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 Return to Help Index
| Street Rod Chassis FAQs |
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| Chassis Shop Offerings and Services |
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The chassis team at Superior Glass Works draws upon decades of street rod experience and uses the finest components from Kugel Komponents, Heidt’s, TCI, Pete & Jakes, Wilwood, Dutchman and others to create a custom chassis that meets your needs. Our full-service chassis shop produces Complete Rolling Chassis for our fiberglass street rod bodies or your existing steel or fiberglass body. Available for most of the popular Chevy and Ford cars and trucks from the 1920’s through the 1950’s.
Restoration or modification of your existing chassis, even if the model is not listed here, is also offered. Using your original frame or frame rails is often a great place to start a street rod project. Superior Glass Works can upgrade your old rails with boxing plates, independent front suspension, body mounts, brackets, and modern-drive-train compatibility, while allowing you to preserve the original “soul” of your ride.
Superior Glass Works builds complete four-wheel independent show chassis, basic perimeter frames, or whatever you specify. We most commonly install TCI, Heidt’s, and Kugel Komponents independent front-ends, but you can also choose a Pete & Jakes solid front axle or AirRide. Out back, Ford 9-inch rear-ends are built specifically for your chassis and body combination, and these can be hung with parallel leaf springs, four-bar with coil-over shocks, or air bags. For the ultimate in show and go, a Kugel, Heidt’s, or a Corvette independent rear can be installed. Again, AirRide can be fitted and our experts can provide the ride height you are looking for through component selection and frame modifications. The Power Brake Package includes installation of the power booster, the master cylinder, and the brake pedal. Many options are available that allow us to build a chassis that matches your project goals and budget. Popular options include running steel or stainless steel brake lines, upgrading to disc brakes in the rear, and various levels of polishing for the suspension components. Let us know your motor and transmission choice and we’ll install the appropriate mounts. |
| How our chassis are built |
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Our chassis are built on heavy, permanent, model-specific jig fixtures, guaranteeing a true, straight, and square chassis every time. The fixtures themselves and the patterns for our rails were built using original chassis and bodies to insure fitment of your body on the frame we build for you. All rails are laser cut or stamped from 10-gauge pickled and oiled (P&O) steel, and fully boxed with the same. An engineered X-member or K-member fabricated from 1.5-inch round tubing, plus the core support and the cross members, provide the structural strength necessary to handle typical street rod horsepower.
Superior Glass Works understands that each car is different, and which is why we don’t pre-build chassis or sell them in “stages.” (Stages are for acting, not building hot rods!) Each is a CUSTOM CHASSIS - built to your specs. As such, it is critical that we personally discuss your project needs and goals, discuss the different options to achieve these goals, and then provide you with an accurate, custom quote. |
| Options, Upgrades, and Accessories |
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There are countless combinations of components that can be built into your chassis, and every step of the process typically requires a decision about the performance or appearance level you want. A fat-fendered, daily driver street rod will work great with a painted, Mustang II IFS, but a fenderless roadster meant for the show-circuit is likely better suited to chrome or polished stainless pieces and parts. And that supercharged LS7 you plan to stuff into your '53 Chevy pickup will certainly need more than the standard Ford 9" to handle that power.
Custom work is also routine for us. Stepping in the frame rails, C-notching, building traction bars, mounting custom fuel or air tanks, fabbing motor mounts for your unique drivetrain, etc. etc. etc. are all special services we offer on the chassis we build. If you have seen it at a show or in a magazine, we can probably do it. |
| Suspension Systems - Front, Rear, Independent, Axle, etc. |
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See the FAQ sections for Front Suspension or Rear Suspension for a complete breakdown on the characteristics, typical applications, pros and cons of the many suspension systems available. |
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