An IRS...gonna think long and hard about putting it under my '36, am asking opinions on how ride might be with an IRS and a solid front axle?

I'd think it may not be optimum for handling, but i'd think it'd be better than a leafspring setup, huh?

 

Interesting question. Might be a bit peculiar in handling unless you drive in reverse all day. )

 

I'd go with the IRS, but I'd do IRS on the front as well. Time for a Mustang II front end kit. What with swapping in the EFI 5.0 you don't want to leave any original '36 suspension components on there. You need to upgrade the suspension and brakes on that puppy, make it a lot more fun (and safer) to drive.

 

Hmm, didn't even think about the Mustang II setup. That is a good idea.

 

Why does it have to be a Mustang II set up, why not a Cougar? Same style front end, just heavier componets.

But we used to call this feature creep when we were doing electronic projects. You start to build something simple but the marketing people keep adding features to the project, running it over-budget and late.

It is part of the "as long as you have it apart, why don't you" thing that adds years to a project. I would follow the original plan - but keep both the front and rear ends off the Cougar for next winter's project!

 

The Mustang II is a popular swap for hotrods, tons of different parts and components available in kits, complete wit down to the crossmember or individual components if you want to go that way. All degrees, mild to wild.

The '93 Cougar Mike just got would be a totally different setup. I'm not familiar with it but if it's a double A-arm type supension, that could work ok although it may be a bit too wide for the '36 frame. But the Cougar/T-bird of the '80s was a Fox chassis which was a strut front end, not something that lends itself easily to adaptation to another vehicle.

 

Yes, this is a front strut IFS.

I'll definitely pull the rearend assy out before it heads off to the scrap pile (and no, I don't mean "out back" )

I finished most of the hardwork today, just need to drop the exhaust and disconnect the fuel lines, and it should be ready to come out.

Going to be a weird pull though, I can't disconnect the driveline, it's flange bolted to the pinion shaft on the rearend, and no way I can easily see to allow the driveline to drop down and let me slide the yoke out of the tranny. I'm pretty sure I have enough room to bring everything forward and left the driveline drop out, then take the engine/tranny up and out.

 

When I yanked the motor out of the T-bird, I left the tranny in the car. I did it all right in the front yard of the auto wreckers, took me about three hours to disconnect everything and have it ready then they just brought the yard loader over and did the official yank and set it in the back of my truck. Never even looked at the driveline...

But I think it should clear the yoke. I've done them that way before.

 

See, the driveliine runs through the unibody, or some part of it, then right at the rear there's a safety loop. The loop will only let the dl drop about 3 inches, and even if I took it out, seems to me that the part of the unibody that it runs through, wouldn't let me flop it over far enough to pull it anyways.

Might be a matter of just dropping the exhaust, maybe what I think it part of the unibody construction is just something bolted in place, like a cover. Jsut was getting too cold for my bones on the cement floor...ran out of deisel for the heater.

 

Ya know what's funny though, them wrecking yard guys can pull a motor in about an hour, with nothing more than a pair of pliers and a pocket knife

 

That's because they're mostly former chop shop-ers who now earn an honest day's pay using the skills they learned in their former trades...

And just hope they don't butcher some vital component that your sure to need later, in the process.

 

So? What is the latest? Got the '36 setup with IRS front and rear yet?

 

Not just yet...the IRS is a bit too wde for it (as is the IFS up front), so I plunked down some cash from selling the '59 on a Heidts SuperRide 2 setup for the front from a guy who's opening up a So Cal speed shop on LA...then doing sme horsetrading with him for my other parts, for a Currie 9inch rear that 57inches wide, setup with Explorere drum brakes...might 4 bar it eventually...but will probably start off with leafs under the axle to get the ride heigth I want and get it moving.

He's supposed to be coming up either next week or the week after, he's waiting on Heidts to send him my IFS.

Took some measurements of the Cougar IFS though and it's almost a direct bolt in underneath an F1 frame I have out back so i may set it up along with the IRS and sell it as a package...The Cougar IFS isn't a McPhearson style strut frontend that i originally thoght it was...but has upper control arms. I save dthe pocket and shock mounts from the Cougar so I could reproduce the heigth and the anti-dive in it.

 

The Cougar IFS is the same as that of the Thunderbird and Lincoln Mk 8 correct? (With the exception of the Mk 8's aluminum diff housing) I have heard that it will fit a 95 Ranger. If so, I would love to put one under the '87 when I can. That would be awesome.