your supposed to recover all of your investment???? crap, thats what i have been doing wrong!!wondered why i always lost money on these things. oh well, i live and learn!!

 

I really don't have much to add besides to say that it is a nearly idiot proof installation. You can't put the crossmember in wrong unless you do it on purpose. The rear crossmember takes a bit of dinking with, but again, you would have to put an honest effort into doing it wrong. As has been said before, the minimal amount of welding definitely speeds up the installation process. I would venture to say that this option is not only the easiest of the many choices, but also the quickest to install. A mechanically inclined individual with a buddy and a case of beer could put this in a chassis with no engine or front sheetmetal in a very relaxed weekend, assuming that the control arms and what not were rebuilt and the parts were all ready to install. It could definitely be put in quicker than you could rebuild a straight axle if the gearbox, springs, and kingpins were shot. All of this for about the same price as any of the others save the straight axle and the Volare depending on the price of the clip.

Another item for the plus column is the technical support that is available. The crossmembers are built in what is literally a Mom and Pop shop in Gibbon, Nebraska. The guy who builds them is always more than happy to take the time to answer questions or dispense advice on the phone. Callers should beware that bench racing for an hour is to be expected for each consulting call. He likes to talk trucks. His wife, on the other hand, I found to be a disagreeable old bat with a bad attitude. Fortunately, she stays in the office and only answers the phone while he's busy in the shop.

A couple of notes on the F-1's vs the F-100's. Installation in a narrower F-1 necessitates shortening the center link by two inches and the frame flanges need a bit more trimming than on an F-100. Neither is a major issue. Gibbon also sells engine specific motor mount kits specially for this crossmember. The F-100 kit apparently works out pretty well, but I found out first hand that the F-1 kit will force you to install a recessed firewall and do some serious floorpan hacking. Custom built mounts can get the powertrain in place nicely without all the tin surgery. Also, F-1 rodders who plan to keep the flathead V-8 will have to fab a different style engine mount as well. The original mounts will have to hit the trash can to get the crossmember in. Switching to car water pumps and mounts would probably make it pretty easy. Anyone wishing to retain a stock engine variety in an F-100 with the engine mount at the front under the crank will have no issues that I am aware of.

 

"your supposed to recover all of your investment????"

It's a torsion bar thing Jim, you wouldn't understand.

 

I would guess that one good hard day would be enough to remove the straight axle, and install the Gibbons/Cordoba setup.

My suggestion would be to buy their engine mounts.

I bought and installed one of the first kits they made in about 1990.

I already had the engine/tranny.driveshaft set and ended up having minimal room for the oil filter on the 302. Others have set their engines forward and have plenty of room. I solved part of this problem by using a Econoline right angle filter adapter. I would not consider this a con because it is pretty much my fault.

My engine is set back as far as possible and low to try to get the best center of gravity I possibly could. I used a front sump truck pan to get the drain plug in better position.

The only con to this setup is the front is softer that I would prefer. By the same token, I consider a '75 F250 highboy with an extra main leaf to be about right.

I had lots of heat problems running the Cordoba steering sector and the Ford plastic reservoir pump until I installed a cooler and cut one turn out of the pressure relief valve spring.

I currently have 75K + miles on this setup. I have some pictures in my gallery and will answer what ever questions I can.

 

Holy cats! 75k on the Gibbon/Cordoba. Ladies and Gentlemen we have a winner - he's alive and happy!

I'd like to hear more driving impressions. Braking is ok? Do you carry loads? Tow?

Did you box the frame?

 

I like the setup. Like I said before, I wish I could find a higher rate torsion bar and stiffen the front a bit.

I am running the stock m/c with a Midland hydroboost. 8 lb check valves rear and 2 lb front. The brakes will lock up if necessary. The hydroboost makes for a different feel. The braking vs pedal pressure is exponential instead of linear.

I have had 1200 lbs of blasting sand in the bed and have pulled a 14 ft tandem trailer with a VW beetle on it 200 miles and pulled the trailer home.

The frame is not boxed.

This truck is not a trailer queen.

 

Huh. 75,000 miles on a Gibbon IFS conversion pulling trailers and doing real truck stuff. And no boxed frame rails. Well, smack me up, flip me, and rub me down! This guy is my savior and hero. Hey, 'fenders! Should I insert the "TOLD YA SO!!!" here or would you rather have it elsewhere?

