Swapping drum brakes for discs. An amateur could pull it off with little effort. Bolting a new intake manifold and carb on. The same amateur could tackle it with ease. Putting IFS on an I-beam chassis. Okay, maybe not the next logical step for said amateur...or is it?
Some people have the natural ability to take on any task that is presented to them and, more often than not, complete successfully. These are not only the aspiring builders of tomorrow, but the "average joe" working from his meager two-car garage nights and weekends. It's the guy who sees a pro-built truck and tells himself, "I can do that myself...and besides, I don't have an extra hundred-grand to spare!" So, that same guy who took it upon himself to add disc brakes or a new carb and intake on his pickup is the same guy that will one day be installing an IFS with his trusty MIG and a pair of jackstands in his driveway.
We just happened to know "one of those guys," too, and his name is Marty South. Probably best described as the typical do-it-yourselfer, the SoCal "home builder" has resorted to doing things himself for two reasons: pride and extreme frugalness! It was the latter part of his nature that first tempted him to search for a used Camaro front clip for his '59 Chevy Apache project. After we had broken down the added cost of rebuilding all the worn-out components versus an all-new Mustang-based kit (not to mention the added room for error involved with dealing with "clips"), Marty was soon convinced that an application-specific IFS kit would be the ticket. And after discussing the options, we all agreed on a Heidt's entry-level IFS.
Suffice it to say, even though he's just a service writer at a local body shop, Marty's got some experience behind him when it comes to fabrication, so we weren't too worried about turning him loose on a job like this. Hell, we were so confident that we left the photography up to him, too! As you might have already seen by the images, he did a pretty fine job of installing the kit on his Chevy's chassis, if we don't mind saying so ourselves. Now, this isn't to say that the "average joe" is going to be able to pull this type of job off without a hitch, but it's also not underestimating his abilities, either. You know what you're capable of achieving, and what you're not. If you're a proficient welder/fabricator, then you'll know whether or not "IFS at Home" is for you.
Follow along as Marty photo-documents (and we comment on) his very first IFS job. If you have any questions about various kits and applications, don't hesitate to call Heidt's and consult one of their qualified technicians. With a chassis like the common '55-59 Chevy/GMC, so many companies (specifically Heidt's) have perfected the kit IFS that it's pretty hard to go wrong. See for yourselves!
 When you order a frontend...  When you order a frontend kit from Heidt's, you get a complete kit, as shown here. Actually, there are a few miscellaneous items not shown (they wouldn't fit in the view finder!), such as shocks, hardware, and so on. |
 Normally, most folks don't...  Normally, most folks don't have the luxury of a bodiless chassis. Fortunately, Marty had the ability to pull the front sheetmetal, cab, and bed at his friend Dave Cotten's shop. For you, it's not crucial to get anything more than the front group removed, if even that (the suspension swap can be performed with the sheetmetal intact, but it's not recommended). |
 Obviously, the first thing...  Obviously, the first thing you'll want to do is remove the old parallel-leaf components. Depending on the condition of your old parts, a nice steam bath may be in order before the removal process. |
 With the front framerails...  With the front framerails stripped bare, support and level as shown... |
 ...Due to the age and nature...  ...Due to the age and nature of these pickups (hard life!), you'll also want to make sure your frame's square, so pull out that tape measure and take some numbers. (If you happen to have some tweaked rails, it's best to have your frame professionally straightened.) |
 Now comes the frame preparation...  Now comes the frame preparation stage(s). First, you'll notice that on the '55-59s, there's a "lip" behind the stock crossmember that needs to be cut off. |
 In preparing to weld the supplied...  In preparing to weld the supplied boxing plates on, make sure the framerail edges are fairly even. |
 The plates will fill the framerail...  The plates will fill the framerail gap from the crossmember back. Weld in solid, but do so in increments to avoid overheating and warping. |
 The length at which you finish...  The length at which you finish off the welds is up to you, but just be sure you don't take the majority of your weld bead off just to pretty things up. |
 The length at which you finish...  The length at which you finish off the welds is up to you, but just be sure you don't take the majority of your weld bead off just to pretty things up. |
 Before welding the crossmember...  Before welding the crossmember into the frame, Marty welded up the lower control arm pivot tubes and gussets. |
 Then, with everything leveled...  Then, with everything leveled and square... |
 ...the crossmember went into...  ...the crossmember went into place between the rails. |
 Next, the shock tower/spring...  Next, the shock tower/spring hats (with pre-set caster) were welded on top of the rails. |
 With the Heidt's three-piece...  With the Heidt's three-piece crossmember now united as one with the frame, the stock front crossmember can be cut free. (You can trim the crossmember for rack clearance, but as long as you box the front portion of the rails, complete removal is not a problem.) |
 Once the crossmember was freed,...  Once the crossmember was freed, Marty flipped the chassis over (here's where having it bodiless really helps) and finished welding up everything on the bottom side. Marty ran full beads along the outside of the hats and crossmember, and small stitches on various "accessible" inside edges as well. |