Hi guys, please bare with me I'm kinda new at this forum stuff. Has anyone real good pics. and info. on installing a, say a 87 crown vic. IFS in a 48 to 52 F1. I have a 51 F1 and would like to stay all ford. I heard aerostar's are a little wide for these years.
It was in the pro's and cons of another thread. It all so said that a full size crown vic would have about the right track width for my year, 51. Was that a mis-print? Has anyone done it? I'd like to start looking for a doner, as it's -40 F here right now and the truck is in the cold. Thank's in advance for any help!

 

I think the Crown Vic suspension is about the same as the late 70s T-Birds, so the width should be okay. As I remember, the track width for a 48-52 is aorund 58.5 inches. If that's the track width for the Crown Vic then you should be okay. There are easier ways to go about converting to an IFS, but if you must have all Ford suspension...why not?

 

Why not just put a mustang11 IFS, haven't done it but seems like one of the best options if you wont to stay all Ford

 

I would go to a Mustang but unless I buy a kit not much of finding Mustangs or Pintos in my neck of the woods. I raced a Pro4 up here and everything in bushes and wrecking yards has been stripped. Kits seem a little high, price wise. GreatNorthWoods I noticed the fit of the volare clip in your gallery. Did you narrow it? How hard are they to narrow? Can you narrow the newer ones with the torsion bars in front?

 

Mombo,

Nope, the Chrysler torsion bar doesn't have to be narrowed for the 48-52. The track width is about 61 inches, so it's only an inch or so wider on each side than the stock straight axle. You might not be able to run eight inch wheels in front and keep them under the fenders, but the stock Chrysler 15x7 inchers work fine. I don't like wide wheels on the front anyway...just makes it harder to steer. It's a much easier install than the Crown Vic since you only have to notch the frame instead of cutting it off.

 

Thanks!!! But makes my deciding on whitch way to go even harder,LOL. I'll have to wait for the weather to break a bit and hit the wrecking yards. What year and model of torsion bar K-member did you use?

 

Mombo,

I used one from an 87 Chrysler 5th Avenue, but there are quite a few other models that can be used as they are pretty much all the same. See the sticky thread at the top of the forum entitled "suspension alternatives for 1948-60 trucks" for a comprehensive list.

 

Mombo,

Hello my name is Donald. I contributed a good deal of the info to Big Ford/LTD part of the suspension article. For your truck your best bang is going to be a 1965-71 Fullsize FOMOCO passenger vehicle. My first truck a 1953 F00 had a 1969 Lincoln Mark II clip. It worked good. Unfortunately I sold it in 1996. Good Lord blessed me to get a 195555 in 2002. It has a 1987 Crown Vic Front clip. See my gallery. The 65 -71 model years the Frame tapered and was narrower than the 1980' -up FOMOCO vehicles. If you will look on pages 40 - 44 of the October issue of Custom Classic Trucks you will see a 49' F-1 extended cab built by Chris Turner of North Carolina. The front suspension of this truck came from a 69 Lincoln. I have nothing against the Volare or the M II. I just say do what your time, mental state(patience) , and Wallet can afford. If you put it in right you won't have to make Motoro mounts. You won't have to fabricate shift linkage. You will have to measure and then measure again. Measure some more and then fabricate gussets and put your front horns back on for your bumper to mount and your radiator core support to sit on. If you need any further info email me at this user name @aol.com. I have a frined in North Carolina who is a master at this front suspension clip. This is all he does now in retirement. Boy shouldn't we all be this lucky.

 

Thanks guys for all the help!I'll close this now and open a book and ponder my truck's future.