Need help with my 39 buick frame

[Guest 39buck]

I have a 1939 buick four door and the body is in real good shape but I want to do a full frame swap. Everyone talks about getting a fat man front end and things like that but it is too much money for me and I was thinking of just using a frame that I can sit the body on. That way I can use the moter, wires, heat-AC unit and everything else. I am not shure what year or model frame to use amd any help someone could give me would be great.

[smithbrother]

You are TALKING MAJOR WORK. Things you would have to consider are, WHEEL BASE, WIDTH OF WHEELS ACROSS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, WHERE THE FRAME BODY PADS ARE, WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN IS LOCATED, POSITION OF ENGINE, and a ton of other things. BIG, BIG UNDERTAKING.

I'm NOT saying it can't be done, but there are so many factors, and you can bet the floor pan in the Buick will have to be cut on,.

In my opinion, and I have done several major swaps is that you would cut out a lot of work by going with a system like FAT MAN. My latest mod was installing all aluminum Vette independent suspension,front and rear, plus new LT-1 engine and tranny. I saved the frame, and saved myself a lot of work and grief. Much of this swap you are thinking DEPENDS on you experience.

I wish you well,

What model Buick do you have?

Dale in Indy

Edited February 19, 2012 by smithbrother (see edit history)

[Guest 39buck]

Thanks for the reply and my car is a buick eight. I have put a few pictures up but they were taken with my phone. The fat man front end is what a lot of people say they would do but it is to much money for me. I am a full time student and money is tight. I was thinking about a later year S10 frame for the swap I think the wheel base is the same or at least very close. I am going to do a lot more thinking and read up on this before I try to make the jump into it. But any other info you might have would be very helpfull. My 31 model A was much less to convert everything over but the 1939 four door buick eight has been the car that I always wonted and now I have it. All I have to do is start on it.

[smithbrother]

I don't see any pictures...........Is your car a SPECIAL, CENTURY, or what?

Yep, a model 'A' is a very simple car, the 39 will be more involved, FOR SURE.

Dale in Indy

[Guest 39buck]

Sorry the pictures did not load but it is a 1939 buick special.

[Guest 39buck]

[Guest lunchbox_xx]

Hi just some info for u in my thread in the picks i picked up a 74 nova ss and my friend and i welded the front stub on the 39 frame and the rear axle will fit under the rear to use the whole drive train or look up on youtube lunchboxxx72 or chevahaulic and u can see what we have done for ideas

[Guest 39buck]

Thanks for the info lunchbox, I had seen your videos on youtube and studied what you did to yours befor I even bought my car. The info and the videos you posted helped me make up my mind about buying my buick and have been very happy with it. I used a 1986 El Camino front end, rear end, motor, and all the wireing it worked great but was a little tricky hooking up the steering rod. I had to use a cupple of u-joints. I will have some new pics up soon to show all the work I have done. I have been working on it every day all day for the past few months and it has come a long way. Hope to have it on the road by next summer or sooner.

[smithbrother]

Nothing wrong with two steering U-joints as long as the shaft is supported, and the turning of such does not bind or the U-joints don't move other than the normal turning movement.

Looking forward to pic's.

Dale in Indy

[Barney Eaton]

It depends on what you want from the vehicle. Since you have given us your financial situation, I would rebuild the stock front suspension. all the parts are available and even if you put a NOVA front clip on the car, you would probably need to rebuild it. By rebuilding the stock unit, you will have a reliable front suspension and should you decide to sell the car incomplete..... it would be stock and probably worth more money.

It would also probably be faster and you could have the car on the road sooner.

I recently was exposes to the cost of a custom frame. A friend is building a 1960 Corvette with a custom frame, new Chevy engine,6 speed, Corvette front and rear suspension etc......... the complete frame, ready to go under the car was $40K

[Guest Hector]

I agree with Barney's comments above,being in a tight budget will limit the options to make some major modifications like a clip or a full frame swap.Rebuilding your existing suspension and making sure the car is safe to drive will give you options if you decide to sell the car but will also aloud you to enjoy it while you save money for the big changes down the road.

Here's a car that was modified with a front clip from a early '70's Olds Omega(X Body,same as Apollo and Nova)

The owner showed me old pictures of when he built it,it looks good and he gained power steering and disc brakes as well as "modern" steering and suspension.An acomplished hotrodder,he stated that it was a lot of work but he was able to do all the work himself and it did look very well done.Good luck with the car.

[Guest 39buck]

Thanks to everyone who has put some input on here. Everyone has had good ideas and made good points. I have added new pics of the buick and the work I have done to it so far. So please go to my profile and take a look at them and let me know what you all think. There is still a lot to be done but the car is now starting to take shape. I think with every person who takes on a project like this it is always good to have other peoples input on things to do. Some of the ideas you may use and some you may not but these cars are a dieing art and I beleave it is good for people who care about keeping the cars around and bringing them back to life to help each other out and share info with each other. One thing I have learned while working on this car is that you will change your mind 100 times about what you want to do to the car and that is where all these diffrent ideas come in handy. No one car is ever the same we all put a little of our selfs in to our own cars. So with all that being said thanks for all the info and ideas and thank you for keeping these cars alive.