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I am also new at this and no expert. After a six month summer break, I am about to resume work on a 1958 444 which I am restoring and converting to B20. I also have a 1964 544 parts car. I have the front sheet metal removed from both cars and they are side by side in my garage so I can see the differences (which are just as SteveW and mcduck describe). If you still have questions after the above posts, I can go look at the front ends and let you know what I see.
Also, I have some follow-on questions to the more experienced out there. I have considered using the 544 parts to "upgrade" the 444. The 544 parts (especially the idler arm) look stronger. Right now, my plan is to just rebuild the 444 configuration. As SteveW says, the upgrade would not be a "bolt in" change and other parts of the project are likely to be tough enough for me, as it is. I drove a 444 for six years in the 1960's and the front end seemed OK at the time. I rebuilt it once, redoing the idler arm along with the kinpins. From looking at it, my guess is that the change was for reasons of durability rather than changing the way the steering functions. The questions for you veterns: Is there something I'm missing here - is it worthwhile to "upgrade" to the 544 configuration? Is this upgrade something that gets done, and if so, why?
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