55-57 Chevy Straight Axle Gasser Chassis

Bob Spinney's '55 Chevy runs a complete Jim Meyer Gasser Chassis with straight axle suspension on a stock wheelbase

If you want your '55-57 Chevy to have the Sixties Drag Racing look, we got it! This direct replacement jig-built and mandrel-bent chassis features the stock 115-inch wheel base with all stock body mounts, core support mounts and bumper bracket mounts all in their stock locations. The straight-axle assembly is also available as a separate kit complete with axle, springs with frame mounts, shocks with frame mounts, new Super Bell early Ford spindles with bolt-on Super Bell steering arms, new Flaming River Vega steering box with 2-inch dropped Pitman arm and tie-rods. It features Wilwood 4-piston calipers with 11-inch rotors to fit nostalgia 15-inch wheels.

The 2 X 4 X .120-inch wall X-member in the center of the chassis is really designed to put the torque to the rear 4-link bars and to the ground. We can custom build a chassis with “pinched” front frame rails and just about any other modifications you'd like. Just talk to us about your ideas.

The rear section of the frame from the forward 4-link crossmember back to rear of the chassis has been “pinched” together slightly (2-inches each side) for larger rear tires. At the rear, it is easier to see where it steps inboard, just in front of the rear crossmember. Optional rear end housings are available like the Championship style quick-change, Alston's FAB9, the Currie 9-inch round-back housing shown. The rear end comes narrowed with new flanges and Dutchman Alloy axles. Notice, our new rear Panhard bar has been lowered to be parallel and level with the rear axle centerline. This lowers the roll-center of your vehicle.

Anchored firmly at three points to the chassis rails, this 2X4X.120-inch wall box tube center X-crossmember is designed to take all the BB power you can give it. This exhaust-friendly center X-member has been designed to accept 3-inch diameter exhaust tubes using a BB Chevy engine and GM's largest 4L80E transmission. The 3-inch exhaust route is designed to tuck in next to the transmission tailshaft and go over the small center tube that connects the center of the X-member and follow the driveshaft to the rear. The mufflers are designed to stand on edge parallel with and next to the rear 4-link bars. Notice how the rear 4-link connects directly to the beefy X-member to transfer power.

The rear of the Jim Meyer chassis features adjustable urethane-bushed 4-link control arms (18-inches long X 1 ¼-inch diameter X .188-inch wall D.O.M. tubing (drawn over mandrel). The rear aluminum coilover shocks feature a multi-hole lower mount for about 5-inches of adjustment up-or-down (for tire diameter). The clean looking Currie round-back housing is identical to a '58 Ford center housing. The 1 ½-inch diameter X .120-inch wall upper tube crossmember actually goes through the frame and is welded on both sides of the rails for maximum strength. You'll be able to see in the next few photos that the rear antisway bar goes through this crossmember.

The multi-position transmission crossmember is actually in three pieces. It comes with the center trans-mount pad not welded to the outer tubes. This way, the two outer arms that bolt to the X-member's slotted holes can be shortened (to fit inside the center pad tube) as they slide back. The center mount can then slide back over the outer arms and be welded together. This is an adjustable one-shot deal that will fit just about any transmission length. The center pad can also be turned upside down for another couple inches of movement down if necessary. The chassis is also wiring and brake line friendly. The round holes in the front of the X-member arms next to the frame rails are for brake lines, wiring or whatever. This way those items don't have to go under the frame rails to the rear. They are not for exhaust tubing, since they are 1 ½-inch od tubing.

Looking toward the rear, you can see just how much the rear frame rails have been narrowed (pinched), which is the width of the 2X4 box tube. The rear body inner-fender panel will need to be pie-cut at the top and pulled inboard or custom tubs can be made for tire clearance under the stock body. Notice, just above the rear axle tube is the rear antisway bar coming out of the frame rail. The thru-frame rear antisway bars tuck-in close to the frame rails to clear the tires.

Looking from front-to-rear, you can see the fixed engine-mount crossmember. It will accept either BB-or-SB engines and add strength to keep the frame rails together under high-torque loads. Just to the rear of the core support crossmember on each side of the lower frame rails are the antisway bar brackets. They are built into our standard tri-five front subframes and are normally used with our IFS systems. However, we include the antisway bar brackets on the gasser subframe just in case you want to install one at a later time. Notice the NON-threaded bumper bracket bosses on the front of the rails.

The lower coilover shock bracket features 3-adjustment holes primarily for tire diameter. We call this our Street Rod style bracket that will accept either the coilover (shown) or the sleeve-over-cone ShockWave air springs. Our Drag Race style bracket, that does the same job for both, offers more adjustment with 7-holes for about 5-inches of up-and-down movement. Both coilover and ShockWave sit on urethane bushings just like our 4-link and the frame-end of the low roll-center Panhard bar. To see the Drag Race style bracket go to our Home Page and click on “4-Corner Stance Adjustability”.

Our urethane-bushed thru-frame crossmember that houses the 1-inch diameter antisway bar keeps it tucked-in next to the rails. This is great for use with fat rear tires. Since we offer a multi-hole adjustment (3) for the coilover shocks, we also offer a 3-hole adjustment for the Low roll-center Panhard bar too. To isolate road and running gear noise, we use urethane bushings on as many components as possible (4-link, Panhard bar, coilover shocks, antisway bars, lower A-arms, rack-and-pinion steering mounts, optional engine mounts).

