okay guys and gals, im new here so please be patient. not even sure if im doing this right haha.

so here is the situation.. i have a 1984 f150 2wd straight 6 manual, regular cab dadadadada. its in hardcore rebuild mode, ive taken it down to the frame, sandblasted, primed, and bed lined the frame. ive got a stock pile of new parts, a freshly built motor, and im pulling a Frankenstein act here but i need help.. ive already gotten my new trans (not out of an f150) but now my concern is suspension, mainly in the front. my thoughts and serious wants are to install/swap the front end out with that of a 2003-3007 crown vic front suspension/crossmember.

the question/s i need help from all of you knowledgeable people is: since ive seen this done on threads with 60's and 70's f150s and f100s im curious if my frame on my 84 is the same as those mentioned above? if not, can anyone tell me if this swap is still a fairly easily accomplished task? is there any measurements i can take to ensure this is doable before i go drop 500 bucks on a new front end suspension? (im in iowa so going to a junkyard and taking measurements isnt exactly a thing at this time of year)



any advise, step by step, pictures, diagrams, answers, etc is greatly appreciated!!!

 

Here's some info.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...r-81-f150.html

 

sweet thanks!

 

The way i cut angled and welded the section, its as if the final portion of the front was never off.. unsure if i still have my notes laying around.

 

Took me all summer and fall to do the frame, build mount brackets, and get the thing ready to turn key. This year if all goes well ill be putting the cab on, getting engine dialed in, and doing new brakes so it can be a driving assembly. I have a short video of first start up with full cooling system and core support bolted in but no pictures. Dont see any place to put a video in replys either.

 

I saw you posted other pictures over in the 73-79 thread could you also post them here?

When I saw them it made sense what you did but made me ask why?
Is the 80 - 88 frame too wide or ?
I have a frame and may want to do this to it then swap my cab onto it?
Dave - - - -

 

I did it as oppose to buildig up the existing pieces because the part that needs built up to accept the through bolts from the crossmember is curved all over the place, for whatever reason, with a bare frame youll notice its not straight like the older ones and the spot you need to attatch the CM is filled with twists and curvs to accept the steering gear and such. If you dry fit the CM before modification youll see it wont bolt in properly. I felt that instead of taking room away from the engine bay by building it up, i could make it work smoother by measuring and documenting each little thing 300 times and creating my own straight replacement section. Success.

 

Thanks for the information.
It looks like it was done to get a flat surface to mount the CV parts to more than anything.


I will have to look closer at the frame I have to see what you are saying. It is just of a thought at this time as I have another project I have to finish after I get my truck on the road.
Dave ----

 

Exactly what you said lol i just made it complicated in the explanation. I saw ONE guy says his relative built it up. Other than that i had nothing else to go on and i thought id make it cleaner and easier this way is all

 

What is the bracket in the first picture? Is it what the rubber motor mount sits on and the bracket welled to the PU frame?


I think you said you cut the front frame horns off, cut out a chunk of frame and welded in the flat steel to make it flat and fill in what you took out.
If this is right do you think you could get wide 90* angle iron, cut just the top & bottom leaving the stock truck frame in the center and welding the 90* back in top & bottom to make it flat would work?


This way you would not need to take measurements from a point farther back to the front frame horns to get it right when going back together.


Just thinking out loud here as it may help others is all.
Dave ----

 

Here's a picture of the stock frame from Gary's site.

 

I didn't realize, this picture from above is with the crossmember sitting on the unmodified frame correct?

 

The top side does not look that bad.
Knock down the little hump and remove the steering box mount and you have a flat top.
Don't know what the bottom looks like?
Could still use 90* iron to plate it.
Dave ----

 

He is probably talking about the "air" under the front top mounting holes on the newer crossmember picture.

 

Correct on the mount. As for angle iron i sappose you could. Finding that large of angle iron however to work was just as expensive as buying my own sheet of steel anyways and like i said earlier i wanted it to look cleaner. Im still cutting of the excess corners of bracing this summer so it will flow better. Also you can only get so tall on the frame or the CM wont be able to wrap around properly to be bolted down flat