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F100 Front Clip Swap

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by King Karl, Feb 5, 2009.

  1. Here's a link to some install pics of putting a jag front in mid 50's f100 chassis.

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=451036

    I cut the mounting points off and welded staight to the chassis as going to box most of the chassis for rigidity. Piece of cake, took a leasurely saturday afternoon.
     
  2. ratcaddy65
    Joined: Jan 28, 2009
    Posts: 77

    ratcaddy65
    Member

    im going with the straight axle gasser style with mine and putting a 472 caddy in it does anyone know who make trans adapter because i wanna run a stick
     
  3. FoMoCoPower
    Joined: Feb 2, 2007
    Posts: 2,493

    FoMoCoPower
    Member

    I did the 03+ Crown Victoria swap in my 1961 F100,and have been driving on it for about 6-months. It was WELL worth it. I spent maybe $250.00 on the whole swap including parts. The width is fine,it`s the HUGE disc brakes that are the problem.
     
  4. FoMoCoPower
    Joined: Feb 2, 2007
    Posts: 2,493

    FoMoCoPower
    Member

    BTW,the Police cars used the exact same suspension as the regular Crown Victoria,Grand Marquis,and Town Car,so it does not matter which model you get it off of,they are all the same from 2003 to 2010
     
  5. Larry T
    Joined: Nov 24, 2004
    Posts: 7,876

    Larry T
    Member

    I don't know for sure, but I think a bellhousing for an Olds would work (think 442/4 speed). You can probably buy one from Lakewood. If you're gonna be driving it like a 4 speed should be driven or racing it, you need a good one.
    Larry T
     
  6. AnimalAin
    Joined: Jul 20, 2002
    Posts: 3,416

    AnimalAin
    Member

    Any pictures? As an aside, huge brakes may be a fitment issue for wheels, but not nearly as big a problem as not having enough braking.
     
    Comet drool likes this.
  7. FoMoCoPower
    Joined: Feb 2, 2007
    Posts: 2,493

    FoMoCoPower
    Member

    If u do a search you will find pictures.
     
  8. davis574ord
    Joined: May 21, 2009
    Posts: 785

    davis574ord
    Member

    I have a clip out of a mid seventies torino-ltd and it worked great and still have the ford bolt pattern, and i put a 351 cleveland in it!
     
  9. SwedenF100
    Joined: Aug 23, 2010
    Posts: 1

    SwedenF100
    Member

    Hello!
    Has anyone any experiance from using a caprice frontclip. Pretty common here in sweden i think, We dont have many Volares hangin around here. Mostly Volvos, and offcourse a couple of caprices...
     
  10. miketlane
    Joined: Feb 27, 2011
    Posts: 7

    miketlane
    Member
    from shelton wa

    some old dates in there but just FYI, im doing a 2005 Crown Victoria swap in my 54 5100. as for wider yes you must use the front wheel drive looking wheels but dont think it looks bad because all the newer mustangs use very close to the same off set. the CV is a 50mm off set the stang is 45mm. as for fitting. the CV center line is 3 inches wider then the 53-56 f100 and a near exact match for 57 and up. on the 53-56 there is almost 2 inches of room to spare for fender clearance. the frame width is perfect and the only real pain is fabing the rear trailing arm plates and that is no where near the same as cutting the frame apart and welding on an car frame. as for the mustang 2 kits well they don't even compare using 1970's suspension tec from light Curb weight, 2015–2270 pintos. yeah there polished up and upgradeable and cost around 1300 and over 2k. now i got the CV (Curb Weight 4057) front it is current tec, full size, large rotors and 4 piston calipers complete off an o5 CV for $400. now don't get me wrong if the CV was not an option i would be doing the mustang kit over any thing else. i found out about this when i was looking to buy a M2 kit. no way would i do any thing else now. im doing a build up video to show and answer questions i needed and could not find. this one got me started but not mine.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR_r70u8OCg
    [email protected] feel free to ask me any questions
     
  11. FoMoCoPower
    Joined: Feb 2, 2007
    Posts: 2,493

    FoMoCoPower
    Member

    No,you don`t have to use the FWD looking wheels,I didn`t.
     
