Ok guys, I need to pick your brains. I lifted the body off the frame today, the previous owner scabbed a chev front clip onto the original frame, it will never pass a safety, so I would like to replace the front clip and rearend to upgrade the brakes, and every thing else. the original frame from the firewall back is mint I would like to keep that. any thoughts or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks Ron.
The chevy front clip was such an 80's thing to do. What about replacing it with a 2000+ Crown Vic front frame section? They had aluminum a-arms and if I'm not mistaken rack and pinion too. The whole Crown Vic engine and chassis would be a great upgrade.
The chevy front clip was such an 80's thing to do. What about replacing it with a 2000+ Crown Vic front frame section? They had aluminum a-arms and if I'm not mistaken rack and pinion too. The whole Crown Vic engine and chassis would be a great upgrade.
There is a guy just outside St.Thomas that parts out crown vic's advertises on kijiji
I put a Nova clip on my 51 F1 about 1990, so I guess its a 90s thing.....I sold the truck last year, and its still on the road....How bad is this scabbed job?
many merc guys in the states used a gm donor car - floor pan and firewall complete , and set the merc body down o nit , and welded up the rocker and firewall seams - makes a complete updated chassis and new floors etc., wiring and all
pretty slick and easy
there is still a book out there about customs that detailed this swap in its entirety
Thanks for your input, but this thing is junk! when they installed the chev clip they put a 351m ford motor back in it and to make it fit they cut out the cross member to allow for the crank pulley and the fuel pump, never boxed it in. like I said never pass a safety. I think an upgrade would be faster and cheaper. but I thank you all for your help. Ron.
The chevy front clip was such an 80's thing to do. What about replacing it with a 2000+ Crown Vic front frame section? They had aluminum a-arms and if I'm not mistaken rack and pinion too. The whole Crown Vic engine and chassis would be a great upgrade.
On the facebook 53-56 ford f100 groups the crown Vic seems to be the preference. I have the g-body front clip and part of the firewall. (Like myself, My truck was put together in the 80's from my best guess.)
I thought the big thing a few years ago was to put these Mercs on mid 80s Caprice frames. If I remember what they were saying it was a really close fit. Ed
Thanks for your help guys, your input helped a lot! I emailed the guy in st Thomas, he is going to get back to me . I have only been on this site for 2 weeks and the help that I have received is unreal you are true hot rodders. Thanks! Ron.
When I had my 51 Merc M1 I used a Dodge Aspen/ Voltaire frt suspension!!! Only have to "notch" the original Frame. Torsion bar suspension was great, & adjustable ride height +pwr. strg. & pwr. disc brakes. Truck handled "really well" But I guess that's obsolete now too!!! Pete
__________________
I can only please one person a day, Today is not your day!!Tomorrow doesn't look good either !!!!
Thanks Pete, all of the Autowreckers I have talked to down here have nothing older than 1990. I am leaning towards an 02-04 Lincoln or Crown vic swap, just doing some research now.
On my 50 chebby truck it has an amc pacer frt end under it . Was built in the late 70,s . handles great . Its in there really solid looking , but not pretty . When i go to do my truck over , I,m gonna take the frt out , box the rails , add some gussets and make it nice an strong . So all of us with older hot rods , we all know what your going thru . I wonder if after looking at your different options it might be easier to pick up another stock frame , then mod that one to put in the vicky frt end I,m not familiar with the vic frt end but I believe they bolt in . might be easier to just add some gussets an brackets to adapt the new frt end to the stock style frame which ever way you decide to go , don,t forget to consider how you want the ride height / stance to look ..77.
-- Edited by 77 on Sunday 31st of May 2015 01:43:09 PM
__________________
I,m as cool as Milner , but axeually a bit more like Beckwith