Up front, the ‘55-7 Chevy straight-axle gasser chassis features Super Bell early Ford spindles and steering arms with Wilwood 4-piston calipers and 11-inch diameter rotors to give you the stock 5-on-4 ¾-inch wheel bolt pattern. The disc brakes will clear 15-inch wheels. The 3500 lb. springs are 27-inches from center-to-center with shackles at the front and a frame bracket at the rear. The Vega steering box converts to cross steering with the double holes in the right spindle. We recommend a new ididit column and two splined U-joints with shaft to connect to the splined worm shaft of the Vega box. This style chassis is available “pinched” (narrowed) at the front if necessary (stock width shown). The straight axle kit is available separately without the chassis. Look in our other section called OTHER CHASIS PRODUCTS for a look at what is included. Bascially it is available just the way you see it here, minus the rails (spindles and steering arms, shocks, axle with springs and U-bolts, front spring shackles and rear brackets, new Vega box and two tie-rods and Wilwood 4-piston calipers and 11-inch rotors and fasteners).

At the rear of the chassis, we have included stock body mounts and bumper bracket holes, both in their stock locations. As you can see at the top of the photo, the rear of the rails have been tubbed 2-inches and they end just before the rear bumper bracket holes start. All of our welds are Pulse-Tig welded for deeper penetration and lower heat warp. We do not wire-weld any of our products.

It all comes together at the forward 4-link crossmember (1 ¾-inch diameter X.120-inch wall tube). We place the 4-link toward the outside of the rails for a more exhaust friendly chassis. At the top of the photo, looking at the outside edge of the rails, you can see the rear section of the frame tucks inside the overlapping center frame section to give a 2-inch tubbed rear. The rear, 18-inch long, 4-link bars are 1 ¼-inch diameter X .188-inch wall D.O.M. (drawn over mandrel) tubes featuring Energy Suspension urethane bushings at each end. The 2X4 box-tube X-member connects directly to the forward 4-link crossmember for maximum strength.

Our straight axle tube uses the most common 1940 Ford rear-steer spindles/steering arms, early Ford king pins, bearings and seals available from just about every early Ford parts vendor in the USA. The right bolt-on steering arm features two holes for the Vega cross steering.

The new adjustable cross-steer Flaming River Vega steering box features a new 2-inch dropped Pitman arm. Threaded holes are provided in the frame to mount the box. Our beefy engine crossmember (1 ¾-inch diameter X .120-inch wall) will accept stock engine mounts for either BB-or-SB GM engines, however we can install your favorite engine mounts.

Looking at the inside of the front-left frame rail, you can see that the forward spring shackle mounts just behind the tubular core-support bracket. The two-hole lower frame-lip extension on the lower frame rail just behind the core support is our standard antisway bar mount not being used on this chassis.

The Currie 9-inch round-back housing features a bottom drain plug with fill in the side of the thirdmember. Notice the left rear axle tube has a vent on top and Nylock nuts and copper washers are provided to hold the thirdmember to the housing. Our new low roll-center Panhard bar goes behind the housing. Rear ends can be ordered any width, with new outer flanges, new Dutchman alloy-axles, new housing and new 3-inch od axle tubes. No more used housings, everything is new and jig-straightened.

Looking at the left spindle, the ends of the straight-axle kit feature new Super Bell spindles and bolt-on 2-inch-dropped steering arms, while Wilwood aluminum 4-piston calipers mount to their 360-degree caliper bracket that attaches to the spindle bolt-pattern. If you don't have a dual chamber master cylinder and are still on a drum/drum stock brake system, no problem. Jim Meyer offers a dual chamber M/C kit that will bolt in place of the stock M/C and connect into your existing brake line system. It is complete with stainless braided hoses, proportioning valve, plug for the stock front-to-rear “T”, a 60-inch section of new brake line and a union to connect to the original rear brake line.

The front leaf springs mount to the straight axle in the conventional fashion using U-bolts, a steel axle-cradle on top of the main leaf and a bottom plate that includes the lower shock mount. The 2-inch diameter X ¼-inch wall axle is available in track-widths of 56, 58 and 60-inches, while the pair of 27-inch long springs (eye-to-eye) are rated at 3200 lb. (or 1600 lb. each). We would normally set the caster at our shop and weld the cradle and collar to the axle. You can ask not to have it welded and you can set it at home and then weld it. Unwelded, you also have the option to place the axle, cradle and collar below the springs for a higher stance and still use the same shocks.

Looking at the right spindle, the Super Bell ('35-40 Ford) 2-inch drop-spindles feature two holes in the steering arm. One is for the cross-steering Drag Link and the other is for the tie-rod to the left spindle steering arm. The removable steering arms bolt to the two lower holes (from the inside) of the 4-bolt spindle pattern. All items are new, current reproduction replaceable parts.

Our Straight Axle Gasser front suspension does require some welding on the chassis. The upper shock-mount bracket, two chassis mounting points for the front spring and the Vega steering-box bracket all require welding. Since the Vega steering box has a splined input-shaft, just like rack-and-pinion steering, you will need to modify the lower end of your stock steering column or replace it with a new ididit or Flaming River column to connect to the splined worm-gear on the Vega box.