I'm hoping what I am seeing is not a problem. The main body of the front suspension; the part that the a arms and everything else connects to, right in the middle above where the third arm is, there is a hole about 1/2 in in diameter. Is this normal? I can't see this in any of the pictures. Nor can I find it's purpose. Could this be the wrong cross member for a 55? I hope not.
1955 corvette front crossmember
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Re: 1955 corvette front crossmember
Al, does it look like this photo from a previous post. If am sorry as it's a passenger car front cross member. Also the Steering Knuckle Support P&A Group 6.023 have numbers cast into them. Numbers are:
49-52 pass car 3687651 left side, 3687652 right side
53-54 pass car 3703785 left side, 3703786 right side
53-57 Corvette 3733449 left side, 3733450 right side
Gary....
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/attachme...61856&uid=9459Last edited by Gary C.; December 30, 2009, 07:00 AM. Reason: add steering knuckle support cast numbersNCRS Texas Chapter
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Re: 1955 corvette front crossmember
I'm hoping what I am seeing is not a problem. The main body of the front suspension; the part that the a arms and everything else connects to, right in the middle above where the third arm is, there is a hole about 1/2 in in diameter. Is this normal? I can't see this in any of the pictures. Nor can I find it's purpose. Could this be the wrong cross member for a 55? I hope not.
The cross member for 53-62 Vettes and 49-54 pass cars is EXACTLY the same part. The cross member for 49-54 pass cars had a hole in the top center for the center steering arm bracket which also shared the same two rear holes that was used for the center steering arm bracket on 53-62 Vettes. The 49-51 pass car cross member also had two additional holes to the left and right of that center hole which were for engine mounts. In 52, the engine mounts on pass cars moved to the side of the block, thus those holes in the front cross member of 52-54 pass cars were not present. So, if your cross member has the center hole, but does not have the two holes to the left and right of the center hole, then it is most likely from a 52-54 pass car.
1. The differences between pass car frontends and Vette frontends are:
2. The left/right spindle supports (NOT the spindles)
3. Center steering arm and bracket
4. L&R steering arms (at the brake backing plate)
5. Tie rod tubes.
EVERYTHING else is exactly the same and 100% interchangeable.
And except for the additional holes in the pass car cross member, the pass car and Vette cross members are exactly the same.
Even though the Vette cross members do not have the holes which are in pass car cross members, the flat places where the holes were located on pass car cross members are also on the Vette cross members.
On the BOTTOM of the Vette cross members, there are two holes just below where the engine mounts were located on the top of the 49-51 cross members. Those holes were there to permit reaching up through the hole with a socket to install/remove the bolts on the bottom of the engine mounts. Thus, even though the holes served no purpose on the Vettes, they were still there on the Vette cross members.
The bracket for the Vette center steering arm is attached with 2 front and 2 rear bolts. Thus, the Vette cross member has 4 holes. The pass car cross member does NOT have the 2 front holes, so to install a pass car cross member on a Vette, it is necessary to add the 2 front holes.
If you absolutely cannot stand that hole in your cross member, have it welded shut, grind it down smooth and paint it. Of course, on V8 Vettes, that hole is covered up by the fan shroud, so it can't be seen anyway.
This is the front cross member of my 51 Chevy, which has been converted to a V8. You can see the hole that was used for the left engine mount, which has a square reinforcement surrounding the hole. This is one of the holes I was referring to which does not exist on 53-62 Vette or 52-54 pass car cross members, but the flat place where the hole would be is still there.
Last edited by Tom P.; December 29, 2009, 10:13 PM.- Top
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Re: 1955 corvette front crossmember
Al, does it look like this photo from a previous post. If am sorry as it's a passenger car front cross member. Also the Steering Knuckle Support P&A Group 6.023 have numbers cast into them. Numbers are:
49-52 pass car 3687651 left side, 3687652 right side
53-54 pass car 3703785 left side, 3703786 right side
53-57 Corvette 3733449 left side, 3733450 right side
Gary....
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/attachme...61856&uid=9459
How about 3687652 for the 49-52 right side?Last edited by Gary C.; December 30, 2009, 07:00 AM. Reason: thanks Tom for correcting 49-52 right side part # typo- Top
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Re: 1955 corvette front crossmember
I know this thread is pretty old, but I'm wondering if anyone knows (Tom) what the actual difference is between the 53-62 corvette spindle supports 3733449/3733450 and the 53-54 Chevy spindle supports 3703785/3703786? They appear to have the exact same geometry- at least in so far as the kingpin socket height. I can tell the difference plainly on the 49-52 chevy supports 3687651/3687652 however.- Top
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Re: 1955 corvette front crossmember
The 49-52 pass car and 53-62 Vette spindle supports are the same. The 53-54 pass car spindle supports have the knuckle for the king pin about 1in higher, which LOWERS the car.
The 53-4 pass car is on the left.
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