  12. f100newb
    Joined: Jan 23, 2008
    Posts: 42

    f100newb
    Member

    Bringing it back from the dead...LOL For the 48-56 trucks I personally think the Jag is the easiest for IFS. Those on the FTE site know that I champion this as it really simple and cheap. The CV front end is IMHO the 2nd best way to go. Both are for full size cars and heavier curb weight then the MII. Plus the Jag is WAY cheap here in MD. I got the whole car for $500 and pulled everything off I needed.
     
  13. Tricknology
    Joined: Mar 9, 2006
    Posts: 546

    Tricknology
    Member
    from DETROIT

    karl, i wil keep looking ,but on the web is a complete pictorial of swaping in a 2003 ford crown vic and newer front suspension, the guy used the complete drive train, but used a 1996 and older crown vic rear end ( a little narrower). used the Modualr ford SOHC v8 too...

    all the other front suspensions listed are to old to use if you are from the rust belt,,,they will be rusty and worn out. a crown vick will be rust free and tight ( no rebuilding requred)

    trythis for now,,but there is more better stuff out there as to tech articals...

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=255247

    but
     
  14. Tricknology
    Joined: Mar 9, 2006
    Posts: 546

    Tricknology
    Member
    from DETROIT

  15. Marx68
    Joined: Mar 1, 2011
    Posts: 2

    Marx68
    Member
    from Arizona

    I am currently doing the Crown Vic swap into my 68 F100. I'm 2 days into it and just about done...what a great idea. Cheap (and plentiful) parts, easy work and it fixes so many issues with the I-beams, drum brakes, etc. Highly recommended.
     
  16. smokey3550
    Joined: Oct 30, 2008
    Posts: 91

    smokey3550
    Member
    from texas

    I would use the chevelle or cad clip......or...I swapped out the complete chassis from a 1984 caprice 4dr under my 65 f100, worked out very well, parts are almost free, truck ends up about 5" lower, awesome ride, tons of aftermarket or muscle car upgrades available, cad frame is the same and the motor mounts are allready done. The caprice master cylinder bolted up to the ford firewall with 5 mins worth of mods, I did'nt even have to bleed the brakes, E- brake hooked up easy, steering needed a little work (cut of rag joint connection and use 2 u- joints. I am very happy with it.
     
  17. willowbilly3
    Joined: Jun 18, 2004
    Posts: 4,356

    willowbilly3
    Member Emeritus
    from Sturgis

    I'm not sure on width issues but a friend of mine used a 90s crown vic front stub on his 68 F100 and it worked great.
     
  18. Marx68
    Joined: Mar 1, 2011
    Posts: 2

    Marx68
    Member
    from Arizona

    I would love to see pics of these applications. I'm always up for a new approach and still looking for pics of the Jag swap. Any suggestions for a swap into a 38 Chevy truck?
    [​IMG]
     
  19. miketlane
    Joined: Feb 27, 2011
    Posts: 7

    miketlane
    Member
    from shelton wa

    FoMoCoPower i went and did some back reading and seen you truck nice job. i stand corrected and that is even better. the 2000 and up mustang wheels are even more off set then the Crown vic and those bullet mag wheels look pretty sweet so i would not say the front wheel drive wheels look bad but they are so far limited with out custom ordering offsets. i was pretty concerned when i started because allot said the CV was way to wide for the 53-56 but not for the 57 and up. reading in f100 central the axle in a 67 is a exact swap for a 53-56 in width and spring pads. they must have only used a deeper dish wheel for the wider stance. any way that make me happy because it shows that i will not have an issue using a high offset wheel. measuring it looked like it would be close to the edge but fit. my only concern was turning. i wont know that until it is in there. i would like to be reasonably lower maybe 4 inches. i already did a 8.8 2000 mustang rear axle flipped on top of the stock 1954 springs that made it really low back there but i will match it up to the same as what ever the front turns out. im doing a you tube build up on it i have just the first intro video done
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjP4nM4uLXU
    hope it helps others out but im open to suggestions to those that have done it already. what you see in that video is where im at now and until spring. cool group of people...thanks i hope i can be as helpfull
     
  20. King Karl
    Joined: Sep 27, 2007
    Posts: 383

    King Karl
    Member
    from N.C.


