Started working on the truck this weekend... Phase II, with "More" pics.....

Well, Phase 1 of my frontend swap is complete.

I picked up my new frontend this afternoon. It's an '06 or '07 Crown Vic frontend. I was directed to the swap from a friend from the other forum. I was directed to a build on the FTE forum, and the swap is very straight forward. This frontend came from a Highway Patrol car, so it has the big 12" brakes on it as well. I don't know yet how much of a weight difference there is, but I do know it will lower my truck around 5", which is a good thing. The other good thing is it was "free". So the price is well worth the effort of the install. I'm gonna post up pics as I do the work, so you guys that may be interested can follow along. I'll keep ya'll posted.



Doug...

Thats a cool front end Dugger, cool project, keep us updated.

It is a very popular swap for the 70's trucks. Good luck!

jasonf wrote:It is a very popular swap for the 70's trucks. Good luck!

Yes I know of a few that have done it and its nice, and yes it well lower it 5-6"



Keith

I followed that build at fordtrucks.com as well. Should be good for the truck. You gonna be able to drop the back that much too?

I should be able to John. The rear is already a little lower than the front, but I plan on moving the shock mounts and ladder bar crossmember if need be to get it where it's right.





Doug...

low in the front is good..................

need to put that photoshop pic back up, so we can have a looksee

richter69 wrote:low in the front is good..................

I plan on having a little bit of rake to it this time, but just enough that it works as good as it works.



Doug...

I'm hitchin a ride on this build!! Should look good Doug.

Cop shocks, cop tires, etc etc....

Bill

Hey Bill. For now, I'm leaving the stock suspension on it to see how it does. I'm currently looking for, at minimum, aftermarket brakes. Wilwood's site says they have them, but to call them. Plus a couple other places. The Police Interceptor frontend comes with 700# springs and the stockers are 400#. I'm going to try both springs at the track ad see how much difference there will be with my app. But, no big cop tires. Too much "drag" ya know. Gotsta run my skinnies on the front.









Doug...

Your truck's gonna look great with the rake Doug.
I was watching my vids from Mega Ford Weekend...aaah the memories eh!.
BTW, Google Mega Ford Weekend. Check out the pictures from 09, there is a great one of your truck!
You can contact the photographer and get a print.
Check out the great shot of the 'Chero launching as well...milliseconds before my driveshaft let go

It will look and function great Doug! Looks like the majority of the Vic's suspension is aluminum. So you should lose a few pounds vs stock steel components of the trucks suspension....my guess approx 75-100 pounds

Thats a popular swap on the Ford trucks. I priced the front end that you have pictured for my 2wd 66 truck at a salvage yard in my part of the country. $450.00 and i remove. Hard to beat free. The post at FTE is 73 pages long, but it covers the Tbird IRSrear swap also.
Lonnie

Looks like a cool project Doug.

Looking forward to seeing your progress. Take plenty of pics.

After Doug painted his truck yellow I had some fun photoshoping some new pics a few different ways. But I don't remember If I got around to posting them or not back then, damn brain fart.

copy of original pic......



copy of first rough edit.....

Now you're talkin'!!!

That's would be killer...

Well, I got one of my favorite tools out this afternoon. The Air Chisel!!! 1st, I got out the plumb bob and got the centers of the front and rearends located, and measured the wheelbase, and a few other measurements, got it all marked, and went on with the destruction:




Then, I got the IFS assembly off and out of the way:



All I have to get off now is the crossmember. The spring mounts as well as all of the rivets are gone, but there are some small spot welds I need to get out of the way, then the crossmember's gone too:




More to come. Stay tuned. Same bat time, same bat channel.





Doug...

Thanks Doug! Looking good with the tear down.

Looks real good! I'll have to do this some day.

Doug
I did this swap with my 68 F100. Its easy and straight forward. A couple of things about it is the hub to hub width is wide enough that you will need to run a deep back spaced 16" wheel. I used the steel wheels from the donner police car. Your Centerlines wont work without some creative grinding to the calipers, if at all.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Good luck, Mike

Yeah Mike, I was looking at the calipers, and possible clearance issues. I'll dive into it after I get the swap itsself done and let ya know what I come up with.










Doug...

This is great stuff thanx for sharin. Wonder how this would work on my street truck.

mico wrote:Doug
I did this swap with my 68 F100. Its easy and straight forward. A couple of things about it is the hub to hub width is wide enough that you will need to run a deep back spaced 16" wheel. I used the steel wheels from the donner police car. Your Centerlines wont work without some creative grinding to the calipers, if at all.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Good luck, Mike

Your truck is SOOO cool,lookin like that.

Doug, Your truck is gonna look really cool also. Keep after it man

hell yeah that is defiently a sweet looking truck Mike !!!!

are you done yet Doug ??? ha ha ...cant wait to see the finished product