Starting a new project and looking for some input from you guys. Going with a mustang 2,possibly going to leave in the stock 223 but I do have a 292,also I will stick with the 3-speed on the column. Going to be a daily driver and is going to be used like a truck.I want to drop the rear but do not want to flip the axle,I think I can get about an !" by moving up the spring perches.Any help would be great,Thanks.
The original front axle is Great. Works well, cheap to rebuild and fits on a traditional hotrod forum
The M2 makes my skin crawl. What's so great about it? I agree with the straight axle and tradition looks. If you bent on an independent front suspension, I saw a picture of the late model Crown Vic set up. It has an aluminum cross member that'll bolt on.You get better geometry, bigger brakes and r&p all meant for a heavier vehicle.
Check with ElPolako, he did a Dakota front clip on his '62(?) Unibody and said it works great. I'm not sure about the track on yours, it might be the same or close to it.
Wow!! that's a great pickup to start with... doesn't look like it needs any patch panels, unlike Oklahoma trucks!!
It's not a clip. He builds a crossmember that welds to your frame, and uses Dodge Dakota suspension, steering, and brakes. Actual pickup parts, and he has properly engineered all the geometry, track width, etc to make it drive and handle properly. Mustang II is just a glorified Pinto. Don't put that on a truck.
If you stick with the plan of a Mustang II front suspension DJM makes a kit to lower the rear with new spring hangars. I used their kit on my '65 F100 & grinding those rivits is easier than one would think
the mustang11 gets a bad rap. the four cyl being inline actually puts more weight on the crossmember than the v-8 does. but this usually knocked by the the guys that cut up a good vintage frame lay it on the ground and call it traditional just my 02$
This truck came from Texas,it is in very good condition but it looks like some small repair and repaint on the drivers door and fender.
Nice truck. I've been watching these trucks the past couple of years. More are showing up at events and in magazines. Good luck. I am looking forward to following your upgrades. Build it the way YOU want it.
Wow, that's a great score! They don't come much cleaner than that! Check the front cab mounts for hidden dirt packed up inside them, and be sure to flush them out so they're empty. After owning my '59 for a few years I discovered the mounts were full of dirt and sand, and had been quietly rotting away both areas where they attach to the cab at the floorboard and the side footwells. Also make sure the drain holes are open at the bottoms of both front fenders, if they get clogged the inner fender supports will start to rot. How's the engine? Check your compression, these 223s have a tendency to blow head gaskets. I think I have a good head pipe for the exhaust leftover from when I swapped engines, its free if you need it.
Thanks for all the info,I will be sure to lookat all these areas. The engine runs good but is lacking power so I will do a compression check.I would like to leave that engine in but will change to the v-8 if I have to.
Looks good Doug, I'm telling ya the rear axle flip isnt hard. I did mono leafs with reveresed eyes up front brought the truck down a solid 5". Im just waiting on new spring perches to finish up.
my truck has a 223 in it runs alright i put a tall gear in it i think a set 3.50's would work great clean truck edit i just looked at the pics of the bed you lucky sob
Nice truck! I just heard today that the 93- 96 Crown Victoria front suspension bolts right up if youre looking to go that route.Im gonna do the rear axle flip soon.So far this truck has been extremely expensive to lower but very easy once you have all the parts.Good luck
Your truck looks like a great score.I lowered mine just by removing every other leaf,then was a little to low in front(springs bottomed out on frame)so had to remove shortest one and add second longest one back in and it was what i needed.After that i just trimmed the bump stops.It lowered it about two and a half inches.Hopefully soon I will get a dropped axle from Sid on here,and flip the rear.Yours is a lot more solid than mine.Good luck. Stony
You got a thing for trucks from Texas don't you? My truck is going to get a set of reversed eye springs on the rear soon. Right now I just removed the overload leafs from the spring pack and that dropped the rear 2". Not very low, but I was aiming for the stance that Winfields 58 F100 truck had. BTW, the the front is a Sids 3" dropped axle.
had a 59 & 60 short wide(s). my opionion is don't get rid of straight axle... some day you want to work with it! i rebuilt mine and it drove great... just what you would expect from a 50 yr old vehicle. unless you plan on carving mountain sides, the straight will work just fine, plus at some point you might want to go g***er. looks like a great starting point... rock on!
Best thing about a solid front axle, the wheels are forever perpendicular to the road. You only worry about caster and toe. love the solid and certain feel of a solid axle front, never vague and wandery. want it to ride good? all about the shocks. I've had solid axles that drove like **** but after I had one rebuilt with new kingpins, linkages and rebuilt the steering box I couldn't believe how nice to drive, just like a 79 bronco. There are bearings in the steering box that wear out and the box adjustment isn't going to tighten that up. It only takes the slack out of the rack and sector. most often it is the end bearings on the steering shaft that are slopped out not the sector engagement. sometimes the sector gets a worn spot right in the center giving a centerless feel to the steering. I think it is mostly the steering box to blame for nor liking the solid axle I have yet to try it but might someday run a power saginaw box cross steering the front axle. I had a 1958 f350 1-1/2 ton that you could palm around corners after rebuilding the front. running bias ply tires makes a difference with manual steering. Local guy here has a 1960 with the full size chrysler torsion bar front welded in. he said he just notched the frame to sit down on it and welded it in and says it handles like a cop car
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