I used CAD (cardboard aided design) to make my boxing plates. I used cereal boxes and held them against the frame and tapped along the lenght of the frame with a hammer to make an impression. My templates were very accurate. I don't have your software or a plasma table so I cut with a Jig saw and angle grinder
The Stage III doesn't use the spring hats. It uses Coilovers. So the upper control arms are bolted to upright plates and shimmed for camber/caster. The dimension was the same as yours, 30" but the plates were 5/8" so inside 28 3/8". I made a block out of 2 2x4s in a tee configuration and squared them up on my miter box. Then ran a clamp over the outside.
I found on my fatman ft. End that the upper ball joint bound up before the shock was fully extended. I put the ball joints in from the other side and swapped sides and gained travel. The shock was then the limiting factor.
Another great and informative video! I've said it before - but it bears repeating. I like how you come up with perfect and time saving solutions for annoying problems. Figuring out a great way to set the ride height without having to measure and cut a piece of rod and saving time and inconvenience fixing the caliper. Beautiful workmanship as always!
To some it did. I liked it the way it was too. But the owner wants something he’s comfortable driving at high way speeds. The truck in its original form wasn’t really capable of more than 45-50mph
You gave the best explanation of "Bump steer" I've ever heard. Having lowered many Mustangs I never fully grasped what it meant even though I knew how bad it was on handling! Just a thought, with the '32 T-shirt you could add "It will be fine". :)
Growing up my dad always used Fatman front ends, the owners name was Brent he was a heck of nice guy. I think he has passed on at this point but he always made things right. And he always remembered you when you say each other at a show like good guys Columbus
Brent was a great man but the guy who took the company over is a total idiot and has a idiot running the shop. I guarantee they won't be in business much longer. Their quality of workmanship is horrible.
I put a FATMAN Stage III on my 37 Chev Half ton. They recommended much more boxing and I understand why That frame is quite flimsy. I boxed the whole frame. I also put a center section from Paul Horton (Welderseries).
Install is coming along great. Look forward to seeing the big block in there and the next video! If you haven't heard...Tradex swapmeet is on for next year.
After 25yrs working with rack and pinions I can guarantee the bellows with the extension will either slip off under full lock sooner rather than later and definitely deteriorate quickly😊
@LGKustoms Sorry mate, I'm in Australia and it's been 20 years since I stopped working the motor trade. You need a decent lip on the end of the tube to enable a tightened clamp to hold the bellows at least, maybe a lipped sleeve to match the extension. All depends how long a warranty you give on your work, the bellows as it is may not rip for years depending on vehicle use. If you research Rack and Pinion Gaiter on Google it may help, silicone are new
When you pulled the Flathead in the transmission out of the truck that was the center crossmember for the cab mounts I put the fat man suspension in my 56 Ford pickup your crossmember going across the bottom of the frame you need to lower 4 in you'll never get the bellhousing underneath that floorboard You'll Play help trying to find a oil pan that's 2 in thick I put my rack and pinion steering on the front side of the cross member and used Camaros spindles calipers and rotors off of 67 front steer. To get bigger rotors bigger calipers bigger wheel bearings everything was bigger The Mustang 2 ball joint aren't strong enough for a big block they wear out quick and I broke the snout off the rotor that holds the bearing I would go ahead and Tack it in their assemble the whole front end set your motor in there and say oh shit I got to change a bunch yeah you need to put a crossmember somewhere between the motor and transmission that frame twists like crazy going in and out of driveways
If I lowered the crossmember four inches the truck ride height would be four inches taller and the lower control arm geometry would be out of whack. The steering rack is also supposed to go on the front of the crossmember. The spindles are already designed for front steer, no need to change them out.
I’m surprised that if you extend the rack two inches you don’t have a gator that is two inches longer. Problem solving is what you’re very good at. Enjoying this build. It was a bit corny, so I didn’t say it, but you no what the nine o clock film was last Saturday? Yes that one. Spooky. Tim.
In my opinion that’s kind of overkill. This isn’t a race truck, and the original chassis is already much thicker and more heavy duty than most automotive chassis’. It also has all season radial tires, stock ford Granada brake rotors, stock rear springs and generic coil springs up front. Meaning it will never accelerate hard enough, brake hard enough, or corner hard enough to twist this frame.
