Ive got a 66 Custom Cab and Im wanting it to sit like this truck. Just wondering about the suspension mods on it front and rear. Thanks guys!
You might send 'JEEM' a PM. That's his old pickup and I'm sure he could answer your questions. I had one with a similar stance and it had an aftermarket Mustang II front suspension. The rear axle was 'flipped', lowering blocks installed (if I remember correctly), frame was C-notched, and a hole was cut in the center of the box to clear the rearend housing. Malcolm
You can ask me also, I boxed the frame and did the engine mounts after Jeem and friends installed the Volare' front end. Then I built the frame from the cab back and did a triangulated four link, 8" Ford rear and a custom made transverse leaf with an adjustable perch.
I did that before the age of cheap digital cameras. Jeem might have pictures, I don't and wish I did.
I sent him a pm about it. My kinda sorta plan for my truck is a camaro clip to get the front down, flip the axle in the rear atleast, and then put on a set of vintage Cragar S/Ss my dad has layin around. Thoughts?
Camaro clip and axle flip will get it down about 7" from where you are. About 4-5" away from where mine and Jeem's trucks are. Build it the way you want it to sit. Don't try and go in stages, just going to cause you extra expense and compromises.
Damn! I knew the truck was in the weeds but thats a huge drop. So should I just go with an aftermarket front suspension? 03 plus Crown Vic clip? or Z the frame with the clip? The rear is pretty easy. But Im still interested in yalls set up.
Jeem's Volare' sub had very little suspension compression travel, under 2" if memory serves. My truck is 5" off the ground at the front edge of the door. Jeem had me beat by an inch or so. My truck has one of my old Dodge Dakota kits, 2.5" Z'd frame, stock Dakota springs and 2" dropped spindles. I have full suspension travel and a very comfortable ride. If you really want your truck down like that, aftermarket is a good bet or a clip with a Z. Check out Ryno's thread on his Unibody. You will get a lifesize picture of what was involved. He Z-d the front and did airbags on a Mustang II. The late Crown Victoria suspension is growing in popularity but you will never get the ride height myself, Jeem or Ryno (plus countless others) have achieved because the track width is 4+ inches wider and will put the tires into the fenders every time you turn. No dropped spindles available and a limited amount of wheel choices due to the high positive offest geometry used.
I was checking it out at Goodguys, Friday. I loved everything about it. Especially the rear roll pan. Very nice.....
I have Malcom's old truck. I can't go any lower that what its is. Its a 64, and the trans/rear motor mount drags sometimes. I think the 65's and up had regular motor mounts, and got rid of the the rear cross member. I have seen a couple with crown vics, but they seem to be wider than the Mustang II's.
If you look at the build threads on other boards on the Crown Vic swap the owners really weren't interested in getting the trucks down in the weeds. They wanted them lower but not down at that level. Flipping the axle on top of the spring and using lowering blocks and a C notch will most likely get the rear down but if you run a Camaro/TransAm front stub one trick I learned is to set the truck level on blocks at the height you want it to ride at when you are done and then set the subframe at it's stock ride height on a jack or on a block. That is probably about 6 or 6-1/2 inches from the bottom of the crossmember to the floor. Where ever they hit when you mate them up is where you want to put them together. We did that on the 51 Merc I had and it came out exactly the way I wanted it to. We used a Nova stub on it and ended up crawling under a student's Nova in the middle of the shop floor to get the measurement. When you fit them up you want the trucks frame FLAT LEVEL no rake or what not an you want the subframe to sit level as it would under the car it came out of. No built in compensation for rake as some wags clam you need. That way the subframe and truck's frame will end up working as one rather than fighting each other. Then you get the headaches of making the sheet metal fit and fitting up the subframe to the frame is small potatos compared to that.
ELpolacko I think with the Camaro clip drop spindles and slight drop spring I should get it where I want it. I love the super low look but without air ride it can be a big pain in the butt for something that gets driven alot. Learned that the hard way a few times with my old S10. But I want to see some pictures of yalls rear suspension set up. Are there any advantages or disadvantages to the spring set up? Or basicly why that set up? cranium69 do you have any other pictures?
Another shout out to Elpolacko on your decision to remake the Dakota cross members for the early F1's. Any decision yet? Not trying to take this thread off topic but it's still about early PU suspension. Frank
I don't have a kit or anything for front or rear suspensions right now. I just do custom fabrication. Check out my website in my signature line, on the right side of my site there is a link to my photo album. There are a few thousand pictures for you to view if you like.
I'll have to find the pics that I have. Like ElPo said, it has a Volare under it. I made profile templates of the k-member and transferred them to the f-100 rails (3 whole inches forward of the stock axle centerline) as high into the rail as I could, just shy of lopping the rails off entirely. Had to use jackstands at the front to hold the rails up. Clamped the Chrysler stuff to the rails, checked everything for square a few times and welded in everything. Added 2 x 2 tubing inside the rails to strengthen and then ElPolacko took over and boxed it all in. The IC gang did the rear of the frame too, it's Z'd with all new tubing from just beyond the back of the cab. A four link and a transverse spring on an adjustable perch. Actually rode REALLY smoothly regardless of the close proximity to the front end snubbers, could've been partly the soft bench seat? haha. I never had shocks on the front of it...one of the subsequent owners added them. Looks like a different fuel tank too? I'm really glad to see it's still being enjoyed. Wonder if he's a HAMB'er, could maybe give us a 5 years later report. Ron Hernandez' striping still looks perfect!
I didn't have to use dropped spindles. I did narrow my camaro a-arms up 1 inch per side to give a little more turning room inside the fenders. I am running original 15 inch steel wheels. Heavy c notch and relocated the front spring hangers on the rear. Cut out the rusty uni bed floor and used an 80's chevy pickup bed floor. I am making custom inner fenders to allow my tires a little more room. The thing rides like a dream, 472 caddy. I do have some more pics if you PM me your email.
That Corvette rear spring looks like a neat solution, and it's easily adjustable just by changing two bolts.
Yep, plus ElPolacko built in a 3 position adjustable perch mount as well....it was pretty neat. Probably did it the same way on his pickup too?....
I own this truck that you have questions about - Its a 64 F100 - If you want to come over to the house sometime to look, take measurements, talk, or just have a cold beverage send me a PM and we can trade out contact info. Jimmy Smith designed the truck. I spoke with him just after I bought it this past spring. I was told over this past weekend at GoodGuys that it changed hands several times after Jimmy built it. I purchased it out of St. Louis, MO a few months ago. The details I have are 74 mopar front and a Z frame with transverse leaf in rear. I haven't had much time to actually go through it and examine all the cool details of the truck. Gimme a PM and we can chat if you want. The truck drives awesome and it is just flat cool to own.
Funny you should say that, 'cause I did the louvers! 'Course, Jimmy fed me beer BEFORE I started punching... Let's just say I have been witness to him doing smarter things!!!
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