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Just took on a winter job. Need to assist my friend Mark with the start of a restomod buildup. The plan is to take this 55 F-100 and update it with a Crown Vic.
Some pics 'cause I know R2 will howl if I don't. OH, and I'm certain Ryan too!:rolleyes::LOL::LOL:
Here's the body
And the beginnings of our "foundation.. anyone looking to own a 292 Y block? I think I'll have one for sale!:p
have you checked the track on the crown vic?
what year and price for 292??????
Subscribed! Looks like a good beginning.
Looks like fun; are you doing the Crown Vic drivetrain along with the suspension?
Nothin' like those mushroom tappets, eh Jerry!!Quote:
Originally Posted by jerry clayton
A guy by me did one similar to this with a crown vic, setup, he had it all together and it looked good. That's about all I know about it though.
The Crown Vic and this frame are supposedly within an inch of each other. I haven't seen it yet,
Don't know the year of the 292 offhand, motor and trans - probably 600.
I don't think the owners had planned on the whole drivetrain.... BUT. I do! LOL.. what the heck, we'll have the whole car so why not?
Nice project you have going on there. The cab looks to have some work done and looks nice. A friend and I installed a crown vic in a 67 F100 and it went way easier than I thought. They seem to be the new MII front suspension swap these days.
the bolt in is easy as the frame does line up perfect with the mounting holes. some fab still needed for lower aframe. the trouble is the distance from the frame to flange. limit on wheels and tires.
The cab was pretty roached and he sent it out for patch panels., it still has a lot of "rough areas".. but that's not my worry. LOL..Quote:
Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe
From what I'm learning it is as you say, the new MII swap.
Shine, would you know off hand what the limit is?
Got the 292 fired up last night. Runs well too.
I guess I've been re-miss in updating this thread. Here's some pics for you all. Mark sold the Y-block setup and took this past week off from work, he made a bunch of progress with the help of his dad!
In no particular order.:LOL:
In the previous set you can see the rear leaf springs are gone also.
It looks like you great start on the pickup, the older I get the better a modern powertrain looks to me. I see the shop has a wooden floor, that's kinda neat.
That's the same reason I did the coupe with coil overs and a Kugal IFS & Wilwood discs at each corner. Handles like a slot car!Quote:
Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5
My shop used to be a rented function hall, known as Pine Hill Pavilion. It started as a way to keep the farm solvent during the depression then ran until the late 80's.. Liability insurances and required code upgrades ended that.
the limit is just the off set. the swap is very easy but stock style wheels are all that will work. hub to hub they are really wide. your right though they are the new mmll . my next project is a big window chevy on c4 suspension .
Mike, I don't know how I missed this one but thanks for the pics....because, like you said in the first post.....:LOL::LOL:
I've seen lots of these CV swaps on the 60's & 70's Ford trucks but not too many on the 50's. I hope you did a lot of boxing of the frame rails on the front because there are those "engineer types" who don't have much faith in bolting a "no-flex" aluminum cross member to a "flex-steel" chassis. Depending on how it gets driven, eventually something is bound to give. Beefing up the front frame rails should help ward off this potential problem.
The issue with the flange-to-flange width is that, as mentioned, the late-model offset wheels are required to keep the tires under the fenders. Those who like "deep-dish" wheels should probably not use this suspension. However, most wheel options that work on late-model Mustangs will probably work on this truck.
It's nice to see you using the big-ass shop again!!! I'm so jealous!!!:3dSMILE:
I would probably keep a sheet of 20 GA handy for protecting that floor. Cardboard will absorb small oil spills, cushions slightly and let's you slide around better than a creeper.
I figured the limit part out recently. And yes, they are really wide. Personally, I'm not a fan because of the look you end up with. I think I'd rather do a M2 type install. I had been considering this (Vicky) for the 48 F1 but not so sure now.Quote:
Originally Posted by shine
Big window chevy??? as in suburban?
