its getting really close to cranking up and hopefully putting it on the road, still gota run fuel lines (regulator and tank is in the mail), finish throttle cable bracket, driveshaft and exhaust should be done next weekend, wire up the ignition switch, shifter cable, run rear brakes, and put the front clip back on and wire up all the lights. i like the new stance with the 8.8 in the back and pulling out the overloads in the rear, not to low but still noticably dropped. i think im going to injoy having swaybars front and rear I will be cleaning up all that wiring but i wanted to get it started before i started ripping out all that wiring i wont be using, incase some of it is needed.

 

gotta say that is one killer project. outta make a very nice dependable truck that could be driven everyday and still have plenty of power to get up and go. nice job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So, how is the track width on the front compared to the rear, or even compared to the front fenders? I'm assuming you used the aluminum K-member from the Crown Vic?

 

The hub to hub is a bit wider than stock but with the late model offset wheels that I'm running the outside of wheel to wheel is actually a lil narrower than it was with my old wheels, they will tuck inside the fender just fine as long as your running the right wheel, as for the rear axle I've got an 8.8 disc rear in it from a 94 Vic that is actually about 1 inch narrower than the front, I'm gona run spacers to square em up, and yes the front is from a 03 Vic and the 03 vics rear axle was wider than the front that's why I went with the older unit

 

So, you see no reason not to do this IFS swap?

 

Carnut, keep in mind that is on a 1960 (not a 53) the track might be the same but the fenders are wider and we know that the CV rack is as wide as this thread is.

 

it really depends on what your going for. for me this swap was perfect. it was a very cheap, very easy to install front end with the 4.6 motor mounts already built in. I couldnt see spending the money on a MII front clip when i could get a complete bolt in unit for 300 bucks, and i can still put my truck completely back to stock solid axle if i ever wanted to.
as long as you dont mind running an offset wheel and arnt planning on going crazy low with it i really do think that this is the best front end for the money. also the mII clip is made for a car not a truck, and yes i realize the crown vic is a car but these are 700# springs in the front which are much more than this truck will ever need.
the little bit of width differance is the ONLY downfall i can see on this front end and for me its not a factor because of the wheels im running.
do your research i did mine for about 2 months before i pulled the trigger on this and went to junkyards myself to get true measuments with my own eyes.

on another note we will be starting my buddy's 65 Body swap onto a 93 lightning chassis, motor and all this weekend. im hoping for an interesting race when we get the 2 done.

 

She is alive!!!
i got her cranked up this weekend and drove it up to the gas station that same night, i still gota wire up all the lights, linelock, and put the posi in the rear end and put alot of the interior back in but all in all it drives awsome. it also sounds like a beast with no cats into an H and 40 series, its almost a lil louder than i had wished. the handiling is unbelievable for a 1960 pickup, with the sway bars front and back it handles like a damn lotus(well i wish it did). its got a few hickups still, the superchip that i got wouldnt let me delete any of the emissions stuff like my buddys diablo would so im going to sell it and go get a custom tune, then it should really run nice. let me know if you guys have any questions on this swap i started this project on easter weekend and got it driving by independance day so it only took about 3 months.

 

Cool man!! Looking great!!! I'm considering a 4.6 for my '56 the next time around. Not sure yet, will have to see how things work out. I'd like to do away with alot more unnecessary wires and hoses. If at all possible. I'm lookin at a 32 valve 4 cam MK VIII engine and trans. I know that the front end you've used is WAY too wide for our trucks, but is VERY cool anyway. I wish it would work, but know it wont unless someone makes a aftermarket K-member that's narrower for our trucks.

NICE WORK again man. Keep us posted. Maybe a youtube link to the sound?

 

It's only WAY too wide if you are hung up on old-style wheels.

I got my whole CV for about $2k - I'm using the entire driveline from the radiator/ac condenser/PS/Trans coolers all the way to the tailpipes that ought to dump behind the rear axle, including the cop car steelies & chromey-looking center caps and 4 wheel antilock disk brakes. If I went with any other front end swap, I'd spend that $2k on the kit alone, and then still have to look into updating/refreshing the engine/trans/rear/brakes/rims/tires/etc/etc. The tradeoff in late style wheels cuts the cost of my restomod/buildup to like a quarter of what it might've been otherwise. That's a tradeoff I'll gladly take to the bank!
Kudo's to you, Romark, & take & post loads of pic's!!

 

Romack, If you click in between each of your photo links and press the enter button on your keyboard, it will post your pictures vertically instead of horizontally, and we can enjoy them better without having to side scroll.

example;
[img]...[/img]
[img]...[/img]
etc...

Thanks!

 

k i went back and fixed it up.
yea i plan on getting a video of the exhaust sound and another video of me smoking the old tires on the steelies untill they pop. i will post both up when i get em but i gota get it tuned first, im trying to sell my superchip so i can take it to the mustang shop out here and get a dyno tune.
i was originally going to do what you were planning rusty but that rear axle you have is going to be wide (its even wider than the front end) so i used an axle from a 94 CV. which ment no wheel sensors for ABS so i also did away with that. I also planned on using most of the car but alot of it was just not really feesable without changing alot of the truck like the radiator and some other things were just to big.
and i do still plan on cleaning up alot of that wiring i was just a little scared to start cutting stuff out untill i got the motor running. but i should be able to strip out almost half of that old harness.

 

Video would be cool. I wasn't criticizing you - I think you made the right choice in rear axles -- I've got a rusty flareside & just plan to widen it to make the fenders drop over the tires. Lough-dough fix! Whaddayathink?

 

no worries
if your going to widen your fenders theres no doubt it would work, and all in all i think it will be a much better turn out. that way when your looking up parts at the napa you dont have to remember which car it came off of. I have never ventured into body work yet and was really trying to avoid as much as possible untill i get my new cab in so i can work on it while im still driving my truck.

 

Actually, the body work should be minimal - I'm going to widen the box, not the fenders. The front panel is tweaked & rusted, so I'm either going to buy a new one from Dan Carpenters (they make them 2" & 3" wider than stock), or just use the same wood (or fake wood) that I use on the bed floor to make up the front panel. I need to get the axle & tires mounted up under there before I'm sure if the DanC parts will do it, if not, I'm going partial woody. The spreader/lower whatever rail on the rear of the box is just a U-channel, but I've seen them replaced with box. If I can find a piece of 2x4 box the right length, I'll be set. How's it running? How about that video? I'd like to hear how it sounds. I was planning to go ahead & use the cats & the stock mufflers - if it fits under the truck, that it. I'm not there yet, though. Thanks for the inspiration & keep it coming with the updates!