IFS choices: Ole School or Aftermarket

I have a question for you all. I like street rods. I have a 55 F100 with a 87 Crown Victoria front suspension clip. My definition of a street rod is any car or truck before say 72 not to include true muscle cars from the big 3. Drawing on the experience of the seasoned builders here would you say given the resources and time that a old school IFS (Camaro,Chevelle,Nova,Cutl***, Grand Prix,Vette, Volare,Thunderbird,Torino, LTD) would perform better or worse than an aftermarket Mustang II based unit from say Heidt's,Fatman's, or TCI? El Packo's Dakota based front end is sort of a Hybrid so I left it off the list. Although I am sure from taking to him or looking at many photos it is a great choice. Thanks for any and all input. Just curious.

Donald

 

You'd really have to define "performance"

Ride quality?
Handling?
Big brake availability?
Ease of installation?
Durability?
Adjustablility?
Cost?
Attractiveness?

Depending on how priorities are set, I could see any one of your options being the best choice.

 

ole school..ifs...same sentence...?

 

An aftermarket IFS is much easier because your track width and stuff has already been taken into account. Lots of the engineering details have been figured out for you (***uming you buy one that's for your specific car - which you should), and you get to keep your stock mount points for fenders, core support, etc. Subframing and then re-engineering those mount points is HELLISH. Plus, all your parts are new.

Check out Ch***is Engineering Inc. Lots of guys (myself included) have had great results form them.

 

IFS has been around since the 40s at least.

 

Shifty, all of the above in defining "performance" with ride quality and durability being 1A and 1B. I know from an attractiveness standpoint the OE stuff from the Big 3 is what it is. Not a whole lot of dress up items. Installation/Engineering is a bigger challenge I wholeheartedly agree. I read many car rags and see all the ads saying this kit or system is the absolute optimal IFS for your street rod or truck. I just wonder although from others installation and actual driving experiences once it is all said is the Aftermaket IFS the absolute "Cat's Meow" so to speak?? Thanks

 

Just my 2 cents, I don't really think MII kits belong under trucks. A little undersized if you ask me.
How is ElPolacko's kit any more of a hybrid than the others you mentioned? I like mine!

 

Nothing at all against El Packo's. I like the looks of it. I said Hybrid because you use his crossmember and then OE suspension parts. For instance with the M2 everyone recommends or either only sells larger rotors. Most aftermarket M2's offer Strutless style control arms. The Dakota unit is a little of both world's in my opinion. What is your Dakota IFS on? What type of vehicle? Thanks

 

Its on our 50 Chevy Suburban. Same as a AD truck ch***is.

 

There is one suspension that you might not have thought about that will work as good if not better than what has been mentioned. Believe it or not....an excellent option for your 55 is to buy a Jaguire with a blown motor. Jags are so expensive to repair, that people don't....Therefore with a little digging they can be had pretty reasonable.
The front suspension is a drop out unit that will mate easily to your F100, with very little fabrication, or welding. If you choose to go with IRS....the jag also has that which will adapt easily. More good news is a jags steering box, breaks, and everything all bolt to the drop out unit a long with a sway bar. More icing on the cake is Jags were originally equipt with heavy as diesel engines as well as V12's. So you can put about any engine on top of the front suspension with out any fears of comprimising breaking or handeling capabilities.
If I can offer any specifics on the instalation, feel free to ask.
Doc

 

I like to use the mustang II when possible. mainly because I was and alignment and suspension tech for ten years and would take a rack and pinion over the parallelogram suspension anyday. I can't tell you how many times I shook down a truck or car without a rack and found a bad idler arm or pitman arm. there's alot more parts on a parallelogram than a rack. tierods are alot easier to change than old rusty adjustment sleeves.
plus, alot of times you don't have to re-attatch bumper horns and core supports with a mustang.
but then again, subframes do allow you to easily drop your car in the weeds. but I've seen alot of bad subframe jobs too. people put em up too high or get em in there crooked.
maybe a subframe with a rack conversion on it. you got a heavy duty frame with a rack and ease of maintenance.
oh well. good luck either way.
d.d.t.

 

I'm with 1950. ELpolacko's Dakota-based kit is the way to go for a truck that's going to get driven in real world traffic conditions. I plan to use my '59 F100 as a truck, driven daily, and I'd rather have it handle like a Dakota than a glorified Pinto (MustangII).

 

Dodge had it in '39

 

I put a 70 chevelle front clip under my 56 Effie. The truck Handled and stopped AWESOME. All the parts were cheap.

 

There are really a LOT of variables in your question. hard to really say... a good subframe install can perform nicely, and POSSIBLY be cost-effective. It all depends on what it's going in, where it came from, and who does the installation. (Not to mention owner's expectations.) Same can be said for the MII-based aftermarket deals. But either style can yield very poor results, again, depending on everything.

If you are paying an experienced builder to do the install for you, your dollar will go much further with the aftermarket setup. There's a lot of labor in putting everything back together and lining up all the front sheetmetal & bumpers if you go the subframe route. When you're paying someone $40-$75/hour, all that work adds up fast. And that's ***uming you've chosen a subframe that fits your vehicle relatively easily.

As for MII, keep in mind that the ball joints & bushings are the same as what was on the big 460-powered Lincolns of the early 70's. Pretty stout... but there are weaker links in the system, again, depending on what was installed and who did it with what equipment.

 

Plymouth had it in '34

 

gotta love MA MOPARh

 

From what I have read and seen, El Polacko's Dakota setup is the setup for an F-100.
To me the prime thing is track width. I have an 1951 F1 and if the track width was right, I would go for the Dakota.

If I had a F100, I would strongly consider a Jag, also.