While the independent front suspension design that was under the Chevrolet passenger cars from 1941 to 1948 was a relatively forward-thinking design since Ford was still using a solid front axle at the time, it does have room for improvement. For one, they're over 60 years old and most likely in need of some refurbishing. Two, the steering, brakes, and overall geometry leaves a bit to be desired given the performance from contemporary independent suspension designs. But for the '40s and '50s, this was state of the art-Motor Trend, eat your heart out.
Problem is, there were a lot fewer cars on the road back then, and driving less than 70 mph didn't mean you were going to get run over by a Peterbilt. The performance bar was not as high as it is today, and stopping and handling abilities were not what they now are. The inherent flaws in the suspension design that would rear their ugly head years late-like alignment, adjustment, and maintenance problems-proved to be costly and labor intensive. It became clear that a complete replacement would be the best option as these cars aged and the frontends needed attention.
One of the drawbacks, and perhaps the first place typical rodders look to upgrade, are the stock brakes. The original drum brakes on the front of these old Chevys, while self-energizing, belonged to a certain design family known as Huck brakes. These passenger cars shared similarities with the Huck brakes on Chevy trucks of the era. While they worked OK back in the '40s, a common conversion was to install later Bendix-style brakes, which was not an easy upgrade. Today, parts to rebuild the original Huck drum brakes are both scarce and expensive. The most common conversion is to upgrade to disc brakes.
While there may be a few kits out there to upgrade to disc brakes using the stock Chevy spindles, why go through all the hassle to retrofit parts? The stock Chevy crossmembers bolted to the framerails, or top hats, which were basically sheetmetal framerails with the more rigid bottom lip bearing the entire load. By bolting the crossmembers to the bottom of the top hats, the theory was that this allowed for the frame to flex slightly. This design is commonly referred to as a torque box frame.
One kit that replaces the archaic front suspension is Chassis Engineering's bolt-on IFS kit. This fully bolt-on crossmember kit uses Pinto-Mustang-based suspension components and retains the stock Pinto-Mustang geometry. There is no bumpsteer or other unpleasant surprises due to the replacement of the stock steering components with a bolt-on rack-and-pinion. The upper coil pods are adjustable with about 2 1/2 inches adjustment at the adjustment wheel. Center support rods add necessary strength to the lower strut rod mount, and interlocking tabs between the upper pods and lower crossmember prevent movement. The kit also replaces the stock lovejoy-style shock system with a hydraulic shock mounted in the coil spring.
Since the Chassis Engineering kit bolts on the original frame, anyone with a drill and a set of wrenches can upgrade their '41-48 Chevy with a bolt-in Pinto-Mustang II IFS. A few holes need to be drilled, but the kit is designed to use a few of the stock holes on the frame as location points, ensuring that the kit goes in squarely. The kit includes instructions, which are easy to follow, and the frontend can be installed in an afternoon. Other options include a new radiator crossmember, sway bar kit, and bolt-in motor mounts for small-block Chevy engines-everything any rodder could ask for to upgrade a stock '40s Chevy!