62 Falcon Unibody on a different Chassis?

Has anyone here ever attempted putting a 62 Falcon Wagon unibody on a Chassis frame? I realize the stupidity of the question. If you were to going to do it what would you do and why? I have heard ideas on laddering a welded frame to the unibody structure and working from there. Are there any fellas out there who have any constructive ideas on this subject? I hesitate to ask the question for obvious reasons.

 

Purely out of curiousity: why?

 

If you brace the body properly, I dont see why you couldn't replace the welded in frame rails with something removable. The key would be keeping the body square, and have solid mounting points. Lots of people have swapped full frames under econolines.

 

There's a guy out here in AUS doing this.. It's not traditional but he's fabricated full new frame rails and welded them in, tubbed it, moved petrol tank and moved front shock towers etc.. He did all this to sqeeze a 460 in it

 

It is interesting. It is a solution to a number of problems related to these kind of vehicles. We here on this side of the pond seem hesitant to take drastic measures to achieve what we want. That is why I posed the question. I wanted to see others ideas and also see if there were any pictures of such a build. It is unconventional to be sure. But, it is something I am interested in. Think you could get the fella to let you take some shots of what he is doing? The chopit guys here have the same ideas I do concerning some of this stuff.

 

My Falcon Gasser has a 2x3 square frame built under the unidody. Works great to mount a new front end and with engine space.

 

Here's a photo.

 

Well, mines this gray two door wagon. I looked at the pics. It looks doable. Any others here that are pics on process of doing it would be interesting. Some people have used S10 frames for some of their cars. Would that type of frame work or does anyone have any idea what other frame might work?

 

I have to agree with some on this one . If you aren't going to be dropping in a bigger mill with tons of torque and the frame isn't rusted bad , then why do it ?
If it was my wagon and I had to replace the uni body frame then I would just slide a 2"x3" under the wagon , make some body mounts in certain places and then bolt it up to the body . That way it will be square so you can then finish it up . I would then use a Mustang front end and a Ford 9" rear on a 4 link rear . Of course a straight axle front end would sure look great too ! After that was done then you can remove the uni body frame if desired .
Just a few thoughts to consider .

Retro Jim

 

In my estimation if it can be done safely great. My problem with people is...why put a car together that is old and still drive a dangerous car? Why endanger yourself and the people who are fellow travellers on the road of life? I love hot rodding...but I see painted up cars with real problems. I could paint it and sell it but why do that? It would be a disservice to the next guy. There are a lot of possible ways to mate these things together. The key is doing it and doing safely and hopefully the least expense inccured the better if you can keep costs down. A recent mag ahd a fella who had mated two completely different cars together. He did it more power to him. It turned out great. I am just looking at options and need to decide what I am going to do. Bouncing this off others is a way to let others weigh in if they so desire.

 

It's not a matter of can't be done, this sort of thing has been done many times over. It's more a question of, why? If your floors are in good shape, if your not planning to do a massive engine, why do a complete chassis under a car that functions well without? I often hear people say things like "better brakes, better steering, better handling, all in one shot". Well, maybe. Those things depend on your skills as a builder. They also depend on the chassis you intend to slide under the car too. MOST of the time what I have seen is a project that is so large that the builder gets in over his head and disables a usable car forever. As I said MOST of the time.
At it's basis, a correctly working Falcon is a pretty nice car to drive around. I have logged several hundred thousand miles on mine over the thirty years it has been with me. They can be improved quite substantially in very simple ways with mods such as disc brakes, Shelby drop, sub frame connectors, five speed trans, and if you want to go that far, Mustang II front suspensions. All of these things are very simple in comparison to what you are contemplating as far as a chassis swap. Look at what the classic Mustang guys have been doing with they're cars for the last forty years. Did you know that your Falcon is basically the same underpinnings?
I too hate to see cars put together that are shiny and pretty but basically dangerous. Not just because of my "great love of humanity", but because it means that car is not going to do what it needs to do for that owner. I just got off the phone with a client of mine moments ago, that has just such a car. Pretty painted and upholstered on the out side, and cobbled on the underside. Guess why he called? To cancel his appointment to do a fan shroud because the thing "broke down again". Yet, every time it sits in my driveway, people stop and tell me how incredibly beautiful it is! I guess what I'm saying is this, Keep it simple, learn in steps, never care about what others think of your car so that ego doesn't take over common sense, nothing has to be trick - it just has to work well and correctly.
Best of luck, Chip Quinn

 

