stuff work nicely on that car, they are quite knowledgeable about that particular installation and will be very helpfull throughout the build.

[buick50]

Yes, I think Fat Man is a good choice. which gives me a little scared is to cut the chassis. Has anyone had any experience cutting a chassis? the car does not lose its rigidity?

thanks

[Shmoov69]

I got a 52 that is my next project and I was thinking about hacking the entire frame and floor out and putting a 92 Caprice frame, drivetrain and floor under it. But, I have not checked out the track and wheelbase yet. But I have both cars sitting there I wait! Anybody know if that would work?

[Bundy]

I used the fatman frame stub the car rode and drove great, but after lurking around on this site I believe now that I would have talked the customer into something like the art morrison front clip. The only real thing I saw about the fatman kit was the front track width was too narrow, it was 4" wider than stock I believe. If you want your buick to just be a cruiser and look cool at parking lot shows, the fatman will work fine but if you want to drive it hard on occasion then I would step up to something else. All my pics of the buick were on my old pc and when it crashed all were lost. I might be able to find a pic of the complete car. Good luck. I never removed the hood or fenders when I cut the frame off, just worked around them.

[Bundy]

I had never istalled a frame stub before the buick, I raised the car about two feet and leveled every direction. I tied the front clip to the trusses of my shop so it wouldn't move measuered everything a dozen times and cut it off, I was very nervous about ruining a $25,000 car( the car could have been in a museum),from the time I cut it off and welded on the new one was about 6 hrs. Taking the steering box off was the hardest part. Time to head to
work. Have a good day.

p.s. If you google 1950 buick larry morris images its the first one, black with torq thrusts

[Bundy]

Please dont get me wrong, the fatman subframe with the mustang 2 is a great piece. I'm building a 62 falcon with a 4.6 mod motor and I built a mustang 2 subframe for it. Most people building a car on this forum is looking for the best handling setup available, and the mustang 2 lacks a little in that department. For a cruiser like I built with the buick and also my falcon,the mustang 2 is a good choice.Here is a pic of my subframe tacked up, I also put one in a 57 belair when I get the pic loaded I will post it.

[Bundy]

Here is the pic of the 57 chassis, super low customer wanted a 3" ride height. I welded a small scab plate on the stub joint plus the small plates on the inside. Should be very solid.

[buick50]

Hi Bundy, thanks for all the informations and pics, that will help a lot. My question for you now is, are you satisfied with FatMan front stub? if not what else do you recommend me to do with that Buick?

thanks:thumbsup:

[buick50]

Why is necesary to use a compleete stub and cut the chassis, instead of using only a IFS kit and use the same chassis?

I found this IFS on e-bay made by Helix, do you think it works?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1950-50-Buick-M2-IFS-FRONT-END-SUSPENSION-roadmaster-/400225380209?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessorie s&vxp=mtr&hash=item5d2f4aa771#ht_3427wt_1163

:question:

[Bundy]

The guy I built it for was completly satisfied,he even has done a chevy 2 the same way.If your just going to drive it, I recommend the fatman stub. The reason you cant use the conventional mustang 2 crossmember is because how the buick frame is made, it has formed c-channel that comes together at the front suspension and separates before the core support. The fatman stub is easy to install if you have the place and tools to do it. I'm in Kentucky. Where are you located?

[buick50]

Hi Bundy, unfurtunately im outside de US, I live in Guatemala City, Central America. Thats why im afraid to cut the original chassis, because here we dont have the experience that you have in the US.

I called Art. Morrison and they offer me what they call a Bikini Clip, but you still have to cut the chassis. If you have to choose between Art. Morrison and FatMan wich one do you use? the bikini clip at Art Morrison is only US$ 400 more expensive that the FatMan front stub.

Do you think there is another solution that allow me to instal an IFS working with the same chassis?

thanks

[Bundy]

THe art morrison clip is more of a universal fit,where as the fatman is made for the buick. I would go with the fatman. The only sheet matal I had to modify was the inner fenders to clear the upper arms.The stock core support bolted up as did the bumper brackets.
Here is a list of things I changed or fabricated.
Steering column. I made the stock one work but it was not ideal,The column had detents for the gear selector. The 350 turbo I installed also had detents that did not match.The owner later installed a flaming river column with a 40 ford style wheel.
Motor mounts and trans crossmember. I installed a 455 with a 350 turbo,fatman included a universal motor mount kit. The mount kit was modified and I made the trans crossmember from scratch.
Rear suspension. I built a trailing arm or two link, the arms were 42" long I believe.The arms were mounted to brackets that bolted to the x part of the chassis.I used the factory springs and panhard bar. The rear was out of a 96 impala ss narrowed 3".
I hope this helps with your decision.

[buick50]

Thank You very Much Bundy, I think A had all the information to make a decisión. I will keep you posted

:thumbsup:

[buick50]

Hello, I was analyzing between to choose Fatman or Art Morrison for a new front suspension. im kind of confuse

I think Art Morrison is a better suspension, the question is: is a good idea and good choice to use the bikini clip on my 1950 Buick? I wiil like to use it. I think my car will handle better, but have more metal work to do with it.

Then Fat Man is like a custom front stub that is easier to install, but with this suspension my car will handle as good as using Art Morrison?

thanks for the comments:_paranoid

[Bundy]

If you can handle the fab work the AM setup will out handle the FM.You could build a fixture to hold the front and rear of the frame and cut out what you need for the bikini to fit,thats what I was going to do with my falcon but I'm going in a different direction(not lateral-g friendly). What are your plans for the rear?