new to the sight channling a car questions

[twekd1]

ok i have a 1954 chrysler windsor i have come to the conclusion that the stock drivetrain and suspension is junk and too costly to fix so i got a 1986 crown victoria
here is where im at right now i just choped everything off the crown vic and now need to strech the frame to match the wheel base length, im keeping the firewall off the crown vic to keep the a/c and brake systems,, im planning to cut the least possible out of the chrysler and just drop the body on that frame , cut the holes in the floor to fit the frame through then just weld the body to the frame ,,,
am i doing this right? anything i should know or think about? please help me in any way possible.. thanks tim

chrysler pictures
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/twekd1.../ph//my_photos

crown vic pictures
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/twekd1.../ph//my_photos

[astroracer]

Sounds like a good plan other then welding the body to the frame... Take the time to re-use the body/frame mounts. Even if that means making new ones to adapt to the CV chassis. The twist and flex will wreak havoc on your old Chrysler's body panels and the rubber mounts do isolate a lot of road noise and vibration...
Mark

[twekd1]

would any one have pictures of what i have to build to make the mounts? alould i just use like 1/4 inch steel plate and noch it around the frame then weld to rocker pannel and floor?

[gator 1]

First off welcome to Metalmeet. Sounds like a good project. I agree with not welding the body to the frame. Look at the way the old body mounts and copy that. Did you think about changing the drive line over to the old frame. With some boxing and fabricating this will probably work out best. You could fill the firewall and use the brake and ac stuff on the old car.

I would hesitate cutting out the firewall of the old car and trying to fit to the new. If you have to lengthen the frame you would be best to use the clip from the new car and graft to the old frame. Then switch out the rears and be done.

I'm not trying to discourage you but that is what i would do. Just my thoughts..Gator

[roger n cindy]

hello tim and welcome. body support mounts should have horizontal support as well . a simple T shaped bracket or a wraparound . i see you are from the city of the hawk ? heading out to the junk yard and prowling around under some older trucks is probably out of the question this time of year ! i'm not fimilar with the newer cars but your vick must be full frame ? that makes the swap much easyier. a very doable project with the hardest pary being the lifting. hope you have access to a good 2 post lift. the firewall will of course require welding and forming sheetmetal so it will be a learning project. had you saved enough, you may have, of the front floor you should have body mounts allready for at least that end. you might think about channeling the body over the frame while your this deep into the project. best of luck and keep asking the questions, we all learn something from them.
roger

[twekd1]

what type of problems will i have switching the fire walls? what advantages will i have keeping the old frame? i just got both cars in the same garage last night and from what i see that frame will physically fit withen the rockers i just would have to extend the crown vic frame like 13 inches ,, please let me know advantages and disadvantages of both ways thanks and sorry for all the questions its just i never tryed something like this and dont know anyone who has tried something like this before

[twekd1]

if i just cut channels in the floor to have the frame slide through i can lower the body to whatever i want? what is a good distance for the body to be off the ground? does any one have pictures of what im doing ? i have done something like this on my mustang subframe connectors am i just doing something like this
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/twekd1...89.jpg&.src=ph
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/twekd1.../ph//my_photos

[twekd1]

i dont have a lift and i do all my work out of a 2 car garage ,, am i best off cutting the chrysler just a bit to fit it over the fire wall of the crown vic and then with like 6 guys lifting the body on to the new frame and doing all final cuts and channeling with it sitting on the new frame (just lifting where needed with a floor jack)? what should i use to suport the body when taking it off the frame ? and where should i weld in the suports?

[Pete's Metalshaping]

There was an article in Tex Smith's book, Hot to Build a Shoebox Fords (ISBN 0-87938-478-6). It detailed a similar chassis swap using an Oldsmobile chassis and a 50 Mercury body. They picked a frame with the same wheelbase as the Mercury. You might get some ideas from this article.

If you are looking for this book, I found it on-line at: http://www.allbookstores.com/book/0879384786

[twekd1]

i just ordered the book