 

"Should I insert the "TOLD YA SO!!!" here or would you rather have it elsewhere?"

'rage

If you're leaving it up to me, you can go ahead and stick your "TOLD YA SO!!! elsewhere.

Would this be a good time to remind you a lot of our parts are interchangeable? I guess that might be considered clip comparison and I'm on the Gibbon's board right now. Any place in particular you'd like me to insert this fact.

Seriously though, that is a respectable workload for a 1/2 ton.

 

Two things;You guys added the word "all" to "recover your investment". You must remember what I said about figuring my labor at 10-cents per hour. (Also, my wife may have been looking over my shoulder at the time I was typing that statement!)

Second; There is no need for any frame boxing or reinforcement when using the Gibbon/Cordoba crossmember. I would venture to say that the frame and front suspension are as strong or stronger than they were from Ford after the installation. There are fairly long reinforcement plates that go down each side of the frame included integral with the crossmember.

A great post by Scot! All very good points.

Scot,,,Have you tried changing to some real stiff shocks on your Cordoba front end? In 75,000 miles you're probably due for some anyway. I'm sure the aftermarket has some 'super-duty' shocks available for the Cordoba. I have found that most aftermarket shocks are stiffer than OEM to begin with.

It is a fact that 42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Good luck, and be safe.

BobJonesSpecial

 

'fenders,

I've the text thus far to begin the first draft.

Later,

RMF

 

Kenny

Please remove the sticky from this thread at your convenience.

Thanks

 

Sorry for keep posting here, but due to the more bolt-in installation this ifs seems to be the best option for me. For those of you who have installed this one here is a long winded question.

After taking the advice off this board to find a truck that is as complete/finished as I can afford it doesn't seem like I can find one in my price range that already have ifs. Some of the ones I've looked at already has suspension/axles etc rebuilt and the one I'm most interested in only has some interior work and some hook up of lights to finish up to actually be ready to roll (already painted too).

So there are some things I have budgeted for to add however an IFS isn't there yet as with a rebuilt stock front-end I don't see it the main priority, however I need your opinion on if I should push that up ahead of some other projects.

So if I finish up the interior etc and make it drivable and then save up the money how much will I have to re-do to actually install the IFS if any? I know front body parts need to be off and engine and tranny probably need to come out, but would I have to tear up interior or anything else?

 

I'm sure it (the Gibbons/Cordoba conversion) could be done with all the sheet metal on the truck and painted. The engine and trans would PROBABLY have to be out depending on the type and style of motor mounts used. Very likely the motor mounts would get in the way of the crossmember installation. If it's a stock motor the front mounts would be fine, but the rear "firewall or transmission" crossmember gets removed. If there has been an engine conversion of some kind, probably the front motor mounts would have to be changed.

Have Gibbons send you some info on their crossmember if possible. After studying it for a minute or two you should be able to visualize what the installation would be like on any truck you might buy.

The only other thing I can think of when installing a Gibbons/Cordoba in a 'finished' truck would be the hook-up of the u-joints to the steering column. The stock steering gear is removed and replaced by the Cordoba power steering unit. This leaves the bottom end of the steering column un-suported. A simple angle bracket secures the lower end to the firewall. Then, 2 u-joints and a short shaft connect the column to the Cordoba steering box. Other than maybe remove & replace the carpet, the interior should remain un-disturbed.

I think the advice you have recieved to "buy the best truck you can afford" is still very valid. I would still make that my #1 priority.

If it has a good, stock front end in it, "try it, you may like it" I've driven a 'restored to new' stock front end and realy, they are great. Slow speed turning and parking and the not-too-wonderful brakes are the weakest link. But hey, when that truck was new, people didn't know the diference! That's the way trucks were supposed to be.

Good luck, and be safe.

BobJonesSpecial

 

Thanks so much for your help!

The slow speed turning and parking is the part I'm least excited about. I can still remember doing that in my old 1988 Golf GTi with 225 wide tires. Sure was a workout. The brakes I can probably live with and adjust my driving to for a while, but I'd really like some good ones just in case as others don't seem to adjust their driving around me

 

Got good shocks. I think the problem probably has to do with having the softer front combined with original rear springs with only reversed eyes.