So I have spent the better part of winter getting the body straight on my 47 Sedan Coupe project... The last couple weeks I have been spending time focusing on engine/suspension for summer! What I was originally thinking looked like this: Suspension: MII front suspension (air) Ford 8.8 mustang triangulated 4 link Engine: 302 carburated C4 Fairly simple, but effective. Now I got thrown for a loop, A family friend has a Lincoln Mark VIII Full running car, Black on black leather. 4.8l v8, Air suspension. ect.. For 500$. I am seriously debaiting using the engine/tranny. Certian interior pieces. ect.. I am wondering what I would could get away with suspension wise, I have looked into it, width of the mark vIII being 74.8. I may run into some issues in that department, and being IRS, It will be a headache to shorten the width if need be. Front suspension could i am sure be easily adapted just have to fab a shop tower. I am looking for someone that has done this sort of thing before... Should I stick to the tried and true, MII and 4 link, with a simple 4 wire engine.. Is it feesably worth it for the extra work concidered to go the Mark VIII direction? I would like to hear from the guys that have done things both ways, I am not worried about biting off more than I can chew. I am just seeing that If i go the MII direction I have about 2-3k in parts, Given I can adapt the mark VIII stuff I am now freeing up 2000 dollars..
well just try to keep in mind that a $500 car really even a $2500 car is goin to be worn down and most of the things you will use will probably need to be gone through.. so the savings will we be hacked away fast. on a 1st build i would say keep it simple with parts that you know will work , the faster you can get on the road the less chance of getting burnt out and losing interest
Good luck successfully adapting that Lincoln air suspension...they often failed while still under warranty.
Most of us older guys have bought cars and used what was there to build hot rods long before the 1-800 hot rod parts were readily available. The Lincoln engine & transmission can be used easily and swapped from fuel injected to carburetor without to much trouble. HRP
You'll find the Lincoln suspension is way too wide for the Coupe. The big overhead cam engine is just flat too wide as well to fit without moving a bunch of stuff. If it was my car I would rather turn out a nice clean car with well proven stuff that fits it correctly than go the route of peicing together stuff that "could" work.
I would use the engine and tranny and ditch the suspension. That is a great engine. Regular old stuff like is the oil clean, tranny dipstick smell burnt, inside of the exhaust oily.
Try pricing some of the bare bones air components out there. You may (though time is money) may find a way to piece something together. Sometimes, trying to adapt OEM parts is like 're-inventing the wheel'. Does it have to lay rockers?
The car for 500$ is mechanicly sound. The reason the car is so cheap is its a family deal. So we will rule that out of the equation of cost.. It doesnt have to lay rockers, but If i can get it down there, I wouldnt say no! The engine+tranny is looking like a go, Doesnt seem to be that big a deal, swap wise, If I have to the header outside the frame, so be it no biggie. When it comes to the front end, If i wanted to use the jag front end, It wouldnt be to bad imo, The worst situation would be to build the "shock towers" to house the top mount of the bag while keeping it clear of the upper suspension link. The rear, width is an issue, but if it is not to far out IIRC width of the rear end from the specs I can find on the 47' show 70.9" the mark viii showing 74.8. A difference of 3.9" overall, or 1.95" per side. This is taking into account overall width, so wheel size/offset is not taken into account. I really wish I could find some SOLID hub to hub measurements for the Mark VIII subframe along with mounting point measurements.. That would make my life alot easyer rite now..
http://irsforum.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=143 Post 5 States that the Hub to hub on the Mark VIII rear is just under 64" http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-545326.html This quotes the 47 ford rear axle at 61" hub to hub.. A difference overall of 3", 1.5" a side. Me thinks this just may be feesable..
...And your doing the same thing as any other person that has put a too wide front or rear suspension under a car! Why in hell would anybody look at "track widths"? You have to measure hub to hub measurements! You'll find the lincoln to be about 62" which is about 4-6" (56" stock, 58" granada rotors) wider than the Mustang II unit that fits that car like a glove! What track widths don't take into account is wheel backspace and offsets. I hear people tell me all the time that "it'll be okay" on widths, yet they put anything on the car other than the weird late model high backspace wheels that came on the too wide suspension they end up out side of the wheel wells. I have built several of these cars in the last 3 decades, I don't give these recomendations lightly...
Thank you louver, I have a very good understanding of Track width VS. Hub to hub. That is why I noted there those measurements were based off of track width, NOT hub to hub as a rough outline. See the second measurements I posted, Talking in regaurds to the REAR suspension. ARE Hub to Hub measurements for the rear. Dont think I didnt take this into account for a moment. The car should still house the same width rim, Although I will loose 1.5" of lip per wheel due to having to account for that space. So insted of running a 10" wheel with 5" backspacing I will have to run a 10" wheel with 6.5" back spacing.
You asked for advise? Someone's not listening.......need louvers has it, pay attention, too many guys have ruined a build by using "stuff" given to them.
I am ears on this, I am not sold on this idea, dont own the car yet, have 2 10 bolts and an 8.8 at my disposal.. From my findings his measurements although related to the front, dont line up for the rear, the front cross member is very simply sectioned and narrowed, I am most worried about the rear, as narrowing crossmembers is a cunt.
If you are really trying to do it on the cheap, find a rusty or wrecked 70s 4 door or wagon, test drive it, and yank the motor and trans. and use that. Probably doesn't need rebuilding right away. Those things usually run forever. Don't dick around trying to make the computerized Lincoln shit work unless you are some kind of nerd engineer, and if so, $500 ain't a deal breaker. Get it anyway and drive it to work, or let your wife drive it. Listen to those who have been there and done it over and over for decades.
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