I picked up the gibbons ifs for the 61-63 uni with almost all the parts needed for the conversion. as i understand it gibbons is no longer around,and although industrial ch***is is a superior conversion i need to gain the skill and confidence it takes to tackle that install if any one out there has this set up i can use some help, its going into a 61 uni shortbed... i do not know which donor car was used. the instructions name a bunch besides the cordova... the problem i am having is that i did not get the rear cross member with the kit and the strut rod brackets were hacked. so if anybody out there is reading this thread ... i could use dimensions of the three pieces that make up the rear cross member,plus hole locations, and the same for the strut brackets... at any rate its been awhile since you have been under there inspecting,(you know you need to) while your checking it out, please take a tape with you get me some dimensions also if you can copy your instructions they might be newer than mine(or more complete than mine) I are from 1991.. I would also like to know how do you like your ifs since it has been awhile. insights and suggestions would also be great thanks john <!-- / message -->
i've e been looking at a 59 shorty and i can get it i want to try the swap of the bolt out cradle from a 2003 up crown vic. from what ive read its practically a bolt in for 53 to 96 f-seriese
got to say do your homework..if i had the skills and money to attempt that swap I would contact steve at industrial ch***is first (el polacko) he has a great looking conversion with truck geometry in mind and all the treads ive read say it is great
I can't help you with your conversion, but can offer suggestions about where the original parts probably came from. By you saying you need a rear crossmember, I'm ***uming you have a 74-79 Chrysler "B" body front suspension. The Cordova would have been 75-79 as they were first produced in 75. By 80 (or 81) the Cordova would have converted to the cross torsion bar suspension and would not have had a rear crossmember for the suspension. The 74-79 Chrysler "B" body will be straight torsion bars attached to the lower control arms and anchered at the rear to a bolt on crossmember that sat behind the car's transmission mount. Both side torsion bars anchered in the same crossmember and it is a seperate piece then the K-member crossmember that holds the control arms. The "B" body cars were the last of the Chrysler products that had the straight torsion bars and would have included most everything except the Volare and Aspen up to the 80 model year. After that, all rear drive Mopar cars had the Cross torsion bar set up refered to as the Volare clip. I suspect the Gibbons clip used the standard Mopar parts, so the rear torsion bar crossmember from any 74-79 B body should work. The hacked strut bar brackets are going to have to be refabricated, they would have been part of the K member. I have a torsion bar crossmember here, as well as a set of torsion bars, but the K member is long gone, if indeed the factory parts were used in the conversion. Gene
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