Fargo was part of Chrysler Corp and sold in Canada, Australia, Europe and Argentina. They are basically the same as a Dodge, like how Chevrolet and GMC trucks are the pretty much the same.
No, the angle is pre determined on the inside part of the hat. The part I notched was just the side. If you watch the part where I had them on the bench marking it out, you can see the angled part I’m talking about.
I used a crown Victoria crossmember 2003 to 2011 lot cheaper than a fat man but did buy the fat man norrow a arms $1500 God im good I should do this utube think
I would never deal with Fat Man Fabrication again they totally ruined my front end and the work that they did to my car was totally discussing and had to have everything all redone at another shop, worst company service that I ever dealt with.
I used CAD (cardboard aided design) to make my boxing plates. I used cereal boxes and held them against the frame and tapped along the lenght of the frame with a hammer to make an impression. My templates were very accurate. I don't have your software or a plasma table so I cut with a Jig saw and angle grinder
The Stage III doesn't use the spring hats. It uses Coilovers. So the upper control arms are bolted to upright plates and shimmed for camber/caster. The dimension was the same as yours, 30" but the plates were 5/8" so inside 28 3/8". I made a block out of 2 2x4s in a tee configuration and squared them up on my miter box. Then ran a clamp over the outside.
I found on my fatman ft. End that the upper ball joint bound up before the shock was fully extended. I put the ball joints in from the other side and swapped sides and gained travel. The shock was then the limiting factor.
Another great and informative video! I've said it before - but it bears repeating. I like how you come up with perfect and time saving solutions for annoying problems. Figuring out a great way to set the ride height without having to measure and cut a piece of rod and saving time and inconvenience fixing the caliper. Beautiful workmanship as always!
Thanks
Dude!!! Great video on the Fat man suspension kit!!!✌️
I've always measured from the rear end housing when using a added front subframe to avoid dog tracking.
Wouldn't that only avoid dog tracking if you know your housing is perfectly square in the chassis?
nicely done and well documented 👍🏼✔🍺🍺
Maybe I'm just old, but the Fargo looked perfect to me from the beginning even with the flat six..
To some it did. I liked it the way it was too. But the owner wants something he’s comfortable driving at high way speeds. The truck in its original form wasn’t really capable of more than 45-50mph
You gave the best explanation of "Bump steer" I've ever heard. Having lowered many Mustangs I never fully grasped what it meant even though I knew how bad it was on handling!
Just a thought, with the '32 T-shirt you could add "It will be fine". :)
Nice clean install Lee 👍
Awesome job Lee....:-)
Good video, thanks for sharing.
Great work! And always good music in the background.....greetings from germany!
Growing up my dad always used Fatman front ends, the owners name was Brent he was a heck of nice guy. I think he has passed on at this point but he always made things right. And he always remembered you when you say each other at a show like good guys Columbus
Brent was a great man but the guy who took the company over is a total idiot and has a idiot running the shop. I guarantee they won't be in business much longer. Their quality of workmanship is horrible.
Nice progress on the Fargo, will be good steering and ride...now for some spunk!
Thanks for sharing!
Nice going Lee, looking foreward to the next instalment ! Well done.
Nice job lee
Lee great explanation of bump street thanks Mike
Excellent demo of the process. An all around great job Lee.
Thanks
I love Selling new hubs and bearings to your people when they hit Arizona😂
I’m not sure what you mean.
Great video, very nicely explained as you went thru the install. 🫵🏼💯🆒
good stuff Lee! keep it coming buddy!
I put a FATMAN Stage III on my 37 Chev Half ton. They recommended much more boxing and I understand why That frame is quite flimsy. I boxed the whole frame. I also put a center section from Paul Horton (Welderseries).
I don't know how it is since Bret Vandervort retired, but when he was there they had no problem shipping things quickly
Awesome job very cool 👍👍🛠️🇨🇦🛠️🇨🇦
Install is coming along great. Look forward to seeing the big block in there and the next video! If you haven't heard...Tradex swapmeet is on for next year.
Already booked my spots!
After 25yrs working with rack and pinions I can guarantee the bellows with the extension will either slip off under full lock sooner rather than later and definitely deteriorate quickly😊
Maybe? This what Fatman recommended however. Do you have a part number for a longer bellow if they do?
