Hey everyone, I have a 48 ford f-1 that i am totally rebuilding.I struck a problem though, I have an 87 grand marquis that I am using as a donor car for the engine, tranny, and hopefully the rear end. Finally the question, will any of this be somewhat easy and how about using the front end (axle, suspension, brakes,etc.)
I was wondering if I can put the front end in my truck with not to many fabrications. I am extremely new at this, in fact I am only 15 and this is my first project!!! If anyone could help than that would be awesome!!
thanks everyone

 

"I was wondering if I can put the front end in my truck with not to many fabrications."

Welcome,

No it will require extensive modifications. Read the Suspension Threads that is stickied at the top of this forum. Go to the LTD and Camaro type installs. That's what you're up against.

 

Welcome from the snowy north just a little west of you. It's always good to have another '48 F1 around here. These trucks disassemble fairly easy, so if I'd offer any advice it would be to start with a simple upgrade and progress from there. You can always get radical with it later, but it's hard to un-do some things if you change your mind half way thru.

I hope you haven't scrapped the original drive train.......? Flatheads are so sweet sounding out of dual pipes. (ignore the pull of the dark side - lol)

 

hey everyone, thanks for all your help!I think that I have decided to go with the cordoba setup. now I just gotta call the junkyards and find one!

no I havent scrapped really anything yet, I actually have a 49 f1 that was my parts truck, which has the 239 in it, but i didnt really need any parts off of that one so I think that I am actually going to sell that one pretty soon.

thanks again

 

48fordf1,

Are you still planning to use the drivetrain out of the Marquis for your truck?

If so, I'm assuming the engine is a 5.0L with an AOD. I hate to sound negative, but.......

They made improvements to the AODs in 1988. The pre-88 can be beefed up to be comparible though. Apparently, these AODs really need a good shift kit to improve their life and preformance.

The car (excluding Mustang) 5.0Ls made less H.P. and torque than the truck versions. The single exhaust car version was 150 h.p., dual exhaust version 160 H.P. and the truck version made 185 H.P. I think most of the difference was in the cam though....not sure though... Torques what you're really interested but I can't remember the figures at the moment - comparible differences though..... If you're planning major mods to the engine, then it's really not a big deal....

 

I think that I am going to still use my donor drivetrain, but right now I am up for new ideas, I also see a problem though, I was thinkin how bad of a thing it would be to have 2 different rim sizes on it. I was just wondering also if it would be a good idea to leave the stock rear diff and axle in or if thats a bad idea?

thanks again
Matt

 

Have you made up your mind about the front suspension?

I don't know what the front and rear track is on your Marquis but I gotta believe their too wide.

For a rear end - that's simple. There's a lengthy post in here dated somewhere in the past 6 months by user name " PCMenten" that will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about donor rear ends for a 48 to 60 Ford truck. You can pick up a rear end from a wrecker for anywhere from $100 to $350. depending upon where you live. The high end of the scale gets you rear discs (which gives you bragging rights but not noticeably better braking).

If you read the thread near the top of this forum on IFS alternatives, you'll find pretty much every common alternative covered.

If you're a relative newcomer to the hobby, give serious thought to the "Volare" (probably the cheapest and easiest) or the "Cordoba" (easy as well but a wee bit pricier - comparible in price to the Mustang II set up). If you are a real good welder and have go-nads the size of basketballs then go for a Ford/GM clip. (Mine are just slightly or moderately larger than normal size so I went "Volare")

(Both "Volare" and "Cordoba" give the same 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern that is common to most Ford donor rear ends, though you gotta use "Mopar style" wheels not "Ford style" because of the larger hub projection through the center hole of the wheel.)

Hope that helps.....

 

I think that i am going to use a cordoba setup for the front, but another question that i have is if u know a place where they sell motor mounts for a 302 if i have my cordoba suspension in?
thanks

 

The guy that makes the Cordoba kit (connected with Gibbons) also offers motor mounts (as I recall) but (again, as I recall) are pretty cheesy. You will likely want to make your own.

Motor mounts are not at all difficult to make, unless you want them to be a work or art like 'Rage's are.

Somewhere on this forum are pictures of the mounts 'Rage made to put a 351W (same mounts as 302) into his truck with the Cordoba set up. His mounts really are beautiful (probably the nicest I've ever seen) as opposed to what No Limit suggest for the "Volare" setup. The "Volare" motor mounts are so ugly, you'd have to tie a pork chop on them to get the dog to play with them.

Sorry, I keep digressing....must be the egg nog.....


Later,

 

Try the jag ifs

 

Hey my friend look at the classified ads. I know you are young and funds are probably scarce but take a look at the CE front suspension for sale. It is a bolt in deal and you can work on at your leisure. My 55 has a 87 Crown Vic IFS and man I love it. But grafting in a clip off a car is not a task for a novice. Best wishes and keep us informed on what you do.

 

Hey guys, this is a thread that has been brought back from 2003. I think he is past this now.

 

I guess it is.

 

So, what did he finally decide to do? The suspense is killing me!!!