The stock stance and factory drum brakes on '55-59 GM pickups may have been enough to handle the job a half century ago, but today's style and driving demands require something much more contemporary. Classic Performance Products (CPP) has been ahead of the game for years, producing parts to make early GM pickups (as well as many other makes and models) stop, steer, and handle better. So we went straight to them with our needs.
While CPP can supply anything from factory replacement pieces to a complete, new street rod-style chassis, our project was looking for a mild drop and better stopping power that could all be handled at home without much more than basic hand tools. CPP had the answer with its 3-inch dropped axle and disc brake conversion kit. Everything was included to complete the conversion. While we were shopping, we picked up a few more things to freshen up our frontend, like new shock mounts and a brand-new drag link.
Follow along as we transform our front underpinnings from outdated to state-of-the-art in solid-axle technology. We'll dress it up in the end with some fresh rolling stock from Wheel Vintiques and Coker Tire. Stay tuned for the next issue when the back half gets a similar treatment.
Everything you need to drop...
Everything you need to drop and stop your '55-59 GM pickup comes complete from Classic Performance Products. CPP's disc brake conversion kit fits all stock or dropped axle-equipped GM pickups from '47 to '59.
The original wheels and mile-high...
The original wheels and mile-high stance leave much to be desired if you're looking for something cooler than stodgy stocker.
After removing the original...
After removing the original six-lug wheel, this rusty and neglected drum brake assembly is not what you would want to entrust with your and others' safety.
Because of the new CPP axle's...
Because of the new CPP axle's additional drop, the tie rod needed to be relocated from the top of the steering arms to mount from the bottom in the position shown to allow the new tie-rod end to clear the leaf springs.
CPP owner Jim Reis got started...
CPP owner Jim Reis got started on the disassembly of our spindles from the axle by removing the frozen backing plate hardware. Be prepared for stuck hardware when dealing with a vehicle of this vintage.