I am near Poughkeepsie, about 90 minutes north of NYC. Engine and trans I will be using are from a 1993 trans am, been awhile since I removed it from the car so I have to double check the trans. Could bea 297 first or a 3:36, 5th is .80 and 6th is .62. I have to do my calculations to see what gear I want compared to what is on the shelf. I normally shoot for 60 to 65 MPH at 2000 RPM in 5th and keep 6th for 70mph and up.
Shifter is in the back, so plans are for bucket seats and a console for the most important part of the build, cupholders! Shifter will be far back as well but I think it will be tolerable.

 

well another update. I have decided to weld in the jag crossmember, I just dont see the need to make it removable. Using the crossmember to help stiffen the frame can't hurt either.
So these mounts wont be needed. Hopefully I dont regret this later!



So off with em!



Raised up into position

 

How much lower than stock will that sit?

 

I'll be following the progress!! I can't seem to see the last few pics where it is resting on the frame. Can you try to upload them again? Thanks!

SUBSCRIBED!

Kevin

 

You know I really dont know, will be dependant on the wheel and tire combo as well..I shoot for 5"-7" clearance to the lowest point so there are no issues with speed bumps. I drive my cars and dont like worrying about road hazards.
Kevin all the pics are showing up for me, as soon as I hammer out locating the suspension I will post a ton of pics with measurements. As common as the jag swap seems to be I cant find a good step by step install with pics so I am going to make one. Will be awhile, leaving tomorrow for the Hershey swap meet.

Teaser mock up picture

 

I would love to see the measurements when you have them figured out. I'm still taking my truck apart so I'm a few steps behind you. Thinking I'm going to go with the hard mount also.

 

OK here are the measurments and how I got them, initially I used the original axle snubber mount holes as the center line of the IFS. This is actually about 1/2" forward of the true center line from what I can tell, but since it is a factory mounting point it was still a good reference to work off..or just take my measurements and run with em! I will be using them in the future as well, no sense doing the same work twice.

Anywho here is my backwoods method, made it up as I went along.

First thing I did was level the truck front to back because I want the truck level at the final ride height. I set up two stands with a piece of conduit and a plumb bob and I set the conduit so the plumb bob lined up with the snubber mounting hole. I used a speedsquare to transpose that mark to the top of the frame rail.





With the conduit set up I used it to mark the same spots on the floor in a couple places and drew a line connecting them





I couldnt get a picture since I was doing this alone, but I then held the plum bob string on the bottom center of the lower ball joint and moved the jag crossmember until the plumb bob lined up with the line on the floor. This was the jag suspension was centered on the original center line (actually 1/2" forward..so in the future you could mark the center line of the snubber holes on the frame like I did and then make a mark 1/2" towards the cab..then set the plumb bob stand up to match it)

 

So after getting the suspension centered, which is 1/2" back from the snubber hole center line, these are the measurements I used. From the back inside edge of each jag mounting pad to the front of the Ford chassis crossmember is 21 1/2"









using these measurements I mocked up the fender, looks good.



sanity check with the truck level the crossmember is also level front to back.



Hope this helps!

 

You'll know if you did it correctly if the truck drives straight down the road after you're done.

Looking good so far.

 

That is great thank you very much.

 

I dont care if it drives straight, just have to have the wheel centered in the fender when parked!

 

Front end alignment takes care of the driving straight haha

 

Will be more to come, plan is to weld it into place over the weekend. If you just use the 21 1/2" measurement you can put it in place quick and dirty, mock up a fender to verify and be good to go.

 

Finally got a few hours in the garage today and did the install.

Welded on the outsides, probably over did it with a few passes but hey I dont want this thing coming loose!



Notched the frame on both sides so I could bend the channel down to match the crossmember angle.



Lower flat of the C channel was heated up and knocked down into place and welded in. Also went back and plug welded the rivet holes in the frame.




Frame and crossmember level




with the truck leveled the front end is now down 4" from where it was before, and it should come down 3 more inches at ride height. This will put the running board bottom about 6" off the ground for a nice lowered and "no speed bump worry" ride height.



Done other than boxing the front rails.

 

You work fast! Looking good! You'll have it back on the super slab in no time!