Has anyone replaced a Gibbons Cordoba front end to a Crown Vic with a 460? I am looking to make the swap and gather as much info as I can so it can be done in a weekend. Specifically front sump vs rear sump oil pan. Thanks for any help

 

This is a very odd swap you're asking for. There's not many running the crown vics because the geometry isn't great, but mostly because they require weirdly offset wheels. Add to that the fact you want to go to a 460 makes it much more challenging. Of course anything can be done, but it's a lot of work to shoehorn in a BBF, let alone add the extra work for an IFS swap.. I have trouble believing it would be worth the extra work for the IFS swap. I don't think it's possible to do this swap in a weekend, and if it can, I don't think you'd be happy with the results. When you start working with suspension components, you enter a world of measure five times, weld once. If you had the skills to pull this off, then you are most likely much more skilled than pretty much anyone here, and the help we provide wouldn't be much. Just my two cents. Not saying it can't be done, but I think your timeframe is a bit on the optimistic side. Everything I've done on my truck so far ended up being more complicated than expected, and there are some things you simply can't plan for.

 

I agree with Fladoodle, there is not much to recommend the CV over the Cordoba, especially if it is already installed. Thinking this can be done in a weekend without the help of a team of very experienced installers gives me the impression you don't have a lot of experience in this type work. A CV install is closer to a month of part time and weekend work for one or two experienced people on a stripped stock frame in a well above average equipped shop, longer with removing the Cordoba. And yes the reverse offset wheels the CV requires to keep the tires under the fenders will make wheel selection a major challenge, especially if you don't have matching bolt pattern in the rear. The 460 is IMHO an overweight boat anchor. A stock 351 or a mild 5.0L will outperform it and give much better fuel mileage and driveability without all that extra front end weight. The F series trucks are very nose heavy to begin with. You will be ahead of the game with a better engine choice even if you could get a low mileage 460 for free.

 

Well I bought the truck and has a late 80's restoration and is drive-able with the Cordoba front end and 460 that someone else did. Long story short the idler arm rubs a torsion bar and I'd like to put the time and energy into a newer technology. The swap would be done in a professional shop with myself and 3 professional mechanics after lots of research and could be more than a weekend depending on what going on in the shop at work at the time. The steering in the Cordoba leaves a bit to be desired especially when running 550 horse and 650ft/lbs.

 

If you're insistent on an IFS swap, take a look at the jag swap. There's a few doing that already, and its supposedly a better start than the CV. I've seen some donors pop up on the local CL for not that much. Again, IMHO fixing what you already have might be the best option here.

 

The Cordoba swap was considered to be state of the art for our trucks back in the day. If the tie rod is rubbing try raising the front adjusters a small amount. Like the Volare in another thread they are often lowered to the bottom of their travel.

 

I have seen some of the jag swap but doesn't seem as talked about as the others. What year/model jags are fitting? I will try raising it a bit. I'm sure stiffer torsion bars and a new steering box would help.

 

I'd like to suggest you go into the user cp (click on user cp left end of the blue bar near the top of page) and go thru the menu on the left side. put in your location (will then appear on right in your posts) and in the edit signature put in the year and model of your truck plus any other info you like us to know. That way the answers you get will be more likely pertain to your truck.

 

Repairing replacing the worn parts on your Gibbons ifs would be cheaper and easier than the crown vic install. if you have the skill, time, and money to rip it out and replace it you can not go wrong with Industrial Chassis.