Another Ford

[lowbudget50]

Like I needed something else to do. Here it is anyway, 56 Ford I went with a buddy to look at a couple months ago. It has a crown Victoria front clip and a 9 in with a four link out back. When we went and looked at the truck I questioned the guys on why they used a crown Vic front end and they told me it's the cat's meow. I tried to explain to him that it was too wide for the front clip but they did not want to agree with me. Long story short my buddy bought the truck got a screaming deal on it. It is now at my shop and I am cutting all of the crown Victoria stuff out from underneath of it and we are installing a team321 narrowed crown Vic crossmember which replaces the aluminum section that bolts in but reuses factory control arms. I think we got some different coilovers that are adjustable and a bigger sway bar. Pretty cool setup very well built. This is going to be a street rat truck like I love to build. 289 c4 combo, we are going to have the frame powder coated some matching accent color as the wheels and possibly the grill. Come along for another project inside the minter Fab shop

I would upload more pictures but I randomly get told that I have a security token missing and it won't let me upload anymore. I will try it again later

 

[dowoplover]

I,m all over this one. My favorite body style. BTW it's a 53-55 (slant A pillar).

 

[lowbudget50]

I,m all over this one. My favorite body style. BTW it's a 53-55 (slant A pillar).

Glad to see someone's excited about this. I think it's the ugliest truck ever made LOL. It will be a good looking truck when it's done. Hopefully this one moves pretty quickly. My buddy's dad actually has terminal cancer and we are trying to get this truck done so him and his dad can go do some cruising. Stay tuned

 

[Bamamav]

I love the 53-56 Effies!

As to the Crown Vic clip…
While the fact it bolts in is good for a quick and easy swap, they are too wide for even 70’s model trucks and you have to run those ugly flat no dish wheels or they stick out of the fenders. The problem most folks run into trying to narrow them is the steering rack, but it sounds like you have found someone that has something that will work.

My late neighbor had a 56 with a 289 and a 4 speed, it was a ball to drive!

 

[lowbudget50]

I love the 53-56 Effies!

As to the Crown Vic clip…
While the fact it bolts in is good for a quick and easy swap, they are too wide for even 70’s model trucks and you have to run those ugly flat no dish wheels or they stick out of the fenders. The problem most folks run into trying to narrow them is the steering rack, but it sounds like you have found someone that has something that will work.

My late neighbor had a 56 with a 289 and a 4 speed, it was a ball to drive!

Yes, it runs a fox body rack I believe. I will double check that info!
I looked into crown Vic swaps when I did that 65. It was a no go. To wide!!

(1996 Lincoln mark 8 rack)

 

[MercuryMac]

Yes, Plover is right, it's a 53-55 cab. They can be made to look pretty good, almost as good as a 56. I'll be watching.

 

[lowbudget50]

Yes, Plover is right, it's a 53-55 cab. They can be made to look pretty good, almost as good as a 56. I'll be watching.

I could be wrong on the year hahahaha

 

[lowbudget50]

Some people shouldn't fabricate!

We will fix this, nothing mister fire stick and the get bad grinder can't fix!!

Got it cleaned up and test fit. Looks good!

 

[Old Iron]

Not my favorite Ford years but, I'm always in on watching a good build
[P[P[P

 

[Bamamav]

Hey, you been watching me weld?[ddd My motto, it may be ugly, but it’s strong, lol![ddd[ddd

 

[lowbudget50]

First off I'd like to apologize it is not a 56 it is a 53. I don't know my Ford's, I should cuz that's all I work on. That being said it now has a narrow crown Vic front end underneath of it. I've got the crossmember All welded in. Now I can start disassembling the original crossmember and taking off of it what we are reusing so I can start reassembly

 

[zzrodder]

Cool project! Didn't know there was a narrow crossmember kit for the Crown Vic, I've seen guys who have cut and narrowed the aluminum crossmember, but this is a better option. - Nice welds BTW, my hand isn't that steady (I'm always grinding the boogers off before I take pics )

 

[lowbudget50]

Cool project! Didn't know there was a narrow crossmember kit for the Crown Vic, I've seen guys who have cut and narrowed the aluminum crossmember, but this is a better option. - Nice welds BTW, my hand isn't that steady (I'm always grinding the boogers off before I take pics )

Thanks zz!

Team 321 is the company that build these cross members. They make a couple different ones for a couple different year trucks. Way better option than cutting that monstrosity of an aluminum piece down and rewelding it

 

[BillM]

I'd like to second ZZ's comment - nice welds LB.

 

[Burgerman]

Nice work LB. Wish I could weld like that. Cool project. Keep those photos coming.[cl

 

[lowbudget50]

Nice work LB. Wish I could weld like that. Cool project. Keep those photos coming.[cl

Thanks guys.

200% honest with everybody I kind of been burnt out on building stuff. And I really hate to say it but the fabrication work on this little bronco ii did this truck have kind of rekindled my desire to build. I have a bunch of yard work to do today but I'm hoping I can get back in the shop tomorrow morning and get all of the suspension swapped over onto this cradle and get the engine placed back in it and then get ready to build a cross member for the transmission. At that point I will then pull the box and the cab off of it. I have some reworking to do on the rear end. Welds look like the ones I saw on the front. Then it's going off to powder coat. I think I have the guy convinced to let me do something sparkly with the frame like I did on my gasser. He wants to keep kind of the colors tied together but black frames are boring in my opinion. So I think we're going to go with a silver metal flake with a black backer so it will have a silver shine with the black flop. So it'll tie kind of into his gray wheels and gray interior and then it will also match with the blue on the truck but have a little pizzazz

 

[lowbudget50]

Progress

 

[lowbudget50]

More good

 

[05snopro440]

Cool project! I'm glad you put the narrow crossmember in it! Too many guys just go to a super positive wheel and it looks terrible on an old truck or car. They need some wheel lip showing!

 

[lowbudget50]

Cool project! I'm glad you put the narrow crossmember in it! Too many guys just go to a super positive wheel and it looks terrible on an old truck or car. They need some wheel lip showing!

100%agree! The owner actually brought the front clip over last night and we have it sitting on there. I'll get some pictures of that here in a little bit. I think I'm going to pull the wheels off my 50 Chevy and see how they look on here. Not too sure he might not end up with my wheels. Big things are coming for my 50! Got to get some customer trucks done first