The front end on my 35 Desoto 4 door Airstream is shot and I need to stub it. Fatman Fabrications SAID they sell a Mustang II front stub. However, even though 1935-whatever Desoto is listed on their website, they do NOT sell a front stub for my 35 Desoto. Can I take the front end off another vehicle and easily put that on or what? I know this is a make that people have not used that frequently, but I wanted to put it out there anyways.

In terms of other mopars of 35 this is what I’ve heard. The Chrysler is longer, the Plymouth is shorter, the Dodge is the same WB but I don't know if the mount locations etc. are the same. the 36 Dodge frame is the same measurement but is shaped differently. the 35 Airflow is 1/2 inch different. generally speaking, most all 4dr, 2dr, and coupes will fit. The Airstream models had their own design of frame. That narrows it down to either a Chrysler or DeSoto Airstream. But the Chryslers had a longer wheelbase. So, a DeSoto Airstream frame is the only one that will fit.


So I’m not sure if anyone out there has ever put a new stub on a Desoto or not. Interested in hearing what people have done.

OK, I have to ask, is a 35 Desoto a unibody car or a frame and body style car? I know the early Chrysler Airflows were unibody cars and the standard version of a Chrysler was a body and frame car. That is going to have a huge impact on finding something to clip it with. Pictures would help a bunch.

Next off, I have not ever seen an aftermarket frame that fits exactly, most are a fits all for a couple year and/or car lines that may have to be slightly modified to fit. There are several late model car & light truck frames that are probably close enough to be made to work, but all will need to be modified to fit, then modified to allow the front sheet metal to be reattached and you will probably have to modify the frame for motor and transmission mounting.

Are you attempting this yourself or hiring it done? If your doing it yourself, do you have the fabrication skills to make the required modifications? Most frame replacements or frame clips are major projects and not to be taken lightly, nor are they for the weak of heart. A unibody frame clip would be a bigger project then normal. Unless someone has done a few clips/swaps specifically to a 35 Desoto Airflow, they will most likely tell you things probably won't fit, because they really don't know. How many guys do you think have actually had a chance to swap many parts out on a Desoto Airflow? Gene

The AirStream is a body on frame, the Airflow is unit body.

If you are thinking about putting another 35 frame under your body why not just fix your front suspension. www.oldmoparts.com ought to be able to get you what you need to rebuild the stock suspension. Not like it's rocket science under there. THough you might want to go to a farm/fleet type machine shop to redo your king pins

It's an airstream, it has a frame.

I was looking for a front frame stub, not an entire frame. I wouldn't be doing it, a shop by me would.


It doesn't just need the suspension replaced. It needs the whole front replaced because what the previous owner did. He/she cut the front cross member, the frame rails sprung, he welded on chevy leafs all wrong, messed up the front of the frame horns, etc.

Ah, makes more sense now, you need to fix a PO butchery. BTDT. What I would do is at least get the bascis, track, frame rail widths, etc. There are a couple of possibilities out there. Here's a couple of threads on MoParts about this.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...e=1#Post5452104

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...e=2#Post5993422

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...e=3#Post5907569

Read thru them, lots of good ideas on how to fit various front ends in places, some with dimensions and pictures.

I had a car that had a real rotted front frame and I just used 2x4 rectangular tubbing and made a new front frame from the firewall forward and then put a mustang front end on it,
Fatman CAN help you out with that,
you just tell them how wide your new front frame is and they can set you up with a front end cross member...

I also had to repair a camaro/nova frontend on a 36 dodge that was put on in the wrong place, wheel base was off by over 1"
the Nova front end fit pretty good but then you have the chevy 4 3/4 bolt pattern.

a Dakota front frame could work as well, they have rack and pinion and disc brakes but if you get a post 91? it will have 6 lug rotors BUT the early Dakota 5 lug rotors will fit and give you the mopar/ford 4 1/2" bolt pattern

some pictures of your front end would be nice to see how bad the front end is on your car. Ron...