Front suspension

ratfink
ratfink Member
edited September 2014 in Street Rods
working on a 1954 hudson hornet.  Anyone swap out front suspension ( mustang II, Crown Vic)?  Whats the best choice and easiest way to go? Pros and Cons?  I need to rebuild my front end, So nows the time to either swap it out of rebuild it.  Thanks in advance. 

Comments

  • charles4d
    charles4d Expert Adviser
    Well it would help alot if we knew what you was working on
  • oh yea....that would help.  1954 hornet special
  • TRAVIS:Why would you want to swap out a suspension with a Mustang or Crown. Do they have sway bars in their front. Did they have rear steering? Did you see a Mustang at Daytona Beach, Nascar..Why did the Hudson make the curves and Chevys and Olds have a hard time...Do they have sway bars on the rear?
    I thought I would stick my nose in here as this is going to open up a beehive. I wan't you to keep it as is....
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Easy does it, Hudson Grandpa!  ratfink has posted this in the Street Rod section and it is the appropriate place for this conversation.  
  • Browniepetersen
    Browniepetersen Senior Contributor
    Hay, Ratfink, I have a 54 Hudson special coupe. What is the SN on your car. We are trying to figure who has the last Hudson Hornet special produced (Before they became Hashes).....
  • PAULARGETYPE
    PAULARGETYPE Senior Contributor
    DID SOME ONE SAY HASH LOL BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING :D

  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    FYI

    Ive seen pictures on the old Forum of Mustang11 style front end grafted onto a Hornet.  Additionally, in St Rodder Mag ive seen Fatman Ad's listing a 'Clip' specifically to fit Hudson. Humpy Wheeler has a Camoro Clip under his '53 Hornet that just ran the 'Great Race'....

    The advantages over the original suspension are Power steering, Disc Brakes, and easily obtainable replacement parts.
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    Brownie
    You have work cut out for you.
    Approximately 50% of the Hudson owners in the club roster have not include VIN # information. I found that out when I made a vin # list in numerical order of all known Hudson, Essex, Terraplane PUs including fire trucks . I only found 2 pairs of trucks with paired vin #'s. I'm sure there would have been more had all the truck owners included vin #s. After a few calls to truck owners without vins trying to complete the list I soon realized I was not going to complete it. Probably not knowing who I was had something to do with it among other unknown reasons. .

    I hope you are successful with you search.
    Lee O'Dell
  • 46HudsonPU
    46HudsonPU Administrator

    Actually, I think 'Fatman' put out a .pdf type of instruction on installing one of their front clips into/onto a Hudson stepdown...  Don't know if it is still available on their website - at one point it was so popular that they had 'blocked' the downloading of it, making people pay to get it. 

    They had promised to do a complete (front and rear) suspension upgrade - but never followed-thru with the rear suspension (at least not with .pdf instructions.

    I 'think' I might have a copy of it on my PC (downloaded years ago, before it was blocked) - got to find time to look.  (Maybe this evening, when I get home from work)

  • 46 Hudson Pu  ...I will take a look , hope you can find it.  To answer Grandpa I would like to be able to walk in to a parts store and walk out with the parts needed for the repair.  Also thinking of putting a small block and th350 in it some time.   I didnt think about doing a sub frame.  Anyone have pictures of a sub frame swap?  What years and models it came from?
  • As for the SN are you referring to the VIN number?
  • lostmind
    lostmind Expert Adviser
    As for the SN are you referring to the VIN number?




    This is a good example of Generation gap. We all speak the English language , but with different words.

    You ask a legitimate question , I just had to LOL , the old guys know SN . Younger generation knows Vin.

  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    I think the modern "VIN" is much more inclusive than the old serial number, which was just a sequential number identifying the automobile body and chassis.  The VIN contains information on the manufacture, country of manufacture, division (of the company) weight, type of vehicle and a host of other things never dealt with in the old serial numbers.  Serial numbers were devised by each manufacturer; VINS are standardized throughout the world.
  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    FYI
    An early 80's Camaro/Firebird front Clip is cheap and has all the real strong componets looking for then suggest using the (Tilt) Column as well to connect onto the Power Steering Box.

    A GM Swing Pedal then can be utilized for a Power Brake Booster.mounted on the firewall.           

    The GM front end widths vary slightly on Rear & Front Steer design

    A drawback of sort GM Wheels Bolt Circle are 4.750 so consider a GM Rear End too. If using a V8 with Automatic, will need higher Ratio anyway...

    I got everything I needed from a Firebird Trans Am 'donor car' for my Hudson Trk....

    One thing suggest not doing is use a stock front end pirated from a Mustang Donor car.. The 'After Market' Kits copied that Geometry then made their 11 'design' far superior, but pricey....

  • 46HudsonPU
    46HudsonPU Administrator
    edited September 2014
    46 Hudson Pu  ...I will take a look , hope you can find it.  To answer Grandpa I would like to be able to walk in to a parts store and walk out with the parts needed for the repair.  Also thinking of putting a small block and th350 in it some time.   I didnt think about doing a sub frame.  Anyone have pictures of a sub frame swap?  What years and models it came from?



    Found it! (Actually them - two files, Part #1, Part #2). 

    Anyone wanting a copy - send me a 'PM' with your email address and I will email you the files.  They are .pdf, so you will need Adobe Reader on your computer.

  • 46HudsonPU
    46HudsonPU Administrator
    edited May 2019

    Here is the location of their technical instructions - to include the 'Part #1 & Part #2' on the Hudson Stub Installation.

    http://tech.fatmanfabrications.com/webrodder-technical-team-technical-articles

    Per their website, all their instructions are 'locked down', meaning that you would probably need to use a credit card to purchase a copy of it. 

    As I indicated above, I downloaded the .pdf file long ago - before they decided to make money off of their instruction sheets.

  • ok   SN/VIN     6d6310881.   Can anyone break the SN down for me?
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    ratfink will you be the one installing the clip? I hope you will share pictures of the job.
    Lee O'Dell
  • lsfirth
    lsfirth Expert Adviser

    Here's a cronicle of my '49 super six fatman install.....

    http://openforum.hetclub.org/discussion/114985/new-front-stub-frame-in-my-49-brougham/p1

    after a long interruption with a '52 airstream rebuild, I'm about ready to get back on my hudson!!

    Good luck!

    Lee

     

  • Ol racer
    Ol racer Senior Contributor
    Very nice detailing each step of the Front Suspension Update for others that may consider do an upgrade to modern componets..

  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    edited October 2014
    I have a front frame clip from a 69 Camaro that I was saving in case I wanted to graft it to a hudson. Now that i'm doing the electric steering assist install into the column, I don't see any real advantage in grafting the Camaro clip on.
    Disc brake kits for the stock Hudson front are readily available, and kingpins will out live most of us if greased properly. Parts are readily available, so I just don't have a good reason left to make that front clip change.
  • fliptop
    fliptop Member
    I am using a 1967 Nova front clip on my ride.
  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    edited May 2015
  • Kerry, i agree...
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    The advantage would only be if you were going to use a GM engine. otherwise??
This discussion has been closed.