Had a guy wanting to change the front end on a 56 Merc Sun Vally. Anybody ever put a late model Crown Vic front end under a mid 50s Ford/Merc? I know there would be frame mods but will it work width wise? Anybody?
I think you'll find it's quite a bit too wide, even with the correct offset wheels. The stock Crown Vic/Grand Marquis from 2003 up (the ones with the aluminum crossmember) use deeper backspacing than prior models. The stock '56 Merc 'tread' width is around 56 or 57 inches. The late model is in the low to mid 60s inches.
Since there are a lot of upgrades available for the 1954-59 Fords and Mercs what is it you are trying to gain by the swap?
Had a guy show at my shop with a very cool Sun Valley that has already been swapped to SBF and rear done and he is interested in doing some sort of swap in the front and heard that this was the way to go. I didn't think the widths were right but told him I would check into it. Still looking to see whats out there.
I agree with Jeff,in 1954 the front suspension of the Fords & Mercurys received a major change and it's still as good today as it was at that time. Many upgrades are available and it will ride and handle as good as any grafted suspension. HRP
Jeff is right, I'm doing a 55 Merc and I'm leaving it stock (kinda) lincoln spindles and brakes, Borgenson power steering box and air ride bags and 8 in with 4 link.
I grafted a s10 front clip on my 53. The frames where pretty much the same width. I left the stock front end of my 56. Hope this helps Ryan Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Thanks again guys. The Vic front won't work you are all correct. It will be easier and cheaper to just hang disk brakes and change to pwr steering. There is a lot of stuff out there to do it.
The stock suspension is fine if it's in good shape. Main thing to watch is the crossmember under the radiator that the front legs of the lower A-arms attach to. Those were bad to rust out. One of my cousins wrecked a '55 Ford because of that, crossmember failed due to rust and one of the A-arms pulled loose, put him into a ditch. So make sure the crossmember is good. Aerostar van front springs will lower it a couple of inches. Lake '60s through mid-'70s big Ford and Merc spindles with disc brakes are a bolt-on. Used spindles and discs from a '76 Merc Montego on my '55 Ford. Lot of people use Granada spindles and disc brakes as well. Bottom ball joint hole has to be reamed out a little on the Granada spindles. It's easy to upgrade to disc brakes with later model Ford parts.
What 38 said. Ford always was good for mix 'n matching" parts. Best part is the later (newer) disc brake parts are still in production, and available. 4TTRUK
Just a side note, it seems that many of the wear pieces for the stock front end are readily available at local parts houses. The upper control arm bushings are Moog K321 and although a bit spendy are available through O'Reilly's among other places. Some of the other pieces are a bit expensive in comparison to late model stuff but available and a fully rebuilt front end should be good for 80 K or so which for most customs takes a hell of a long time to rack up. A quick calculation says that it would take right at a thousand dollars worth of parts plus your labor to run the car out the door with a completely fresh front end with disk brakes and the shorter springs. A one day job to do start to finish for most front end shops outside of getting the power steering squared away. That trumps cutting and fitting and hoping to to hell that everything will fit and work and then listening to the customer bitch because his new rims won't fit inside the fenders.
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