LOL, I am happy with 50% correct, but believe me when I say...I will be looking listening, and inspecting every weird noise I hear. My mind doesn't relax with doing any mods that require welding to the frame. And then add the 60+ year old metal to the thought process. That's how I am though.
I built my 5X8 utility trailer back in 1993... every time I use it I take a quick look for weld cracks. Every summer I take a GOOD look just to get some peace of mind. Sometimes I have a visual of the trailer welds failing on the highway and pray nothing like that ever happens! It hasn't and it shouldn't but I do have those thoughts. Maybe this is part of the fun for me? I don't know, but I have been welding stuff for a lot of years, and at some point, I gotta believe in my work. Okay, I will stop rambling on now! I really wish I had some FTE members close by, to critique my truck work,progress,etc.

 

Just to add why I soft mounted my XJ6 IRS other than what I have already mentioned is that I boxed the frame all the way back and around the IRS as well. I am running a 351M stroker and felt that the more solid the frame the better all around. I know that the Aussies have been doing these Jag conversions for some time and If you can get feedback for some of them I am sure it will help. I have pics in my gallery if interested.

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46 Ford Tudor - Street Rod
48 Ford F1 - OSC

"Happiness - 3 pedals and a 5 speed"

 

48 steel, that is a hell of a write up you have with y our pictures as well, please dont ever delete it haha.

 

Jag suspension into effies is very common here in Australia and nearly always welded in to the frame. Engineer certification requires the frame be boxed, and we have to have an enginneers report to get them registered.
Gets em nice and low too, which makes perfect sense on our way less than perfect roads really.....LOL John

 

Really? Wow...are they tough on ya? I would have to have an engineer that's blind in one eye and can't see out of the other!

 

I right clicked on my camera for Sheldon. I think the flash really bring out the ugly... Keep in mind, they are never done...You can see the brushmarks in the CHASSIS SAVER coating. I don't like that...gonna have to clean that up...The last one is just a pic of my inner wheel well with the battery box being built into it.

 

Yep, they are that tough on us, and it recently got a little tougher. The certification for the enginneers themselves has changed and now we dont have as many willing to do modified vehicles. So currently the nearest engineer to me is 500 km (about 375miles) away.

Most modified vehicles (hot rods for instance) need to be checked twice, once at the finished chassis stage and then again as a finished vehicle.
So we have to meet many regulations, some easy and some not so easy that range from seat belts and two speed self parking wipers (easy) burst proof door locks,to in vehicle brake testing and even torsional and beaming tests on the chassis in some cases. Not easy LOL.
I sometimes wonder why we bother, but i guess we just love our trucks. John

 

Hello, I have not updated my Blog for about 6 months but have done a lot of work,just assembling my box now. Once I jacked up the right front corner and the right rear came right up with it. I have been told when having front and rear independent suspension that the frame must be very strong and resist twisting. Mine is soft mounted at front and hard mounted at the rear.
1948fordpickup.blogspot.com
Tom

 

Awesome pics again Jeff, thanks for posting!

 

Hi Tom, I went to your blog and realized I had been there before! I WAS going to attempt my shock mounts like yours and decided to mount to the frame instead.
Your way looks great! A little to difficult to me at the time...I was also a little concerned about oscillating flex out there on the ends of the coil towers. I probably over think...in fact I spend more time thinking about it than I do, working on it!

 

I am ready to see some progress...REAL progress...all I see now is frustration from lack of progress..

 

Yeah I think, knowing you have to go through that, I would be staying way more original....bummer! But I suppose that it's a good feeling when it passes the engineer's inspection!

 

For me, using the JAG IFS and 351W/5.8L from a '95 Ford pickup, I had to switch oil pan/ oil pickup assembly made for a 1991 Ford Crown Victoria. The rear sump sits farther back to clear the JAG rack n pinion. there is a small front sump also, with a drain plug. so there are two drain plugs. Even though the front one holds little oil, I cut a hole in my JAG crossmember and welded in a 2" or 2.5" exhaust pipe so I can get to the front oil pan plug to drain it. without the hole I only had maybe 3/8" clearance and the plug would not come out.

 

A point that I didn't mention. What engine are you planning on using? Because I used a 351M that came out of a 79 Bronco it had the rear sump oil pan that would clear the IFS cross member. If you move the crossmember closer to the frame by welding it in, clearance could be an issue. "Measure 3 times cut once". This isn't a good picture but you will get the idea.



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46 Ford Tudor - Street Rod
48 Ford F1 - OSC

 

Do you have pics of your engine mounts? I made mine, and I am hoping they work out. I don't have a doubt about the part that's in the frame/crossmember, it's what I have that goes from the engine to the frame, that I wonder about.