new here and needing help.

[Subarudriftboy]

Hello everyone, been here for about 2 months now just looking around and marveling at everyones work, and for valentines day, i received an AMT/ERTL 1955 Chevy stepside Pickup. i know its not a HLJ model as alot of people do ( not meaning to offend anyone) but i still need the practice. anywho... i was curious if anyone could help me lower the front a bit as the pics on the box show it to be a bit too tall for my liking, and maybe lower the back for a street truck look. the kit has leaf springs as well as little shocks for it. also is there any different wheels i could get for on this truck, maybe some larger ones? i halted my other model (59 impala hardtop lowrider) to get more practice under my belt with this.thank you all for your time in reading this and for your welcome (hopefully) and help with my models.

[mickbench]

Can't help you with your problem, as I've not done any custom lowering, but welcome to AF anyhow..!!

[mike@af]

If you could post up some pictures of the suspension mocked up (no glue) we may be able to guide you in the right direction.

As far as different wheels. Sometimes you will have to create new spindles for the wheels to slide on too. Which isnt a big deal at all.

[Subarudriftboy]

as far as pics i do not know if i can, my pc and cam have..."issues" between them i may need to try something tomorrow, or use my laptop to get em online. the input about the spindles, is that for the wheels? sorry kinda stupid at model terms and whatnot. i will try to get photos tomorrow if i can.

[SteveK2003]

If the front end has separate steering spindles, you can trim material off the top and add some, in the form of sheet styrene, to the bottom to raise it up. If that's not posible, you could try removing material from the mounts to raise it up.

In the rear, you can grind out the mount where the leaf springs mate with the axle, move the leaf spring mounts up higher on the chassis, or modify or even make all new leaf springs to drop the rear. Maybe a 4-link with coil-over shocks.

[Subarudriftboy]

ok, i figured a way to do this from pullin an all nighter working on the bed and stuffs... the front where the wheels go is like a U, but the base of the U is stretched out and at the tips its curved outwards for the wheels to go onto, ill be cutting off there and lowering it that way. for the rear, i was goin to make blocks and cut the suspension down. slowly.
anyone know what the incraments i should go down by to lower it? and also, does anyone happen to have spare Cragar style wheels i could get for hopefully cheap? thanks again will try to get pics today.

[SteveK2003]

I have a lot of 60's car kits that might have something you want: Get me a pic and I'll see what I have.