Hi. I am looking at turning my 53 Ford Mainline into a gasser style cruiser and I am wondering what to use for the complete transformation. I am retired and have a wife so I am looking to build myself and any pointers in this area would be appreciated greatly.
Keep the stock front suspension and raise it a few inches. At the back you can flip the rear spring hangers with a crow bar. Remove the front bumper for the gasser look. You don't need a beam axle.
I'm with Rusty, you can add some racy appeal to your Mainline without adding a straight axle, and you'll be a lot happier you did it that way if you intend to street drive it. I would think most of the cars that got converted from IFS to a beam axle were strictly drag-race only.
The '53 Ford has a pin & link suspension, not the best for trying to raise it up. Check out Speedway motors they have a complete axle kit to give you the gasser look. HRP https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Search?query=gasser+front+suspension
You might look at an early Econoline. I don't know how it is width wise, But I used one and liked it. And the bolt pattern is correct for your Ford
The only problem with that is finding a early Econoline that you can afford, the last one I saw was pretty nice and had a huge price, they are getting pretty popular again.HRP
I don't know where you are located, but I have a complete econoline front axle assembly that I would let go for $300 picked up. I'm in Hampton Roads area of Virginia.
be sure to add steps on both sides, like on a tall 4 wheel drive pick up truck to make it easier to get in & out
Early F-100 53-56 . A lot of guys are pulling them out to put Mustang 2 front ends. A guy gave me his and it had a disc brake conversion already done with braided steel brake lines. I narrowed it to put it under my Morris Minor , but should fit your Ford fine.
A properly done straight axle car drives just fine. I'm not talking about those stupid super nose high abortions. As long as everything is correct such as steering angles and caster they drive as normal, not saying I'm going to road race one but in my experience done correctly no big deal.
^^^ I like this. We used to lift more cars with stock suspension then anything else. My mid '50s Fords used to get lifted by using a rubber shim on top of the front spring and re-arching the rear springs. Now as for an axle seems like we used and Econoline axle more than anything else on a mid '50s ford it should work well on the earlier fords as well.
Yes, it is kindof an oxymoron but I was trying to "not" offend anyone while trying to get answers to my request.
No sir, the 1954 Ford was the first to have a modern ball hoint front suspension, the '53 cFord still retained the pin and like suspension. HRP
As a former owner of a 53 Ranch Wagon . I can verify that they are the last year of the King pin style front end. A rubber A/C spacer can be used to raise the front end a few inches. Just make sure the front end does not need to be rebuilt before you start screwing with the geometry of the front end. They were pretty good driving cars when everything is right. Converting a straight axle will have it driving like an early F100 which is not bad, even easier if you install a power steering box to turn it with.
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