Thread: Chevette in Model A ???

Tweet

I've been reading archives till I'm ½ blind, and I'm coming up with more questions all the time. I'll try to hold off till I actually have the car ('30 Ford Model A) next month, but one thing really has me wondering. I've heard for years about the Mustang II front end, and how good it is, and so on, but my car apparently has a Chevette front end. I asked the current owner why he chose that, and he said, "cause that's what was in it when I bought it." He's driven it 1,000's of miles over 7 years, and says it drives like a sports car, so it must be OK, but seems to me like that's an awful light front end for a V8 powered car. Any thoughts out there ??

Hey, Dave.....looks like we're neighbors. I'd like to see your car sometime. I'll buy the coffee.

Lar.

People put V8's in the chevettes, just heavier springs for the weight diffrence. I'v never heard of that clip used in anything other than the Chevettes themselves but it must work. I wouldn't worry about it but if you must, just look under it for suspension parts and bushings with excessive wear, that should tell you if the clip is too light duty.

Lar, the Chevette suspension is a very light weight suspension for a lightweight car. The only two/three GM cars to use this suspension are the T cars (Chevette and T1000) and the Pontiac Fiero (with the weight in the back). It is what it is. If you are having no problem with it, drive it as is and enjoy it. But watch for cracks at all mounting points, especially the spring mounts.

Chevettes were less than 1800 Lbs and the suspension didn't have to support much. The same is true with the Fiero (but doesn't tell you something than Pontiac changed the suspension in '88?). The Mustang II weighed 2500 to 2800 lbs, so the suspension will take far more abuse. But there is a limit to everything. You don't see Mustang II suspension put on full-size cars from the mid-'50's on, do you?

Good luck with your car!

I'd rather run Fiero/ Chevette stuff than Mustang II. At least the Chevette drives up the road straight, MII's and Pintos are dangerous on a rough road.

Poor tracking will have more to do with frame damage or rear suspension issues. I've seen more front suspension problems than I ever did with the Mustang II stuff. That , and all the stuff you by now is geared towards street rod stuff. The parts are usually well made and well engineered.

Sorry, but just about anything built by the General from '75 to '95 was subject to the bean counters and is generally, crap. The T car was a throw away car and the parts required to put it together were throw away.