I have a 57 ranchero that I'm going to get more serious about drag racing it. Want to go to bigger wheels and tires, has anyone narrowed and tubbed one of these? I assume ladder bar suspension is the best way to go. Thanks.
on a Custom...2" tub and straighten the rear portion of the frame. Pic is with old NASCAR tires.
I squeezed my frame rails together 2 1/2" inches per side, with the body still on the frame. I chained around where the front leafs mounts to pull together with the rest of the frame anchored secure to a frame rack(actually pots in the floor with chain and jackstands) and pulled the rails together with a pullback ram. I removed the rear shock upper mount while squeezing and narrowed it some to fit the narrower frame after pulling. I made reference points and moved one side at a time. I put a reinforcing tube(used the porta-power) between the frame rails under the rear of the front seat to keep that area from moving while squeezing the rails in. It's important to remove all the rear body bolts as a lot moves during pulling you can redrill new mount holes on those that moved in. My rear bumper actually fit closer(and looks better) to the car after I was done. I extended the rear spring hanger supports in with a pedestal mounted welded to the frame. Moving the fender wells in the 2 1/2" per side and adding a filler strip was fairly easy. After a relocating rear end spring mounts in the right amount and body working the inner fender wells mine looks totally stock underneath but can run 10" wide wheel with 295-305 width tire. It takes some effort, but I did the major work in one weekend.
I'm about to do the same process on another '57 soon, but am going to have the bare frame on a frame table(old frame rack). I'll make references of all the body mounts before squeezing so I can extend the body mounts that move before setting the body back on and finishing the fenderwells.
Gasman,
That's a kool chassis, nice work!
I've often thought about putting a convertible or retractable X frame under a custom to stiffen it up.
Ron.
I have a Sunliner X saved just for that purpose. One heavy piece of iron...the steel is thicker than the material in the main frame.
Quote from: Jimburnaugh on 2017-12-01 13:46
I have a 57 ranchero that I'm going to get more serious about drag racing it. Want to go to bigger wheels and tires, has anyone narrowed and tubbed one of these? I assume ladder bar suspension is the best way to go. Thanks.
I guess it depends on how serious you want to get with your Ranchero. A 275/ 60/ 15 drag radial would fit without doing any frame mods and should be able to run 10's or quicker easily.
if you plan on running a large 14x32 slick I'd be looking at the Chris Alston or Art Morrison catalog for either a ladder bar or 4-link back half kit. At least that way you'll have all the attachment points for suspension pieces. Installation shouldn't be any different than any full framed old car.
Or hack out the rear wheel wells throw in a straight axle and build a gasser style car. They seem to be all the rage these days.
Gasman,
Skyliner body mounts are solid. Until I saw one I wondered why the door gap
doesn't change when you put the top down on them.
Ron.
Thanks for all the comments guys, hey suede57 do you have any pics of the work you did during or after completion? Gasman ,is that ladder bar? I can't tell from looking from the rear.
Triangular 4-link