[Phungki]

Originally Posted by yossarian19

I started with similar notions about keeping it stock-ish in the front suspension.
My experience is that by the time you add disc brakes, power steering, new bushings, new steering joints, etc you have spent darn near what an IFS might have cost you.
I've got new shackles, rear spring bushings, new king pins, new tie rod, C10 power steering (avoid like plague), disc brakes, tapered roller bearings, 4* caster wedges and probably some other junk into my I-beam front end.

It handles and steers like a boat, parks like a garbage truck and buzzes like a summ***** going down the freeway. With a Chevy 350 & 7004R you will have the power and gearing to go a lot faster than your front end will really keep up with. It still needs a ton of work to be "right" - partially because the C10 steering kit is such an engineering junk-show to begin with, partly because you are still gilding and spending money on 1957's worn-out parts that were designed well before interstate travel was hitting 80 mph.
Possible caveat there is that if you have really tight kingpin and spindle bores or go with a new drop axle, your junk will probably not buzz like mine does.

I’m sure you are right on IFS handling infinitely better then these old things. Maybe one day I’ll go that route but initially I’ll keep the front axel as is. It won’t ever be a daily driver. I will drive it in town, 10 miles to the next town or 25 miles to my parents. Nothing over 55 mph.
Thank you