1. I know this has been done before. I was working on these cars a long time ago.
2. I don't have to give you a reason why.
3. You don't know what my skills are or what I am capable of doing. I may know more than you think I do.
4. Maybe I don't care to do what you consider adjustments
5. I can cut the car up and sell the parts if that is what I desire to do.
6. I can make a TBucket out of it if that is what I desire to do.
7. I can cut the body pieces apart and put them on another frame if that is what I have
the time and want to do.
8. One guys "beautiful" old car may be a piece of crap to me...pretty simple.
9. I threw the question out to get some opinions and to see what people have done that
is why I came to this site.
10. -Thanks for giving yours-

 

it is very doable, but I would fab a chassis before I drop it on an s-10 for example as I think it would be easier, and look better. Drag guys do it all the time, truck guys do it all the time. If you want it low, it may be easier to start fresh.... I may do it to my 65 Comet someday....

 

I tend to agree with you here...SOMETIMES...it is better to start from the ground up with what you have. It also depends on what you intend the outcome to be. It also depends on whether you want to work on the car to last another 50 years or more. That to me is what I am after. I don't give two hoots if it has the orginal rotted out floor that somebody toothpasted together. I ain't putting something together to be looked at and not driven.

 

Man, I was sitting in my backyard about 9pm last night, there was no wind and I had a huge pile of branches, brush, and old lumber to burn and I thought, perfet timing.

I usually sit and watch the fire, one, I'm in the country with a lot of trees and dry leaves and two, it's enjoyable, not many chances to just sit and think. So I'm dreaming up a build.

I came up with a early Falcon wagon. Cut the roof off, weld all the doors shut and smooth. Windshield posts are cut halfway up, so half a windshield. Bagged and dropped to help get my fat butt into the car. 300 I6 with header and dual webers. AODE for the tranny.

Now it gets strange. The dash is removed as well as everything behind it. A metal wall to seperate the front seat from the back seat, a top edge goes from door to door, curved at the corners to flow into the doorline. Same thing behind the back seat, divide it from the rear of the car. The floor and framerails are removed and a new 2x4 frame is built even with the bottom of the rocker panels. Next foam is used to form seats front and rear and the sides of the doors in a tuck and roll pattern and the whole mess is covered in fiberglass and worked and sanded smooth. Everything is painted with a red boat metallic to mimic Zodiac red metalflake vinyl. Drains are put into all 4 floordboards. The rear compartment gets a tuck and roll fiberglass Zodiac tonneau cover for the compressor, air tank, batteries, amplifiers, and jacuzzi pump....... yeah, the passenger compartments can be jacuzzis (obviously, not while driving).

The guages are mounted on the cowl, starter button with no key (uses a fob like the new cars), signals and horn operate with a mechanical system that goes thru a waterproof bulkhead in the toeboard to operate. All other electrics are in the cowl as is the glovebox. DP90 black with red wheels and chrome hubcaps, whitewalls.

 

More photos

 

BeeBeeBobby

I don't think any one is arguing with you. I'm sure you have the abilities to make your falcon into anything you want.

I agree with Need Louvers?, though. A lot of people worry about their stock chassis being "unsafe." While i'll agree that the manual drum brakes on my Galaxie don't work nearly as well as power disks, I don't think putting a body on a different existing chassis is the answer.

If you took the time to upgrade the front end as was suggested you could have disks (power if you want to add a booster/master cyl), rack and pinion steering (again, power if you want to work for it), you can change gears in rear ends or change the rearend if setting one up is more involved than you care to get, add an OD trans, the list goes on...

All of these things can be done as time and money allows. Should you decide to stop fixing on your car, you can still drive it. (Being able to drive a project will definately help keep you motivated)

If you do a frame swap the car is out until it's all done. If you run out of ambition/time/money with a frame swap it just sits and rots. And like Need Louvers said, not that it will happen to you, a lot of frame swaps get stalled out. It sounds a lot easier than it really is.

My opinion: don't reinvent the wheel

Adam

Cute car by the way, i wish i had one to drive back and forth. Any more pics?

 

That sounds close to that SEMA Cad...LOL Sounds really interesting....I like the idea.

 

I was just asking because your answer might help guide you towards resources or people who might be better able to provide you with qualified assistance... but hey, no worries. Enjoy your day.

 

I am not shy of drum brakes...I like them quite well and the ones on this one are new. Disks are not the issue. I got other stuff to drive. Creativity is the thing I am after. I have plenty of time. I took the car from someone else who had it sitting rotting under a tree so, I don't feel awful bad about it. I am in the process of stripping it down and deciding what I want and can do. It is really not that big a deal. I don't even have to be a part of the site to do it. I am just an old man...I don't give two hoots whether it stays a Falcon or turns into a Chevy. I am not a purist.

