8. Jim Meyer Racing Products
The performance bug bit Jim Meyer (541/994-7717, www.jimmeyerracing.com) at an early age when his father built modified oval-track roadsters. From that experience, Jim began building his own hot rods in the early '60s, and by 1974 he started building chassis and street rods full time in his garage at home. In 1980 he opened the first Jim Meyer Street Rod Shop in Portland, Oregon. Today, Jim has 13 employees occupying his 3 1/2 acres with a 12,500-squarefoot building building chassis and IFS for just about any car, pickup, or cab-over.
Frame Info: The 2x4 box-tube mandrel-bent or fabricated chassis features 2x5 main framerails with stock cab mounts, core support mounts and front bed mounts, all in their stock locations, to make this a true direct replacement chassis. All the IFS feature a 2x4x.188- inch wall box-tube front crossmember with tubular A-arms. The chassis also features an adjustable stance of about 4 inches.
Applications: All make pickup chassis' from '28-87.
Options: Custom front or rear subframes, engine and trans mount kits, custom-width 9-inch rearends, four-link control arm kits, large-diameter disc rake kits, steering linkage kits, master cylinder/booster kits, heavy-duty IFS kits, as well as any industry option.
9. The Roadster Shop
The Roadster Shop (847/742-1932, www.roadstershop.com) has been in the street rod and classic truck chassis manufacturing market for over 20 years. The new Roadster Shop facility, located in Mundelein, Illinois, is set to open January 1. This brand-new 30,000-square-foot facility will be the new home of the Roadster Shop, offering complete chassis manufacturing services, parts installa tion, sheetmetal work, as well as building complete turnkey cars.
Frame Info: All chassis feature fully boxed fabricated framerails. A tubular dual-level center crossmember is utilized utilized for added strength, and includes a drop-out trans mount. Chassis come complete with motor and trans mounts set up to each customer's specs, and are test-fitted in the jig with an actual block and transmission. Complete Stage III chassis are designed to directly bolt on to all stock cab, bed, and core support mounts as well as fender, running board, and bumper mounts utilizing stock bracketry.
Applications: '28-41 and '53-56 Ford trucks, '47-53 Chevy, '54-55 1st Series Chevy, '55-59 2nd Series Chevy.
Options: Chrome and polish packages, IFS, traditional drop axle (pre-'34 only), Wilwood disc brake upgrades, brake line packages, sway bar packages, Air Ride, coilovers, Ford 9-inch rearends, independent rear suspension, Pro-Street chassis options, lowered ride height, multiple stance options.
10. Chevs Of The 40's
Chevs of the 40's (800/999-2438, www.chevsofthe40s.com) has been in existence for over 26 years. The business literally started in a bedroom with parts stored under a bed, and has now grown into a 20,000-square-foot ware house with a huge inventory of restoration and street rod parts.
Nowadays Chevs of the 40's is one of the world's most complete suppliers of '37-54 Chevrolet car and truck parts.
Frame Info: Chevs of the 40's chassis features new 'rails, Heidt's Mustang II crossmember, Heidt's tubular A-arms top and bottom, manual rack-and-pinion, a 9-inch rearend used with axles (the third member is not included), parallel rear spring kit, tubular K-member, motor mounts, brake pedal with power booster and master cylinder, 11-inch vented rotors, new calipers and wheel bearings, transmission mounts, and gas shocks.
Applications: '47-53 Chevy trucks.
Options: Body mounts, running board mounts, battery tray, brake lines, powdercoating, power rack-andpinion.