I wanna see a Roush F-100... with an FE.

 

Your project looks like a tire smoking machine! Good job.

 

Yeah I really like the CV idea. You end up getting just about everything you need short of a wiring harness (if you want a custom harness) and a fuel plumbing set up. I ordered my wiring harness from Ron Francis wiring. They also can reflash the ECM for you to get rid of the PATS system and any emissions stuff you want to delete. I also ordered a 20 Gal. fuel tank for a 1970 Mustang that is set up to run EFI which I plan to install in the rear of the frame after I get the 4 Link all done on the 8.8

 

I spent a few hours working on the truck last night getting ready to install the 4 link rear suspension

I dropped the Mustang rear axle and got all the brackets cut off and ground smooth:


Took about ten minutes to get the rear axle on the ground but 2 hours to cut and grind the brackets :doh:
I have to admit I didn't have the cutting/grinding technique down very well at all at first but by the end of the little project I had it down to a science. I highly recommend a respirator and some headphones with Led Zeppelin, Foo Fighter, or The Beatles. This will make your life much easier and you'll have much less black snot than I did at midnight.



I also got the rear axle and suspension removed from the truck. I also cut all the brackets off and removed the wiring and brake lines. One tip when removing frame rivets (you may already know but I learned about a year ago after struggling with many before). Use a cut off wheel to cut an X shape all the way through the head of the rivet. Then use an air hammer with a chisel on it and it with cut through the rivet like butter.

Pressure wash first. I'd love to have the money to have the frame sandblasted before working on it but I'm impatient and the pressure washer will have to do for now:


Going for that super raked look... or maybe just trying to save my back and knees:




Ride Height (maybe)...


Very rough layout of the triangulated 4-Link:

This 4 link comes ready to weld and utilizes the stock ears on the Ford 8.8 rear axle. This is basically the same suspension set up as the Mustang uses. I got it here: Paul Horton's Welder Series
It came out of Canada and I was worried about shipping time but it was the only 8.8 specific 4 link I could find and I got it in less than a week from ordering. His product is very nice quality and he has a ton of other frame, chassis, motor mount, trans mount parts available. Very happy with it.

I ran in to a bit of a snag.... I love the ride height where it sits... however the 265/35R18 tires that are currently mounted on the front wheels are a little smaller than I want to run (a little to short/thin for my taste). I plan to stick with a low profile sport tire but I want to step up to a 275/40R18 in the front and I decided to order tires before welding in the 4 link. The 265 tires only have about an inch of clear from the front fender. After further inspection I found that my front coil spring were cut down by the previous owner but 2.5 or 3 coils. I order some Eaton Detriot 1.5" drop springs for the crown vic front end. This will greatly improve the ride quality of cut springs. I'm going to install the drop spings and get my desired tires on before I do any more suspension work. I don't want to shoot myself in the foot (remember I'm impatient so this is driving me crazy!!)

If the drop springs are too high I may have to cut a coil or two but they will still be better than my drastically modified stock spring that are there now. I love how low it is though so we'll see!








I was also going to try setting the bed back on the frame with the rear axle ratchet strapped in place but the tires don't clear so a mini-tub will be in order... . .. ... good thing winter is coming so I will have time to get some work without being tempted to drive it!

 

That is a sweet project you got going on!

 

Thats smokin HOT

 

You planning to notch the rear frame?

 

Yep frame will be notched. I will do a detailed write up with pics on the 4 link part of the build. I couldn't find much info on the 8.8" triangulated 4 link set up online. So hopefully it will help some others out if the want to run the same setup. I think it's hands down the way to go rather than an axle flip and the 4 link kit only cost me 300.

 

Sounds great, I'd like to see the rest of it.

 

I wouldn't get rid of those 13" Cobra/Bullitt/Mach 1 front rotors and the PBR aluminum twin piston '01 Bullitt calipers on front of the Mustang.

They can be adapted over onto the CV front end to replace the stock 12" CV rotors and the heavier CV calipers.

 

Agreed.


<------ Bullitt owner

 

Good call! I will have to look into it. Exact reason why I'm keeping the entire mustang around until the truck is complete. I'd like to use every part I can.

 

I don't have an '01 Bullitt Mustang but I do have on '03 Mach 1 (same brakes all the way around).

I have '01 Bullitt calipers and 13" rotors for my '68 Mustang.







Cobra/Bullitt/Mach 1 rear discs/calipers adapted to small bearing 9-inch rear end housing with brackets I designed.





1980 Mercury Monarch 9-inch drum brake rear end. (Before).



After.






There's a guy goes by the name Saturn5 (Bob) at Fordification that adapted Cobra rotors/calipers to the CV front spindles on his Bumpside. Many of the photo links in that thread don't work anymore but, I saw the photos back when they were there and he did some nice work adapting them.

68 F100 SBFS build; CV, T45, DOHC/M122, Cobra IRS - The FORDification.com Forums

 

I don't have much of an update because the shop has been slammed and I've been waiting on parts before I could go any further in the chassis work. However my tires came in this week and I mounted them on the wheels. I also ordered a set of Eaton Detroit 1.5" lowering springs for the CV front end (the springs that came with my front end had 4 coils cut from them). The lowering springs were still about 2.5" too tall once I got my tires mounted so I cut 2 coils from them and I love the ride height in the front with the bigger tires.

The rear tires are 295/45ZR18s and fronts are 275/40ZR18s. They are the Nitto N555 Extreme

I also got the transmission crossmember bolted in and tacked but didn't get a pic of it yet.

Now that I finally have a final front ride height and transmission output shaft angle I can get the 4 link installed tomorrow.

PS the bed isn't sitting all the way down on the frame due to some straps holding the rear axle in place (that's why the body lines look all hellish).







This is pretty close to the final ride height that I'm going for.

 

Very nice!