Industrial Chassis Inc. These guys have developed a crossmember kit using Dodge Dakota A-arms, R&P, disc brakes, etc. It's a quality, well engineered kit that is the correct width and there are ways to keep the 5x5.5 bolt pattern to match the rear end if you wanted. It would be worth checking out....:)Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
Glad you like the pics! :):) And yes, everything under the hood and cab is boxed or getting boxed. The CV frame is really stout and sections of it have some type of epoxy type filler. So it is REALLY STIFF! We're trying to sort the rear suspension as I type. I want to do 4 link/bar with coil overs and a panhard bar. Mark wants to keep the stock coils and bars and watts but the frame distance just won't work imho..Quote:
Originally Posted by randyr
To bad you're on the wrong side of the country.. I'll make room for ya!:p:LOL::D
We used to worry about the floor all the time... after the first 12 or 13 years then we became lax in the spills and drips. I do have a protective metal sheet that I use when welding, like a big cookie sheet. Works good to catch the slag dropouts.Quote:
Originally Posted by firebird77clone
I thought it looked like some sort of Hall/Gym when I seen the doors in the background. Its neat to have that history in a building. I weld and torch a lot on a 3/4 sheet of plywood on two plastic saw horses, its surprising how it never seems to catch on fire.
I used to use a half sheet of plywood. It has a couple of burn through points. As does the floor! So I started with the metal pan.Quote:
Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5
Ha!
I also got reprimanded for my weld area on this site!
I get a LOT more serious about things when I break out the cutting torch though.
Nice progress on the truck! You have a little bit of everything in there. I really like the building. I think we need some out door pics of it. I dig the fire place or chimney too. Very cool. All that room must be nice! :LOL: I don't think I could do some of my work in there. I'd be afraid of rolling an engine hoist across that nice floor.
Thanks.. I noticed you didn't make any progress so I figured I better show some! LOL:LOL:Quote:
Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe
If we get a good day I'll snap 1 or 2 outside. ( it's much better inside than out!:eek:)
If I was dragging diesel motors around I'd be concerned, but that hard maple just doesn't seem to care.
my walls are insulated . i do my cutting and such in the back 30x40 . no insulation back there . i did the camaro under my 54. my next is a big window chevy and it will be c4 .
I don't see the pic.
tried 5 times to load a pic.
Been a while so I thought I should post a couple pics. At least I made more progress than Randy..... roflmao...:eek: :LOL::LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:
My contract is finished. Front & rear suspensions are in, motor & trans are bolted in place. Driveshaft and the body bolted down too!
We'll see if Mark wants my help to do the wiring. He said he could handle it from here so now I'll make time to work on mine. Still need to figure out what's going on with my gas gauge as well as get the window regulators working better.
Very nice progress, looks like nice build. I'm glad you took pics of the four link, I am updating mine to that before I even get it on the road.
Mark found a kit made specifically for the year, basically bolt in.
I had never swapped in a Crown Vic suspension before. It is really easy to do and the only thing that I don't like is the width.
You end up with the wheels about flush with the outer wall of the tire. I just don't care for the look.
But this one should handle like a train.
Looking good. You've made a lot of progress since I started following this project. I'll have to keep the Crown Vic front suspension in mind if I ever do another big car (or truck).
Look at some of the wheels made for later model Mustangs. They might fit on the front and give a little "depth". Most have a positive offset center with spokes that curve toward the center of the wheel.
HaHa!! You just had to get that dig in there didn't ya, Mikey! :LOL::LOL: Well, just so you know, it's a possibility that I may have some news to report in a week or so that could rapidly speed up my progress....but, mums the word for now!:D:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by 34_40
Nice work Mike! I wonder if that panhard set up would bind up if a guy used air ride instead of the coil overs? That looks like a nice set up though.
Thanks for the tip but.. it's not mine so I don't need to search for wheels/tires. On this truck now there is one wheel that has (maybe) an inch of offset where the other 3 are basically flush.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hotrod46
But thanks for trying!:D:D