Gene Axtell & Ian Burnett
The project was to install a 1986 (C4) Corvette independent rear suspension in the El Camino. The rear suspension was from an automatic transmission C4 Corvette so it had 2:23/1 gears and an Eaton positraction unit.
The rear end was purchased from a salvage yard in the San Diego California area and we had no real idea what we would receive. What we were confident of, was the width of the C4 unit was almost identical to the stock 12 bolt unit in the El Camino. The entire rear end was thoroughly rebuilt using all new quality parts. Then it was sent for out powder coating.
At the mockup stage we located the rear end under the El Camino approximating the position it would finally occupy, to verify our measurements and assumptions, decide on the cutting, bracket fabrication and potential conflicts with exhaust and other areas.
The biggest challenge we had in this installation was the mounting of the trailing arms ("dog bones"). In the stock location they lined up directly in the middle of the El Camino frame rails and we were not in favor of cutting the frame.
With that in mind, it was decided to fabricate a "spacer" to move the dog bones three inches inward on each side. That would allow us to fabricate mounts on the inside of the frame rail to mount the dog bones. We fabricated the spacers from several pieces of heavy sheet metal and thick tubing to serve as additional reinforcement to prevent crush or twisting loads from the dog bones, shocks and sway bar. See picture "G" and note the green part between the carrier and the dog bones.
Another significant piece we needed to fabricate and fit to the available space in the frame was mounts for the "Batwing" (see picture "R") and provide clearance for the tie rod ends used in the C4 rear end allowing normal suspension travel. The C4 hubs even had a location for snubbers to prevent collision with the frame.
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