 

Thanks, for your kind response. I enjoy everyday that is given to me. The interesting thing to me about every day ....is I survived an accident that killed 19 friends when I was 17. So, yes, I will have a good day.

 

My 63, 2X3 chassis R&P steering 427 Ford. Fun car. Chassis sure stiffens them up.
Mc Phearson struts. Steering and struts all out of a early Capri.

 

What is your plan as far as style goes? low, race car, gasser, nice daily? That in my oppinion is the place to start.

 

There is a good question. MoKan is nearby...so drag is a good option. I don't really see it as a daily driver at least for me. Either way you go at this point the amount of money put in is not what you will get out. That is just my feeling at this point. Customized might gain some interest. Retro Restore to orginal...nah, don't think there is a market for it. At least not here. I went to a show and it is an old car not much interest. There are not that many around but that still does not equate value. A few weeks ago I was hit from behind by a car traveling about 45 -50 mph. I was in a 2008 car and the other car that hit me was an Altima. It was pretty bad and the fire department was called. Had I been in the wagon it would have been pretty drastic. Low and slow would be good too. But, honestly the underside needs complete redo, either that or it needs to be cut out and set on a proper frame. The key is what will get me there the quickest. I do not see the value of reworking a suspension that Shelby tried to correct. Single cup master cylinders are interesting if you ever blow just one rubber hose. I know this from experience. Rearends where the leafs are rotted out with rust and floors that are tarred over with tin and not properly fixed the first time. Fuel cells and battery bays that are rusted out along with toe boards etc...This one is a complete rework...The outter body is fine, windshields and windows fine..door hinges all need replace. Liners stripped...body moldings need replaced...bumpers tail lights... Generator needs switched to alternator. Ignition and carb and head need replaced Engine needs reworked...Only thing that works is a 48 year old six banger that has been in it since it was first out of the factory....
So, yes, I need to decide which way to go with it. Those three options are good ones to think about and that is where I am. Either way a reasonable amount of money is gonna have to go in it. So, no disrespect intended to anyone, honestly. That is why I asked the question.

 

Here three ways to do it. first cut the bottom out of the car and Build a simple 2x3 or 4 inch frame rails. build as a gasser, pro touring or as a mild custom. your front ends and rear end setups can be any number of ideas.

Second way is to buy a late model car that is rear wheel drive,mustang,LTD etc and cut the top of the car and graft the falcon body onto the late floors and frame. Seen this done to alot of early mercs.

Last is the 4X4 way. Mount it on a old 4x4 truck frame.Not too fond around here these days but it is one of the easiest ways to build a wild wagon. Make a cool hunting rig!!!

I been ready this post and it seems to me you have no idea where to go with this build. I first search and get a plan in your head on where you want to go with the build then go from there.

 

You can do some cool stuff with a later model chassis. I bought a 1989 caprice 4dr for the 305. I noticed the wheelbase was close to my 65 f100 so I scrapped the body and did some measuring. The cab fit on very well. It would mount on the original front cab mounts very easily, but I wanted a low stance, so I cut out the floor and channelled the cab down 6 " over the frame, made new mounts from angle iron and flat stock, and patched in new floor sections. Now I have a very low truck with pwr disc, pwr strng and the great ride/ handling of the caprice, all for about $200. This whole project took about 30 hours.

 

Yeah... lots of Pro/Street cars done this way. You COULD design/build for any style you like really, and its a great way to "save" a very rusty but interesting car.

There will be compromises made though if your going this route.
Obviously with the new frame intruding on the original floors/wheelwells etc then things like the new floor panels/interior will need to adapt to the positioning of the new frame structure.
IMO, If you intend to run the two front rail sections without the usual Pro/street style full cage you will want to upsize the frame materials a bit for stiffness...and pay careful attention to how the unibody upper structure ties into the new rails. Make the remaining unibody construction work with the new rails as they pass back thru the car. It's there, so use it for its intended purpose.

Do your homework and you can have a good car...but make no mistake it isn't a job for the faint hearted.
It IS easier than a true original style resto of a rusted out car though. It's all new metal, and floor pans etc will be easily formed from flat sheet and a bead roller.

A car in good shape that isn't being set up for racing or something....not sure I'd get into a frame replacement.
You won't see enough benefit to offset the compromises and $$$ invested...and a good condition car can be built up NICE just as it sits for less money.

But hey...if you have your heart set on it...I'd say go for it!!!

 

Not suggesting you buy one...but I'd take a look at Art Morrison's website. They have been marketing full replacement chassis for unibody cars pretty heavily lately, and from everything I have heard they work great. Might be a good design to base yours off of, or at least get a few ideas.

 

I would like to see this truck,any pictures?