All right, enough rambling about this latest project in my editorials-it's about time to get down to business, ain't it? I think so, so let's get to it. And what better place to start than the frontend? While it's geographically a perfect starting point, it's also an area that doesn't have a lot of options to choose from ... until now.
For the '47-up 1/2-ton Chevy/GMC crowd, when it comes to aftermarket suspension, there are a number of avenues to travel, literally and figuratively speaking. From IFS to dropped axles, there's no shortage of options or suppliers. Back up a few years model wise, however, and it's a whole 'nuther ball game-unless you want to throw "universal fit" into the lineup. For some, myself included, I'm not up for adapting a "fits most" crossmember and then trying to figure out the rest from there. Same goes for the rear. In general, light-duty truck frames from '37-40 are not created equal. While the track widths, or tread-to-tread measurements, are similar, the wheelbase goes from 112 inches in '37-38 up to 113 1/2 inches for '39-40 trucks. For the '41-46 models, the wheelbase increases to 115 inches and the track width is 2 inches wider-fortunately, that's similar to the '47-53, so there's sufficient cross-reference for parts. Overall, other than there being less public demand, it's still not clear why there isn't more component availability for the pre-Art Deco model series like there is for the Advance Design, Task Force, and up. Fortunately, someone else was wondering the same thing: in comes Total Cost Involved Engineering.
When asked why they didn't have applications for the earlier Chevy trucks in their catalog, Total Cost Involved's higher-ups simply shrugged their shoulders and said, "We should ... we get enough inquiring calls." They also pointed out that many of these same potential customers expressed interest in retaining a six-cylinder-based drivetrain, be it early era (216-235) or later style. What a coincidence-my plan was to do the same. And seeing as I had guinea pig material just waiting to be experimented on, a deal was struck and the prototyping soon began.
The end result: Complete IFS (coil, coilover, or air spring) for '37-40 1/2-ton pickups. Additionally, they developed a brake pedal and master cylinder bracket, which is crucial, as these trucks originally utilized a system that mounted to the transmission, not the framerail. The six-cylinder issues were addressed accordingly as well, and hopefully by the time this reaches print, TCI will have new side mounts available to install mid-'50s through '62 inline 235s. And as you will see in the coming months, the parts availability for the early trucks will continue, as TCI develops a parallel leaf and four-link setup, as well.
