As I've mentioned before, the idea behind the build of my Project '49 Chevy is to use bolt-in components as much as possible, which made selecting Chassis Engineering's independent front suspension a no-brainer. It's not that I can't or don't want to weld-I've fabricated plenty of chassis in the past-but I know many readers don't weld, and it allows many more would-be hands-on builders to get involved by showcasing bolt-in upgrades. Plus, there's the view held by some that Chevrolet's inverted top-hat section chassis should be allowed to flex a little, and this is possible by bolting rather than welding parts to it.
While it's entirely possible to complete this suspension swap with the front sheetmetal in place, though the inner fender panels need trimming to clear the upper A-arms and suspension towers, we opted to remove it for photographic purposes. It also allowed us to access the entire front section of the frame to give it the first coat of paint it's had in more than a few years. Removing the front sheetmetal, suspension, and steering took about as long as installing the new frontend, which was a snap once we'd established its precise location and drilled a few holes.
