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    Trick Truck Suspension

    Story and Photography by Jeff Tann

    Installing a Jaguar IFS in a ’55 Chevy Pickup

    Awhile back, a friend called Don Shirer, the owner of Dream Cars, and asked him if he knew anyone who might want an old Jaguar. The car was free all you had to do was get the thing out of the owner’s yard. Shirer really didn’t want the Jaguar, but he knew that the front and rear suspension would be good street rod parts to have on hand. He brought the car home, stripped out the good parts and then delivered the shell to the local auto-wrecking yard.

    The car was an XJ6 with the popular independent rear suspension and an A-frame-style coil-spring front suspension. Similar to many of the early Jaguars, the rear suspension cage could be easily removed from the chassis. The front suspension is also a bolt-in arrangement, so Shirer removed the entire suspension as a unit. The parts were put into a storage area and then Shirer started thinking about an old ’55 Chevy pickup he owned. He wondered if that Jag could be adapted to the truck. He made a few frame measurements and then measured the Jag unit. The Jag crossmember assembly would fit the framerails perfectly and the tread width would also be fine. Since Jaguars offer a very comfortable ride in the touring sedan, this seemed as if it would be a great swap for the truck.

    The front suspension was complete with disc brakes, springs, shocks and steering, so this would be a perfect upgrade. There are no kits available to install this suspension, so Shirer had to find a way to do it on his own. We were there and watched as he installed this nice suspension system. The installation required a good assortment of hand tools, a plasma cutter, a MIG welder and a 5-inch angle sander. Here’s how it went.

    1 The original Chevy truck engine mounts bolt to the frame, and the bolts were removed. These have been installed since they were new, so they were coated with rust penetrant before they were disconnected.
    2 After the bolts were disconnected, the engine mount could be removed from the chassis. New engine side mounts would have to be fabricated later for the new engine.
    3 The truck was elevated on jackstands and the front suspension was removed. That was done by removing the parallel-leaf spring bolts.
    4 After the bolts were removed, the spring was disconnected from the bracket. There are two rear and two front bolts that have to be removed. The steering arm also had to be disconnected.
    5 After all the parts were disconnected, the front suspension was removed from the truck.
    6 The transmission mount also had to be removed from the frame. The truck will require new engine mounts and a new transmission mount because it is going to be equipped with a later-model engine and transmission.
    7 The Jaguar XJ6 suspension unbolts as complete unit. This design should work fine under the truck. To promote better welding adhesion, Shirer sanded the areas that look bright on the photo because that is the area of the crossmember that will line up under the truck frame.
    8 The front horns had to be removed because they will not be used in this installation. Here, Shirer is cutting them off with a plasma cutter.
    9 The frame had to be boxed for strength. Here is the boxing plate tack-welded to the frame. The Jag crossmember was also installed under the truck at this point.
    10 Here is the frame after the boxing plate was welded in place. Notice how the crossmember sits perfectly against the bottom of the framerail. At this point the Jag can be aligned in the frame and tack-welded to keep it from moving.
    11 The Jag suspension comes complete with all the components, but in the XJ6 the shock bolts to the body. Here, Shirer is making a new shock mount for the truck. He used heavy-duty U-channel and a piece of 1/4-inch steel plate.
    12 The steel plate was welded to the top of the U-channel. This will be a strong mount when it is finished.
    13 The steel plate was welded to the U-channel and it looks very strong. Notice that the hole for the shock is already drilled in the plate.
    14 Shirer sanded the shock mount to smooth off the weld and to improve its appearance. Two shock mounts were made, one for each side.
    15 The mount was painted black to keep it from rusting and then it was welded to the frame. It is located in the center of the upper A-arm.
    16 Here is the original Jaguar Koni shock absorber bolted to the new bracket.
    17 Here you can see the crossmember welded to the frame, but the upper spring pocket area needed more support. Without a gusset, the upper spring pocket will want to flex inward.
    18 Shirer held a piece of 1/4-inch plate steel between the crossmember upright and the frame and then a line was drawn following the angle of the upright.
    19 The plate steel was cut with a plasma cutter and then it was welded to the frame and to the crossmember upright. This will make the connection strong.
    20 Here is the crossmember gusset after it was welded to the crossmember. This gusset will keep the upright from flexing.
    21 The other side also needed a gusset, but the gap between the crossmember upright and the frame is closer together because of the frame taper and the angle of the crossmember.
    22 Here is the front suspension after it was installed. As you can see, the truck sits nice and low and the suspension is the correct width. The wheel bolt pattern is five-on-five, which is the same as a late-model Chevy truck.
    23 The original Jaguar power rack-and-pinion unit was rebuilt before it was installed in the truck. It was bolted to the stock Jag steering mounts.
    24 Shirer purchased aftermarket sway bar brackets and used them to mount the original Jaguar sway bar.
    25 The original sway bar was mounted to the truck frame, and as you can see here, it looks as if it was made for the truck. The stock links and bushings also were retained.
    26 The Jaguar front suspension was an easy installation in this truck. The front suspension features disc brakes and lowers the truck to a cool ride height, and the suspension offers a nice ride combined with excellent handling. This suspension is a perfect addition to any '55-'59 Chevy truck, and it could also be adapted to some of the early Ford trucks because they have a frame with a similar design.

    SOURCE

    Dream Cars
    Dept. TB
    4265 Apricot Rd., Unit A
    Simi Valley, CA 93063
    805/306-9265

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    Picture of Jeff Tann

    Jeff Tann

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