Keeping promises is sometimes easy. Last month, we said we'd provide more tech articles from an exciting pro shop here in Southern California, KA Custom in Huntington Beach. In the June issue, KA Custom swapped in a fabricated IFS for a '58 Chevy half-ton and removed a crusty Volare IFS. The truck's owner, Sean Lotts, decided to 'bag the truck all the way around.
As with the front framerails, the rear subframe had been improved over the years--a SuicideDoors.com four-link suspension setup and stepped chassis were grafted in. Sean could have modified the rear crossmember and suspension components to accept airbags. But as a CSI for the Huntington Beach Police Department, he's a rather meticulous bloke. Sean decided, "What the heck. I'll have KA Custom make a new rear subframe for my '58 Chevy Apache." Kevin Francis, the talented shop owner at KA Custom, called us up one day in March to ask us if we'd like to do another tech article.
With cameras in hand, we headed out to Huntington Beach and witnessed some more fabrication wizardry. See how the pros create a custom vintage Chevy truck rear subframe, and get some ideas for 'baggin your Bow Tie pickup. The surf's always up in HB. Thanks to KA Custom, five days a week there's also some great fabrication going on in Surf City USA!
Doesn't the finished rear...
Doesn't the finished rear chassis look better than the rusty, crusty old rear framerails? We agree. Consider how much more solid the truck is where the power meets the pavement with fully boxed, beefy, brand-new framerails holding the differential in place. Find out how KA Custom renewed the '58 Chevy half-ton truck's rear frame in less than a day by reading on.
There're holes and rust aplenty...
There're holes and rust aplenty on Sean Lotts' long ago modified but still channeled '58 Chevy rear framerails. KA Custom replaced the Volare IFS with a custom IFS in the June '06 issue of CCT. It's time to make the Chevy's rear most righteous.
Dimensionally the same as...
Dimensionally the same as the old foundation they will replace, the new rear framerails KA Custom fabricated are fully boxed and rust-free.
Before lopping off the old...
Before lopping off the old rear frame, Kevin measured each side...
...The truck's owner, Sean...
...The truck's owner, Sean Lotts, held the tape measure end at the back of the passenger-side rail.
Using plumb bobs from the...
Using plumb bobs from the front and rear section of each 'rail, he marked on the shop floor where the front and rear were located. These marks will serve as reference points when he welds in the new rear framerails...
...In the back part of the...
...In the back part of the frame, they show where the new bumper mount holes will need to be drilled in the new 'rails.
In front of the step, KA Custom...
In front of the step, KA Custom scribed where the metal needs to be cut off into both sides of each 'rail. Do you see the Sharpie reference marks on the shop floor...
...Remember, those were made...
...Remember, those were made with the plumb bob to indicate where to cut off the old 'rails and weld in the new ones.
Before whacking off the back...
Before whacking off the back frame portion, Kevin removed an almost new brake line, which will be re-used.
Based on the measurements...
Based on the measurements KA Custom made, Kevin drew a diagram showing where to drill the bumper mount holes in the new 'rails. The drawing shows the location of each hole in inches from behind the step.
Since he measured many times,...
Since he measured many times, Kevin wielded the plasma cutter with confidence and re-moved the rusty old 'rails most rapidly...
...Using a straight edge assured...
...Using a straight edge assured as-the-crow-flies cuts...
...We guess crows never fly...
...We guess crows never fly in circles.