1950 Chevy Suburban - g-Machine Frame

When committing to building a ground-up, early-model custom truck, it is definitely a major undertaking. My youngest son Casey drove a '50 Suburban during his high school days, and after graduation, he downsized to a smaller ride during his college years. I had been storing the stock 'Burban in the family garage. Recently, I decided it was time to transform the daily surf-wagon into a serious custom boulevard cruiser. It was wise to consider a new frame and suspension into the build's equation, and while we were looking for high quality frame and suspension components, we looked no further than Chris Alston's Chassisworks and KP Components in Sacramento, California.

Chris Alston's Chassisworks has been manufacturing early-model truck frames for many years. However, they had never bent framerails for a '48-'54 Chevy or GMC Suburban. The CAD-designed 4x2x.120-inch g-Machine framerails with front tapered horns were CNC mandrel-bent. The framerails were separated by a 4x2x.120-inch large radius front crossmember and a mid-frame crossmember featuring a 9x5-inch driveshaft loop flanked by two 4-inch ID exhaust ports.

The front Street Machine independent front suspension (IFS) consists of 20-inch polished stainless steel TIG-welded .156-inch-wall tubular upper and lower A-arms. A pair of black sculptured dropped spindles were linked to the 211/2-inch power steering rack with OEM tie-rod ends. The 3/4-inch diameter front antiroll bar with custom endlinks will eliminate some of the front body roll. The polished billet aluminum four-bar canted links suspended the Fab9 rearend housing. A rear ball-end 7/8-inch diameter torsion lever-style antiroll bar will minimize any rear body roll and help the old 'Burban handle like a modern sport truck.

Watch us as we bolt on the Chassisworks suspension components to the g-Machine frame. We moved forward 60 years in one install. This transformation took place at Ironworks Speed & Kustom in Bakersfield, California.

The Chris Alston Chassisworks g-Machine frame was designed specifically for the '48-'54 Chevy/GMC Suburban. The 4x2x.120-inch-wall boxed tube mandrel-bent frame features tapered front framehorns and a front mandrel-bent 4x2-inch large radius crossmember. A mid-frame 4x2x.120-wall crossmember features a 9-inch-tall and 5-inch-wide driveshaft loop, which is flanked by a pair of 4-inch ID exhaust ports. The kit comes with IFS (independent front suspension) and a canted billet four-bar rear suspension system.
The Chris Alston Chassisworks g-Machine frame was designed specifically for the '48-'54 Ch
After applying antiseize thread lubricant to the ball joint, it was screwed into the ball joint housing using the special ball joint wrench included in the kit. Antiseize was applied to the upper A-arm rod ends and then threaded into the upper A-arms. To provide an initial alignment baseline, the jam nuts were threaded until there was 11/16 inches of thread remaining past the jam nut. Each of the rod ends was threaded into the upper and lower A-arms. The upper tubular A-arm was connected to the front tubular A-arm mounting brackets through the poly-bushings using Chris Alston Chassisworks machined Allen pivot studs.
After applying antiseize thread lubricant to the ball joint, it was screwed into the ball
Shock simulators that were included in the kit were bolted to the frame's upper shock mount and then to the lower A-arm mounting bracket. The shock simulators were installed to simulate the vehicle's front ride height.
Shock simulators that were included in the kit were bolted to the frame's upper shock moun

Eric, from Ironworks Speed and Kustom, in Bakersfield, installed the two-piece front 2-inch drop spindle assembly made from cast ductile iron with a heat-treated steel alloy pressed-in spindle shaft.
Eric, from Ironworks Speed and Kustom, in Bakersfield, installed the two-piece front 2-inc
The ball joint 90-degree Zerk grease fittings were threaded into the sealed grease housings. The 9/16-inch castle nuts were threaded onto each of the ball joints then secured using cotter pins.
The ball joint 90-degree Zerk grease fittings were threaded into the sealed grease housing
Eric then slid the polyurethane antisway bar bushings onto the front 3/4-inch diameter black powdercoated antiroll bar.
Eric then slid the polyurethane antisway bar bushings onto the front 3/4-inch diameter bla