Gibbon IFS swap (a work in progress)
 

I pulled the I-beam front suspension out of my '53 and am in the process of installing a Gibbon IFS. I bought the crossmembers off Craigslist along with all donor parts and new bushings for $225. I came across some extra parts I'll post a photo of later. I'm 99.9 percent sure they are motor mounts. Maybe some of y'all can add your two cents when you see the photos. Donor parts were from a 1974 Dodge Coronet. http://s1147.photobucket.com/albums/...1frontaxle.jpg

http://s1147.photobucket.com/albums/...1frontaxle.jpg

Here's my F100 minus the front axle. I bought her when I was 14. I enlisted in the USAF at 17 (1984) and left her in Pennsylvania when I received my first duty assignment (Germany). My folks moved from PA to Colorado and I had to sell her. She ended up staying in the family and I bought her back from my uncle in 2007. She's almost 60 and it's time to bring her back to life.

0piecesparts.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

I'm working with the motor in for now so I can check clearances and chalk the frame where I need to put everything back in place. I'm going to box the front half with the precut templates I got in the package deal.

2noaxle.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Driver side view of Gibbon crossmember going in. Inner fenderwells are going to need trimmed for upper control arm clearance.


3needtocut.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Passenger side before any trimming. Note that upper shock mounts will also be removed.

4removeshocktower.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Not trying to bore anyone here. Just trying to show step by step in case anyone else gets a wild hair. Here I trimmed the inner fenderwells back minimally. I used an air hammer with a cutting chisel. My plan is to flip the pieces I cut out and weld them back in to help keep road grime out of the engine compartment. They appear as though they'll go back in with minimal effort. This pic doesn't show the crossmember all the way in place. Once I remove the motor, I'll have to cut a small notch in the bottom side of the frame. The Gibbon crossmember has a dimple on it which I assume is for alignment of the crossmember. I only wish I had the proper installation instructions with the frame template. Current plan is to cut a little at a time until it goes into place.

6driverIFWcut.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Passenger side inner fenderwell is cut. I'll most likely have to trim some more out for A-Arm clearance but didn't want to get carried away and have a gaping void in my engine bay.

5passengerIFWcut.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Here's the "dimple" on the Gibbon crossmember. This view is from the top of the engine bay by the number one cylinder. Look past the plug wire towards the bottom of the truck frame. This is what is keeping the crossmember from mating up with the frame. I have to work this coming weekend, so I'm giving the motor some time to sell while it's in the truck and buyer can hear it run.

7driversideneedtonotchframe.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

:-huh Now for those extra parts which were throwing me off on similar system instructions provided by other members here. I'm fairly certain these parts are motor mounts. Now the question....anybody know what engine they're for?

motormountsmaybe.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

motormountsmaybe2.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Donor parts cleaned up fairly well and were in decent shape. I didn't want to tackle the lower control arm bushings so they are at the local machine shop here in Palmer, AK to have old ones pressed out and new ones installed.

assembledspindlesupperaarm.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Here's the poor man solution to the lug bolt pattern change. I measured the track width and the 1.25" spacers should still give me enough fender clearance even after the ride height is slightly lowered. Got these off Ebay for $59/pair. These go from 5 X 4.5" to the stock Ford 5 X 5.5".


assembledspindlesupperaarm.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Okay...last post for a bit. I didn't like the idea of having an enormous steering box in the engine bay and possibly having to offset the motor a few inches. This is a power rack & pinion unit from a Dodge Aries. I'll let you know how it works out after I get everything hooked up. I'll be cutting the bracket off the crossmember for the steering box. I'm open for suggestions to anything I've posted thus far.

powerrackpinion.jpg picture by 5wests - Photobucket

Don't worry about boring us, we love pics! Sorry I can't help with your question. I have a stock Volare clip under my 55.

Looks like you've got it under control. Two thoughts came to mind when I saw it was the Gibbons set-up. THE STEERING BOX position. :( But it looks as though you've got a good solution. The other is the torsion bar mounts; they go back under the truck a bit as I recall. Oh, and the main crossmember hangs a bit low so you don't want to lower too much (scrub line issue). They do ride nice. :-jammin Keep up the good work and keep on posting.

Steve

I think your Gibbons k-member is newer than mine. Mine was gen 1 circa 1989/1990. When they started cranking them out, they had apparently never actually taken one down to get it aligned. You cannot get enough caster to make it drive good.

Before you paint it all up, take it to the alignment shop and make sure it will go. I was going to weld up and form new holes on the upper a frames in order to make it work and finally gave up and am obtaining CV stuff to change over.