Hello everyone, where could I find out how wide frame is on 1961 ford unibody, also track width of front and rearend. I am thinking of buying one and would like to use front end and rear end out of newer Crown Vic or Grand, than install 4.6 and trans also. Any info would be great.
Thanks BB1

 

Hi Brian, Welcome to FTE I hate to start out this way, but if you can't come up with the answers to those basic questions all by yourself on your own, you will be overwhelmed and unable to get the project off the ground. The job that you are talking about will take a highly skilled craftsman, over the heads of many vetrens in the auto/body industry. Your question is about the very basic use of a tape measure.

I in no way intend to demean you with my response, but any 10 year old should be able to pull out and read a measuring tape. I feel comfortable swapping bolt up improvements to our series trucks, but wouldn't touch the job that you are refering to.

I do hope that you can buy the truck and get the help that you seek to get your project underway. Out of all the readers and posters here, I doubt there are over one or two that could do that job.

John

 

John if I had the truck to meaure I wouldn't be asking, I said I was thinking of buying truck. The truck I am thinking of is 400 miles away and no other one to measure. I am able to do conversion.
Thanks BB1

 

Sorry bud, You were a first post user, and didn't make yourself clear, at least to me. I know a couple fellows "Garbz in Pa" that had done that, and Bit in Lexington NC.
Hope you can get the help that you desire.

John

 

Hello BB,
One of guys @ Slick 60s has installed rear suspension & rear axle assy from a late 80s Crown Vic under his Slick. Pix of it are in Slick60's Photo Gallery.

Aside from that, I believe you'll find most trucks use a ladder style chassis, with outer rails MOL Parallel while P-Car frames tend to be more curved. Also they're more "kicked" (curved in vertical plane). F series frames do have some kick to allow for suspension travel, but far less than kick in most pass cars.

Anybody can do anything with right resources, but some things easier done, may actually more suit an end goal in sight.

Installing Integral bed Pick Up body on a P-Car chasis will be a monkey goat rope of a project because I'm sure regardless of the width, which is variable depending on where rails are measured, will not fall where mount points and/or
bearing places, of an integral bed pick up body are located. Therefore it will req lots of engineering to wind up with mounts under body points capable of supporting static & dynamic loading of completed project.

Another issue I'd seriously consider is automobile frame flex versus integral bed truck body rigidity. Where as 2 piecer (cab & bed) bodies are able to flex independently of each other, integral beds act as the single, integrated, one piece, body they are. However it is unlike a Pass Car where roof acts as a top chord to structurally truss entire body both longitudinally & latterally [along & across] the frames dimensions. In my humble opinion, passenger car chassis may be a bit more limber under a truck than an integral style truck body can tolerate. This will cause body sheet metal flexing and in worse case scenarios I suspect ripping/ tearing at critical points, much like sail panel to
quarter panel in a 2Dr/Ht Muscle Car does.

As for your original "Q". . . . I believe frame width is same as a non Integral Bed Pick Up of same years (61-64) since they all use the same axles and rear end assys. That should be 33.5" avg 61 thru 1972, then 37.5 inches 73-79. This is for F100-F250 trucks under 6900# GVW. Track width is a nomnal 63.5 +/- inches depending on year model and tire/wheel options through 72.and slightly wider for 73-79 again dependent on tire/wheel options & backset differences.

Given all these factors it makes more sense and will be less time-effort -work to mount the integral bed pick up body on a later truck type chassis than a passenger car.

Now that I rained all over your Parade here . . . just like my friend JO Wilker has already said, Welcome to FTE Brian I hope we can be helpful to you with other matters.


FWIW I didn't write the above to "discourage" you, I wrote it so you have a better idea of what you're considering. Obviously I don't know your abilities, skills, situation or knowledge in the area. I do have an understanding of area we're discussing here. It's more complex than many folks realize, but as I said in bold font above, "Anybody can do anything with the right resources, but some things easier done may actually more suit an end goal in sight"
IMHO, that's how I feel about your proposed frame swap here.

FBp

 

Thanks for info, I wouldn't use whole frame, what I have done with other ones is cut frame off behind the front wheels and weld the front clip off of car on. It works quite well and I set it up on wheel aligner to make sure all angles are correct. I have never done rear diff out of car into truck but know people that have. The job depends on how close frame width matches and track width. Again I would set up on aligner before welding in place. If donor car is 92 or newer Grand or Crown you get 4-wheel disc brakes and I love the 4.6 motor with overdrive trans would make a great driver.
I have a 66 comet convert. that I installed 5 liter and overdrive trans from 88 Grand and changed diff to 3.50, makes a nice driver and gets 20 miles to gallon even driving it hard on highway
I also have 65 parklane 4-door with breezeway rear window, it has 390, fun car to drive but don't pass many gas stations.
While I am off to measure up my 99 Crown to see if swap is possible, if it is I will start looking for donor car. It is a big job but can and will get done.
Thanks again for info.

 

Okay. . . .

I got a "Q" on 88 Grand Marq 5.0L did you retain OEM, SEFI logic, ECM or upgrade to MAFS Logic? I'm sticking one of those rollers in a 85 Bird Aero Coupe. I think I'm going to upgrade to MAFS/ EFI probably with an OEM HO/ PROM from a GT or SVO.

FWIW, Jasper makes a ReMAn type R/H, cam, "driven sprocket" for use in their ReMan 4.6 Modular Engines. You may want to see if you can get one for 4.6L Modular you're planning to use. It stops problems OEM R/H driven sprockets seem to develop. Unlike OEM sprocket, Jasper version is a disc and not slotted.

FBp

 

I still have speed density but have thought of upgrading to maf system, but might just put wet nos kit on instead.
BB1

 

S/D logic is too "low & slow" to maximize impact of N02 if it in fact runs any better at all. Biggest bang for the $$$$ is a MAFS upgrade with a good PROM that "runs right". I been running the SVO/GT circa 93-94 and have been happy. but. . . . A buddy of mine runs a "Diablo" E-PROM which has USBs so he can download/upload into his system.
He uploaded his performance history & parameters, sent data to Diablo who tweaked P-ROM for their chip in his ride. He then downloaded that patch online and uploaded it into his ECM & Diablo chip. It's a world of difference. All his ghosts, goblins & gremlins went away and he runs "flat nasty" now. He could not have done that with S/D as it is to narrow a P-ROM and no RAM to speak of. Logic is not big or fast enough, changes
overwhelm it. You may want to look into that B4 you bread out on an N02 system wet or staged and discover S/D doesn't get it done best. . . .

FBp

 

Yall need to quit all that cussing and nasty talk on this forum. FBP, I know you're better than that. MAFS USBs P-ROM indeed This is a family site, and them junkyard dogs will be in here and banning you from posting.

John