Has anyone measured the frame width to see if a C Vic front end swap is possible in a Ranchero ?
I think the only way any conversion would work is a total frame clip from the firewall forward...........Friends have checked a Mark VIII suspension and the trac width was way to wide. I know a guy who put a Dodge Dakota front clip on a '54 Merc.....you may want to check into that, but why? I also heard of guys that put a Fatman front clip on '57's, but they are few and far between. Most everybody is happy with the basic '57 design with a few mods.
To answer your question directly, no, I haven't measured for a cv front suspension.
OK. Just a thought. By the way Rich have you been to the Carlisle Ford Show with that black car in the picture ?
I looked hard at CV frame swap for a '41 Ford...way too wide. The CV swaps are working under '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s Ford pickups. Even being wide pickups, an OEM setback wheel is required.
There was a one time show that aired on the Velocity channel in November called "High Performance Throw Down" where the guys from "Car Fix" put a Crown Vic chassis/drive train under a '63 Mercury Marauder. It seems the car's owner won some kind of contest.... I personally would have passed on the "prize".
I think I passed thru Carlisle about 35 years ago on the freeway, lol. I do remember passing thru Hershey and thinking that was where all that good chocolate came from. Nope, never been there, and my car isn't black anyways...."dark tarnished silver".
The CV front is too wide. You would need some goofy front wheels to fit under the body, like a 60's Toronado only deeper
reversed the wrong way.
The 57-64 Ford front suspension is a good unit. Big brakes, sway bars and r&p steering are available. No need to reinvent the wheel.
Carlisle and Hershey draw vendors in part because of Charlotte and Englishtown. 4 huge fleamarkets on 4 continuous weekends
draw vendors from all over the country. Plus the AACA show too.
Ron.
Quote from: lalessi1 on 2018-01-28 10:32
There was a one time show that aired on the Velocity channel in November called "High Performance Throw Down" where the guys from "Car Fix" put a Crown Vic chassis/drive train under a '63 Mercury Marauder. It seems the car's owner won some kind of contest.... I personally would have passed on the "prize".
I think it was a late model Marauder chassis. The Marauder had the 4.6 quad cam engine.
I don't know if this is the appropriate place to ask this but has anyone used a 91 T bird front clip with 302 HO motor, AOD and the independent rear suspension in a 57. Hate to throw my old one away, paint job cost more than the car is worth. One of the best cars i've ever owned. Comes with 4 wheel disc brakes. power rack and pinion, even power buckets and sun roof, plus computers , wiring,console etc. even stainless exhaust, even 16" wheels and tires. Looking for advice. Thanks.
Those Birds were unibody, no front clip. The rear assembly will drop out it is way too wide for the 57s. Even the Cobra rears are too wide.
Theirs a company in Florida coco beach called Team321. They offer narrowed CV cross members tha are about 4 1/2 in narrower. Uses 2003 and newer. Its worth looking into