What's the cheapest way to lower the front of the 85 coil spring chassis? Some say cut others say heat. what's the cheapest and best method? How is it done?

droped spindels inst the cheapest but its the best when you cut the springs you have less travel and i find most don't lik eth ride after and heating to shorten sprinf dose the same im sure after your done you won't like any one of the ways you asked about but thats only the way i feel

As wide as that 85 chassis is, if you lower it that much, will you have to really cut up the wheel openings to be able to turn the thing?

I ask because I have a 50 cab on an 80 4x4 frame (both Dodge) and my truck sits way high because of the tire clearance and engine clearance. I even have the big truck fenders. Originally we were going to lower the truck, but it looked lot a lot of cutting and welding. What I ended up with was still a lot of custom fab work, but much less then I figured lowering the truck would have been. Mine has been on the road for 8 years now. Gene

Nice looking 4x4. You're right the front wheel opennings are going to be changed quite a bit, but that's the plan.

Mustang offset wheels may fit those tires inside the wheelwells. Just be sure you have the room between the tire and frame/suspension.

If you're going cheap on the springs then I vote for cutting . Do it with a chop saw or cutoff wheel though to minimize the amount of heat you put into the coil.

fire wall in now. about off to the blaster

A little bigger picture for us going blind old guys would sure be nice. Gene

new pic of fire wall. sorry , just started with pictures

nice job,looking goood

Thanks, I noticed something though. I need to reconstruct the drip rail in the upper middle of the fire wall. I don't want to get the distributor wet when I wash the thing.

Thanks for the bigger picture.

Looks good! You diffinately want to redo the drip rail, and close off the centers of the two side pieces, its amazing how much water runs through there when its wet. How deep did you end up going into the cab with the recess? When I did my 54, I was almost 6" deep, the width of the engine with manifolds. Made the center of the seat almost useless. Gene

Here is another look during construction to give a better idea of depth at the top. Things tapper back to clear the 727 bell area. I plan on a small center hump, with drink tray kind of stuff. I kepth the cab body back and hope to sneak the front wheel openings forward as far as possible with out looking wierd, but as you see, that,s a ways off yet.

Snow is too deep to get it out the door but ready for the blaster after a little de-greasing. 85 chassis, shortened 22.5 inches (took the "z" out and rear axle over the springs with 2" lower blocks

Chassis ready to go to the media blaster, back to work on the cab so it can go when we pick the chassis up. See where 22.5 inches cut out,and boxed area.

spring hanger pic, chassis is gone to blaster. Should be painted and motor back in by next weekend

drip rail is completed. Should keep things dry now

on a stock 85 truck with the axle floped,that rear rubber stop is gonna be real close to the axle tube

makes a 5-150 almost scrap like that,but may not with yous..depends on the wieght

the flip flop and pocketed/short spring is the best ride for the 85 frame and ez to do cheaply

great project,nice workmanship

If your keeping the cowl vent, be sure to have a hose to drain the rain water out between the housing and the gasket or it will dump on your passenger side floor. Keeping these cabs dry inside seems like a full time job. There is more places for rain water to run in then one can imagine. I've been chasing leaks for 5 or 6 years now. Best I can say is I have it slowed way down, for now........Gene

did not se the drain fitting until the other day. Good point thanks

Cab going to media blaster