    What year/Model Jag is this out of?
     
  21. davis574ord
    Joined: May 21, 2009
    Posts: 785

    davis574ord
    Member

    how about an ltd or torino from the 70's they work great, put one one my 58 f-100 and its a FORD!
     
  22. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    Here are a couple pics of the Cordoba front suspension kit that Gibbon Fiberglass sells. From all appearances it is a well made kit, sturdy and efficient. The frame notch for the steering box is the only mod to the frame but with the additional boxing of the Gibbon crossmember this is not an issue. I also like the fact that the ride height is adjustable, which will allow me to fine tune the suspension once the final choice of wheels and tires is made and installed.
    [​IMG][​IMG]

    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 1, 2014
  23. Here's one I'm installing in a '56 F100..........'03 and up Crowm Vic. We built the frame also but the front crossmember will fit on the stock frame too.
    Pretty easy to do..........
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  24. miketlane
    Joined: Feb 27, 2011
    Posts: 7

    miketlane
    Member
    from shelton wa

  25. miketlane
    Joined: Feb 27, 2011
    Posts: 7

    miketlane
    Member
    from shelton wa

    i wish i would have seen your arm brackets before i made mine. nice!!
     
  26. tlmartin84
    Joined: Jul 28, 2011
    Posts: 1,030

    tlmartin84
    Member
    from WV

    CTFUZZ or anyone else who can answer............how did you shorten the rack and the swaybar after narrowing the crossmember???
     
  27. dgrinstead
    Joined: Jul 27, 2012
    Posts: 2

    dgrinstead
    Member
    from idaho

    new at this,I want to install a 95 Crown Vic front clip in my 59 ford.will run a super charged 96 mustang corbra engine.need all the help,pic,no#s evrything will do
     
  28. 68vette
    Joined: Jul 28, 2009
    Posts: 306

    68vette

    I installed a Gibbon torsion bar in my 55 f100....WORST MISTAKE I ever made....with a full tank of gas it rode completely different than 1/2 tank of gas...someone with you then the sweet ride part went away....I meet the owner of Gibbon at the F100 show up in Pigeon Forge...and looked under their own truck they brought to the show....IT HAD A VOLARE FRONT END !!! Honest....I could not believe it...someone asked about it and they told them their torsion bar set up acted about the same...

    The best move I made was jerk that crap out of my frame and I welded in a 71 Monte Carlo clip....ride improved 100%....Gibbons drove mine and said it was about normal but they would send me a new set of shocks...which they did...I put them on....no difference.

    Uneducated folks think that the torsion bars are adjustable....THEY ARE NOT....too much tension...they ride real hard and have a very small movement ....too little tension....they bottom out ( lowered car) and strip out the rubber bushings on either setting...I know...I replaced every rubber in the Gibbons front suspension twice...

    Again....torsion bars are not the way to go with a truck....look under the frame of a torsion bar car....the frame is huge and not meant to flex like our ford pick ups do.
     

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  29. 68vette
    Joined: Jul 28, 2009
    Posts: 306

    68vette

    I can understand why....the ABSOLUTEY WORSE frontend for a f100 truck....like I said earlier....even their own black 56 ford f100 did not even have their own front end under it...why? If you had driven it, you would have never bought one for sure.

    I even had Brent...who owns "Fatman Fabrications" leave his display at the Pigeon Forge show and crawl under my Gibbon torsion bar 55 F100...he and Gibbon himself ( earlier that day)...could not find ONE problem with my installation...just the opposite.

    I must say Brent impressed the heck out of me that day and when my friend and I went down to pick up a front end for his shoe from him 10 years later...I reminded him of his help that day up in Pigeon Forge.

    When my Gibbon motor mount would not let my engine be installed as per their directions....I called them....the response to me....." WHY DID YOU INSTALL POWER STEERING...THATS THE PROBLEM"....my thought...Really????? Power steering on a street rod is not acceptable.

    What do I think of Gibbon.......???? Huummmmmm.
     

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