Yup. Here's my flipped rear, with homemade leaf spring pads. I left the old pads on top in case I ever need to flip it back for some reason: I did a ~3" C-notch to clear it. It sits pretty good in the back now: I changed my mind on the front and decided to start by dropping the stock axle it 3" at Mor-Drop. It's still in the shop, I'll post pics when it's done.
the back never really seems to be what gives people problems. always the front dealing with the axle either hitting the shift linkage going from the steering column to the tranny or just bump steer issues. definately keep us informed as to what you have going on in the front. ALOT of people want to lower these things. including myself.
For a lot of reasons I gave up on the idea of flipping the front axle, sucked it up, and took it to Mor-Drop. It's a 3" drop by Mor-Drop, two leafs pulled; the rear axle has been flipped & the "frame" c-notched for clearance. I still need to cut into the wheel well in the front a bit for clearance, but so far no major issues, aside from having to raise the engine (300 six-cylinder) about 6 inches. I used a tie-rod drop kit so the tie rod is below the leaf springs. Still have a lot of work to do before it drives again, but I'll let y'all know how it rides. Should be fun!
so nobody can body drop a unibody for some unknown reason? it would, of course, be a hell of a lot of work, but essentially amounts to channeling the outer body down over the floor platform. limiting factor here is door openings and steering column. can't see how you could drop more than 3 inches and still be able to get into the seats comfortably, or sit the driver's seat and manage the wheel without cutting the column down. i had an A100 years ago and loved it. miss that critter.
What needs cutting, the edge? Any issues with the tires on the inside? Why the engine lift? Oil pan or crank pulley clearance? I'd like to get my Dodge lower, but have too many other things to do before I jump in and cause a ton of work. Please keep us updated!
Don't know if you can really tell in this pic, Allof that stuff hanging under my pickup is tranny and headers. When I built mine, being stable at speed and around corners, I lowered the C-6 and 302 an extra 3 inches. Have to admit, Ive loaded it where the headers drug. I just like to observe the lowering problems people are having. The body channel that was mentioned a few posts ago, would actually not be that hard. Other than the doors it could by done with ease.This is the path I'm thinking. I like where my drivetrain sets.
I just bought a 61' eco-truck lowered 4.5 inches all the way around. Not sure how he did it, love the look, but it drives like crap! Its actually scary to drive on the freeway! Any suggestions that might help the ride? Bump steer is one thing, but hitting a small dip on the highway is a whole other rush! Does anybody know of a good custom suspension shop in Houston, that would have any good ideas?
front tires are gonna rub on the inner fenderwells. these econolines are not friendly to these mods. ford sure didn't win any engineering awards with these vehicles.
The front wheel wells need to be "relieved" a bit. I guess I might have been a little misleading with regards to the engine lift, my van has a 300 six which was installed (not by me, originally) way too low, so I had to raise it so the oil pan was about where the stock one might have been; for me, this was an engine lift, but if the 300 had been properly installed in the first place it shouldn't have been a problem. Sure is a headache though...
Ford (nor Dodge and Chevy with their versions)never built these trucks to be anything but a WORK VEHICLE, not for cruising, profiling, carving corners, etc and so forth. thats OUR job. taking the workaday mediocre starting point and MAKING something out of it. the fact that there were enough sold, and kept in operation for so long, and enough survive toady, proves the strength of their original engineering to me. BTW my A100 with it's LA 318 and 727 torqueflite was plenty quick for a truck, and handled pretty well with radials on it.
More lowering food for thought http://vintage-vans.forumotion.com/e-van-general-discussion-f5/new-guy-here-t7298.htm SLAMMED Econo!
seventeenseconds did you narrow your drop axle at all? I am getting ready to have one made and I am considering having it made 2" narrower than stock to make the final width 51" kingpin center to kingpin center. This should help out with the fender rubbing issue. Hopefully I can just dimple the inner fender wells to give adequate clearance. Also what drop tie rod blocks did you use? Speedway? Thanks!
When you talk about working on the front wheel wells you need to take a real close look at where your ass is when you are driving one of them.
Well, I just finished flipping the axles on my econoline. Without me sitting in it, it turns lock to lock. Haven't tried with me sitting in it yet, much less driving. I love the way the rear sits, but the front is still to high for me. I have a 3" drop/3" narrowed axle in the garage. I am going to try to put that on under the leafs and take a couple out to see if that gets the front down were I would like it. So far so good though. Later, Chad
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