Best Budget Drop?

[Fults1971]

Hey everyone, Just bought a 1956 Chevy for $650 yesterday. The Cab floor is gone, but the bed and front half is in decent shape. I bought this truck basically for a budget build, to help advertise my sandblasting business. I have looked at alot of threads on lowering this truck, from full frame swaps, to Camaro IFS swap, but im thinking the best and cheapest way is to possibly get another front axel from DroppedAxle.com for $300. And as for the rear just doing a shackle flip and move the axle from the bottom of the spring to the top. I really want the Camaro front end, but they are hard to come by it seems, and probably more work than i can do on my own. I guess my question is what would everyone else recommend for a budget drop? If i get the dropped axle, should i go for drop spindles? For the rear end, what kits are out there for the shackle flip? Is it better to go with four-link? Should i change the rear end altogether to a different axle? If so, which axles are the best fit, width wise, to go without to much modification?

[Fults1971]

also, if anyone has done the dropped axle, and flipped shackles. What springs did you use? and how does it handle?

[59chev]

Personally I would suggest the camaro swap right from the get go. I am rebuilding my truck for the second time using a camaro clip. The first time I built it I stayed with the straight axle. By the time I replaced all the wear items on the straight axle ( kingpins, drag link, tie-rod ends, spring shackles ) it would have been cheaper to install a camaro clip and put the money into that instead of rebuilding the front suspension twice.

[Fults1971]

what year Camaros work for these trucks? Did you do anything with the rear?

[59chev]

70-81 Camaros are the best bet. I flipped the rear end on top of the leaf springs for now but I ma planning on a parallel 4 link on air bags in the future. Check out my build thread linked in my signature.