@LGKustoms Sorry mate, I'm in Australia and it's been 20 years since I stopped working the motor trade. You need a decent lip on the end of the tube to enable a tightened clamp to hold the bellows at least, maybe a lipped sleeve to match the extension. All depends how long a warranty you give on your work, the bellows as it is may not rip for years depending on vehicle use. If you research Rack and Pinion Gaiter on Google it may help, silicone are new
Fantastic job and attention to detail. What’s that music you are playing in background???😎👍
The background music in the shop? Just various Spotify playlists
When you pulled the Flathead in the transmission out of the truck that was the center crossmember for the cab mounts I put the fat man suspension in my 56 Ford pickup your crossmember going across the bottom of the frame you need to lower 4 in you'll never get the bellhousing underneath that floorboard You'll Play help trying to find a oil pan that's 2 in thick I put my rack and pinion steering on the front side of the cross member and used Camaros spindles calipers and rotors off of 67 front steer. To get bigger rotors bigger calipers bigger wheel bearings everything was bigger The Mustang 2 ball joint aren't strong enough for a big block they wear out quick and I broke the snout off the rotor that holds the bearing I would go ahead and Tack it in their assemble the whole front end set your motor in there and say oh shit I got to change a bunch yeah you need to put a crossmember somewhere between the motor and transmission that frame twists like crazy going in and out of driveways
If I lowered the crossmember four inches the truck ride height would be four inches taller and the lower control arm geometry would be out of whack.
The steering rack is also supposed to go on the front of the crossmember. The spindles are already designed for front steer, no need to change them out.
Measure from rear axel on both sides and square it by those measurements!!!!!!!!
That frame really needs boxing!
Perfect 👌👌👌😁
I’m surprised that if you extend the rack two inches you don’t have a gator that is two inches longer. Problem solving is what you’re very good at. Enjoying this build. It was a bit corny, so I didn’t say it, but you no what the nine o clock film was last Saturday? Yes that one. Spooky. Tim.
Was it Fargo? Best movie ever
It most definitely was
So it was you who found that bag of money?
Looking good.
Just a quick question about the calipers, why are they back to front the pistons are usually visible from the front?
Like why are they mounted to the rear of the spindle instead of the front? Most vehicles the caliper is mounted to the rear of the spindle.
Great video I am planing on doing the same on my truck. What did you use for track width I see they recommend 58-1/2 I believe my truck stock is 60”
Pretty sure it’s the 58 1/2, but I don’t remember exactly. It was a year and half ago when I ordered the front end from Fatman.
Id box the whole length from the firewall forward. But eeh ,thats just me!
In my opinion that’s kind of overkill. This isn’t a race truck, and the original chassis is already much thicker and more heavy duty than most automotive chassis’.
It also has all season radial tires, stock ford Granada brake rotors, stock rear springs and generic coil springs up front. Meaning it will never accelerate hard enough, brake hard enough, or corner hard enough to twist this frame.
why are you tig welding the fargo build but you mig welded the 55 to 57 chevy front clips ?
Good question. No reason in particular, guess I felt like getting fancy on the Fargo
Do you have a leaf blower to clean out the interior?
No. Can I borrow yours?
@@LGKustoms I still have it!
She be a new truck when you get her done
Is a Fargo a Dodge made in Canada?
Fargo was part of Chrysler Corp and sold in Canada, Australia, Europe and Argentina. They are basically the same as a Dodge, like how Chevrolet and GMC trucks are the pretty much the same.
Didn’t you alter the hat angle by notching only the front of the hat 🧐
No, the angle is pre determined on the inside part of the hat. The part I notched was just the side. If you watch the part where I had them on the bench marking it out, you can see the angled part I’m talking about.
I used a crown Victoria crossmember 2003 to 2011 lot cheaper than a fat man but did buy the fat man norrow a arms $1500 God im good I should do this utube think
What did you put the crown Vic front end under?
@@LGKustoms 1965 f100 one udder a 1955 mercury Monterey for me lees expensive im Australian Jewish Chinese Mexican
Fargo is a Canadian vehicle. Q
Fargos were sold in Canada, South America, Europe and Australia
I would never deal with Fat Man Fabrication again they totally ruined my front end and the work that they did to my car was totally discussing and had to have everything all redone at another shop, worst company service that I ever dealt with.
Sorry that happened. Other than having to wait a couple months for this front end to arrive after I ordered it, I had no issues.