Crown vic front subframe swap?

[FiThis]

Ok so I'm a noob on here been skimming posts and searching through the forum.my grandfather recently bought a barn find 51 desoto 9 person sedan/limo.wanting to do a crown vic subframe but have found little info on it any help is appreciated. 

[casper50]

I wouldn't think that you'd find much info anywhere on that swap.  Why a crown vic?  You already have one?  Not most people's first choice.

[FiThis]

Well I work at a salvage yard and we actually sell quite a few 03-up vic subframe for projects. I just figured if the rails are the right distance apart could just bolt it on.

[Frank Elder]

Way too wide for your application.

1951 desoto front track width 56 5/16 inches.

crown vic front track width 63.4 inches.

3.5 inches of tire sticking out of your front wheel wells.

[FiThis]

Thank you for the replies. Probably wont be my last post haha.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Very invasive process.....the front frame rails needed to use this suspension member is quite involved themselves in time and cost even before you start the process of transferring the Cr.Vic setup.   Most any other front clip will also be quite involved as well.    There are a other clips available to do the job but will require changing the frame to receive the clip and then the front clip itself will require extensive work to put the original radiator frame and bumper back on the car.  remember it is the front rad frame that secures the panels as a unit and then position them in a semi floating (adjustable) position back to the frame.  To my knowledge there is no bolt and go or slice and dice kit out there.  You will be doing lots of cutting, fabrication and welding.  Also keep in mind that this process is a venture of no return once started so failure will not be an option.   Having a wrecking yard at  your disposal is great for parts access and with that in mind, the original set up can be brought up to speed easier with less cost, little invasion and never really take the car off the road using a  R&P kit, shock relocation and disc brakes upgrades.  

[DonaldSmith]

What's the matter with the existing front end?  Guys on this forum fix the existing front ends, with good results.   

[YukonJack]

I've seen the Crown Vic swaps done, but usually on 60's and 70's Ford pickups.

[James_Douglas]

There is a Dodge truck from the 1990's I think that has the correct track width and one model also is within an inch on the 139.9 inch wheelbase. I looked into it a little bit for my Desoto Suburban. I decided to stick with the flathead and mostly stock suspension.  Mostly, I just converted it over to disc brakes.  I am also looking at either Don Smiths power steering conversion or a electric power steering conversion that uses the stock steering box and has the power assist under the dash. My stock steering is great going down the road.  Only parking is a PITA.  I am also going to use a Powerflite Automatic with a gear vendors OD with a 265 I am building.

 

The only thing to consider suspension wise is to move the front shock top tower from the control arm to the frame. Other than that the long wheelbase cars drive read good to great.

 

James

[Frank Elder]

Full size 90s Dodge truck is too wide also, you want a Dakota or Durango front clip. And even then I'm not sure because those early 50s cars had the narrowest bodies chrysler ever made.......

[wayfarer]

14 hours ago, FiThis said:

Thank you for the replies. Probably wont be my last post haha.

...if you need a spare frame to work with I just happen to have one...along with the sheetmetal of course.....

 

Best bet is to do some serious measuring before picking up the sawzall.

[FiThis]

44 minutes ago, wayfarer said:

...if you need a spare frame to work with I just happen to have one...along with the sheetmetal of course.....

 

Best bet is to do some serious measuring before picking up the sawzall.

Not my first rodeo I have a decent fab background. Used to have a d21 pick-up I know how to do frame rails no pun intended lol.just havent gotten I good chance to look over the frame entirely different beast than what I'm used to messing with.

[greg g]

Some folks have put in the 80's set up from the Mopar cars with the transverse torsion bar set up. And there was some activity involving the front clip from Ford Aerostar vans which was a bolt in deal like the crown Vic but not as wide. Some early Ranger pickups has a similar setup which bolted to the front sub frame.Some frame spaceres needed to be fabricated, but this would retain all the front sheet metal intact.

[48ply1stcar]

On 7/20/2019 at 12:09 AM, FiThis said:

Ok so I'm a noob on here been skimming posts and searching through the forum.my grandfather recently bought a barn find 51 desoto 9 person sedan/limo.wanting to do a crown vic subframe but have found little info on it any help is appreciated. 

You might want to check HAMB site.  In Minnesota I would a black 48 Plymouth year after year at car shows.  Nothing fancy.  One year I notice air-conditionaing he opened the hood and there was a 318.  He took the front end of a dakota cut the frame in front of the cab and cut the frame on the Plymouth, over-lapped them and put the Plymouth front end back together.  Used the dakota rear end, new drive shaft  used the orginal gear lever for the automatic, basically it looked like a old car.

[The Way]

I've not heard of Don Smiths power steering conversion . I tried doing a search here and on google with no luck. Does he have a website or go by a different name?

[Frank Elder]

5 hours ago, The Way said:

I've not heard of Don Smiths power steering conversion . I tried doing a search here and on google with no luck. Does he have a website or go by a different name?

@DonaldSmith I hear some one calling you....

[DonaldSmith]

I wrote a six-chapter report, plus introduction, on my power steering conversion, back in 2017.  I sent it in to the forum, but i don't know if it ever got put into the technical section.  

 

I used a GM power steering box that matched the pitman arm, so that the suspension was unmodified. 

I cut the steering shaft and jacket below the shifting arms and added U-joints and D-shafts to the steering box.

I devised a pickup brush for the steering column, to maintain the grounding circuit for the horns.

I added a pulley for the power steering belt, and a bracket for a GM power steering pump.  

 

If you want my report, PM me with your e-mail address.   (The Way contacted me; send me your e-mail address.)   

[The Way]

Thanks for the report Don! I finally did find it under 'downloads' in an area I've never been to before. I also found other interesting downloads I didn't know were there. Sometimes we just can't see the forest for the trees.....