Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindles?

[Clare Carpenter]

Well the nightmare we all fear has happened to me. My cherry, original front end parts have been lost, mixed up, or reinstalled on someone elses car. These pieces had absolutely no pitting and still had the original inspection marks along with a bit of the original frame paint overspray.

I took my third arm, drag link, front spindle assemblies and steering knuckles into the shop I do business with, to have them cleaned, disassembled, and the king pins and third arm bearing pulled. I was planning to have them powder coated afterwards in satin clear to protect the natural finish and keep them looking nice after reassembly.

The shop was taking a load of parts to the PC'er and asked me if I wanted them to take mine too. I said okay. Anyway somehow my stuff got misplaced or mixed up with theirs. Part of the problem was that everything got coated in semi flat black, apparently including my parts too. Then everything was mixed together and divided between projects (currently 3 C1 chassis at the shop undergoing reassembly).

The shop said not too worry that they have plenty of pieces available and would pick out some nice ones to replace mine. Are the casting numbers and identifying marks the same between all C1s for these front end pieces? Can spindles wear out? What wear marks should I look for on the replacement parts and where?

I'm sure it will work out but it bugs me that my car apparently won't be going back together with it's original parts.

[Joe L.]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

Clare-----

All 1953 through 1962 steering knuckles (spindles) carry the forging number "3693446" and the finished parts were all the same. However, 1949-54 Chevrolet passenger cars used the same forging, but a different finished part was manufactured from it (I THINK that this piece will work on a Corvette, though). There may or may not have been some non-engineering differences bewteen the knuckles over their years of production that I'm not aware of.

The Corvette knuckle was identified by a "splotch" of yellow paint, but this mark may have disappeared on many original pieces installed on cars (but, NOT NOS pieces).

The primary wear point on the knuckles would be the spindle shaft, itself. Usually, though, if the car was properly maintained, there should be little, if any, wear. Proper maintenence is a big "if", of course. The king pin orifices are bushed and should suffer no wear under normal circumstances.

[Clare Carpenter]

**Thank you, Joe **NM *NM*

[terry leeker]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

As far as the passenger spindle applicaion, they will "fit" but the spindle is located 1" lower on the knuckle than the Corvette location which in effect would raise the car 1" higher.

[Joe L.]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

Terry-----

That's interesting. I can't figure out how they used the same forging for both the passenger car and Corvette knuckles if the spindle shaft position was different. The only thing that I can think of is that the shaft section of the raw forging was very large and they machined the spindle shafts on different centers. They would be very unlikely to manufacture a piece that way today, but, I'm sure, 50 years ago things were a lot different as far as manufacturing "philosophy" went.

[terry leeker]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

When I first acquire my '58 "heap" the passenger side front corner seemed to be higher then the driver side. When I pulled everything down, the spings were about the same height, but I figured the spring rates was different and that was the cause. Later when I replaced the king pin bushings I noticed (of course after I replaced the bushings) that the spindle part of the steering knucle was located different than the other side. After measurements on a known good knuckle, I concluded that a passenger spindle had been installed (?). Piper Corvette and Mary Jo both confired this was a common practice when C1's were still in general use. I wish I still had the old spindle to double check the casting number, but alas, it has taken the great boat ride and been turned into a Hyundai part.

[James F.]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

Clare,
There are heat treatment differences on the later Corvette spindles. Beginning in '57 the Corvette spindle received a toughter treatment to support racing requirements. Can't remember anything more specific. Sorry. Regards,

[Robert Willis]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

As I understand it the 49 to 52 Passenger Spindles are the same as the C1 while the 53 and 54 Passenger Car Spindles had the spindle mounted higher on the casting to help lower the 53&4s. I'm not sure about the Pick-up Truck spindles but I know guy's around here put the Car hubs on the Truck front axle to get a 5 bolt pattern and then put the Truck axle under a Passenger Car for that Gasser Look. I wouldn't be suprised if the 50s Chevy Pick-up was the same Spindle.

Bob

http://members.kos.net/willisb/

[Verle R.]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

I was lead to believe the 53/54 Chevy spindle was the same as the Corvette. This is the part the hub and bearings fit onto.

The difference is in the "upright", the part that connects the A frames and the joins with the spindle with the king pin.

I believe the kingpin mounts on the upright are actually an inch higher on the Chevrolet, thus would lower a Corvette by one inch.

Verle

[Verle R.]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

Maybe I should define "same as" to mean, will interchange with. The metallurgy and/or heat treating may differ.

I may also be all wet.

Verle

[Robert Willis]

Re: Is there any diff. between years in C1 spindle

It's been a long day, I typed first and thought second. The upright is the part that's different.

Bob

[Tom P.]

HERE IS WHAT IS THE SAME AND DIFFERENT

Spindle supports (uprights): The 49-52 PASSENGER car and 53-62 Vettes are the same. That is, they are interchangeable and provide the same suspension height. Heat treat differences between pass car and Vette? Maybe. But both still have to be maleable, because in extreme cases where alignment cannot be accomplished by adjustment of the upper outer pin (it is an excentric), then the upright has to be bent (VERY, VERY, VERY few frontend shops can, or even know how to do this today). So, the the heat treat can't be too much different.

The 53-54 PASSENGER car spindle supports has the knuckle for the kingpin located about 1in HIGHER than the 49-52 pass and 53-62 Vette supports. It used to be fairly common for the racers to install 53-54 pass supports on their race cars to lower the front end.

Spindles: The 49-54 pass and 53-62 Vettes are all interchangeable. The service (replacement) part is the same.
The pickup truck spindles ARE NOT the same as pass/Vette spindles---------------EVEN THOUGH THEY SHARE THE SAME KINGPINS AND BUSHINGS (the replacement kits are different because the truck/car small parts are different).

The upper/lower A-frames are the same for pass/Vettes. The cross members are the same (49-51 Pass car cross members have holes on top for engine mounts, that is why the Vette cross members have the 2 holes on the bottom, so that you could get a socket in to remove the bolt from the bottom of the mount).
The LOWER A-frames are not actually left and right. The ONLY difference between the left/right lower A-frames is the bracket for the sway bar link is spot welded on opposite side. Remove this bracket, and the lower A-frames are the same. In case you ever need to replace a right A-frame and all you can find is a left one, just remove the bracket and have it welded on the opposite side!

Tie rods: Vettes have adjustable tie rods on both sides. Pass cars have a solid one on one side and an adjustable on the other side. But, the tie rod ends are the same (left and right threaded).

The steering arms located at the backing plates, are NOT interchangeable between cars/Vettes. They have totally different angles and if you use one from a car on a Vette, the steering geometry will be wrong. The center steering arm and bracket are totally different between car and Vette.

These are the main differences between 49-52, 53-54 pass car and 53-62 Vette frontends.

I've been rebuilding-repairing these frontends for 40+yrs.