home > suspension
IFS (Independent Front Suspension): 1961 - 1971 Dodge Pick-Up's
After fielding a great deal of email's from
folks in the '61 - '71 truck community about
hard to find idler arms, pitman arms, steering boxes, etc. We began searching
for a
shop that could manufacture, "to spec.," an independent front suspension for our
years
of Mopar classic trucks, (1961 - 1971).
We are very happy to let you know that we've found one!
Fatman Fabrications in
North Carolina USA can produce an independent front suspension directly to spec.
for
your series of Mopar classic truck. Fatman will make your unit with only a few
measurements you will have to provide. They can keep it simple or go wild for
you
with air-ride, and tubular upper & lower control arms.
Their unit is based on the classic hot-rod
IFS used on many of the "resto-rods,"
being built in N. America today. The "Mustang II design."
The downfall for some of you stocker's, is
that you won't be able to maintain stock ride
height with this unit. There is a min. 4" drop which will occur with the Mustang
II- IFS.
If a "bone-stock" rebuild is what your after, this won't be the right unit for
you. If you
are after a safe smooth ride, with modern solid steering, and independent frt.
suspension
all with that resto.-rod "lowered" look, then Fatman Fabrications is your shop.
The basic Mustang II unit will run you about
$2,000.00 U.S. and they can ship it anywhere
inside N. America. Add more for air-ride and tubular control arms. They come
with big
brakes, (11.5" disc). Their IFS bolt pattern maintains our Mopar 4.5"
stock arrangement.
You can order your unit with or without power rack and pinion steering.
Your cab should be off of the frame and after you estimate the IFS's position,
bolt it down in
your shop then take your frame and bolted in IFS into a frame & alignment shop
for it
to be properly aligned and then welded into place by the alignment shop.
Go for a look: http://www.fatmanfab.com/catalogpage.php?page=5
Below is a photo of a '70 Dodge with the Fatman Mustang II unit as well as a
Fatman 4-link
rear suspension as well. The ride height is quite low up front with these low
profile tires.
This truck probably has near a 6" drop with the owners choice of low profiles up
front.
In terms of safety alone we highly recommend the Fatman IFS unit on any
resto.-rod
restoration project. Still, (even at this height), you won't encounter any
ground clearance
problems, which is why the Mustang II - IFS is one of the most popular choices
for
the N. American resto.-rod builders of today.
