Ifs crossmember questions

[fourspeedwagon]

I’ve been looking at and reading threads about ifs’ for my 47.2 panel. I’m unclear about aftermarket crossmembers. I thought that part of the point was to be able to pull the whole thing off a donor and place it on the donee’(?). Then I see all the “kits” to use. Was I wrong about using the entire crossmember/suspension or are the aftermarket ones just a nicety but not required?

Thinking to buy a complete(ish) jaguar and use the front and the rear for it. But not totally set on this option. I’d prefer to use the stock frame rather than chassis swap—

[mongocanfly]

your not gonna find a ifs that will just bolt on and be done..there's fab work involved with any cm swap. ..the aftermarket kits are designed around your original frame and that allows you to then bolt on all the goodys...I considered a jag front on mine but after reading I pulled the plug on that..i cant remember what changed my mind now..I went with flatout crossmember and vett suspension

[mr48chev]

Some of the donor crossmembers like AMC Pacer weren't great back when we were using them.
73 and up Chevy C 10 is to wide wheel mount surface to wheel mount surface.

Crown Vick is even wider wheel mount to wheel mount and while they do fit F 100 frames and TF frames somewhat easily there is no simple way to attach one to a TF frame The guys down at Wolf Den for coffee in the morning that think they are in the know about car stuff will probably throw that out.

There are still a few outfits that sell a MII crossmember that you use Stock mid 70's Mustang II control arms on but they are getting few and far between.

As I have mentioned before in other threads I am planning on running the crossmember from Industrial Chassis that works with Dodge Dakota 2 wheel drive suspension pieces.
I picked up a 92 Dakota over in Zillah for 200 a year ago. 550 for the crossmember as soon as I sell off some stuff and a couple hundred to put new bushings and ball joints in although the truck has only 91K. I may have to buy dropped spindles to get it low enough though.

late 70's early 80's Jag XJ front suspension will work and unbolts in one piece from the donor Jag. Only issue there is that the Jag parts are spendy.

One guy on here used to sell a crossmember that ran G body control arms and pieces but guys who bought them seem to have had issues with them. Haven't heard anything out of that for months.

I'd say the main thing on that panel now is to plan and sort out parts. Plan so you don't end up with parts you bought and then didn't use because I have plenty of those.

[fourspeedwagon]

Maybe I didn’t word that properly, I didn’t mean that I thought it would just bolt right up and drive away. Only that modifying the cm to attach to the chassis instead of a newly built/bought one.

[mongocanfly]

ok..makes more sense...its one of those things where your gonna have to decide what suspension you want to use...I looked a jag, dakota, mustang and all...each one has benefits and drawbacks. ..in the end I think you'll be money ahead getting a complete x member that's designed to fit the frame..by the time you rebuild stuff, buy drop spindles, fab brackets, figure steering,,and all the little things that always sneak up and bite you in the butt you'd be real close money wise...

[fourspeedwagon]

Looks like we were typing at the same time mr48. Definitely don’t want to start off in the wrong direction in parts gathering, just trying to do the opposite and square away a good plan. A friend has a Dakota that he’s planning to send down the road, but it has the weird lug pattern.. they probably make rotors to change out to a common pattern. I don’t recall having ridden in a Dakota but assumed that the jag would be preferred. Hoping my wife will enjoy it - it’d probably get a drop axle and be done if it were just for me.
Thanks again mr48

Sorry Mongo/Greg - I don’t always get across the point that I put together in my head.. Thanks for the ideas.

[mongocanfly]

that was the issue I had with dakota...that 6 lug pattern is only on dakota and vipers...by the time you replace and upgrade it gets into lots more than I was willing to do...some dakotas do have a 5 lug pattern but I don't remember which one....
like I said before..I bought the flatout x member and bought a complete vett front suspension...I opted for coilovers and I've got around 2k in it...the stock vett front is also a bolt in unit....got r&p steering as well..

[MiraclePieCo]

I have a junkyard OEM Mustang II crossmember in my AD. I really appreciate the parts store availability of replacement components.

[fourspeedwagon]

Miracle- is yours on the road or under construction?

[whitedog76]

I just pulled the trigger on a CPP crossmember. I’ll tell you what I think about it when the FEDEX man shows up. I have some modular spindles and control arms on the way too.

I haven’t seen a real big difference in the M2 stuff. Everyone seems to have the same architecture. I have read some quality issues with some overseas control arms. The CPP and Speedway kits seemed to be good quality for the money. I don’t like how the tube hangs out the back of the M2 kits with the 1 piece lower arm, but I plan on changing that, though.

The Dakota kits look really stout. Probably one of the most heavy duty kits out there. I have seen a brake kit that allows the 5X5.5 hub/rotor from B series vans.

[fourspeedwagon]

I talked to el Polacko’s assistant today about the Dakota setup- also I see the gear from a corvette available locally so I will look into that now too.

[mr48chev]

You can swap to larger Mopar car or truck rotors using the 45.00 a pair brackets that they sell along with the crossmember.

I have a pair of front rotors I saved off a Dodge van and have a Ford truck 9 inch with the same rear bolt pattern so that is how I will probably go.
The Industrial chassis crossmember might be a tad bulky for some tastes but it is built like a bridge and bolts on.

That said I have a Jag front end or part of one that I would sell for the 50 I have in it. Problem is I think it probably needs 500 spent on it to be road worthy.

I've also got a whole 76 Mustang II front end out here that I would sell cheap but again a guy just has to spend too much money on it to redo it.

On the Dakota swap I'll have 550 in the crossmember, 45 in the caliper brackets about 100 in new calipers and pads, and around 200 in replacing ball joints an bushings. plus the 200 I paid for the Dakota. I sold a couple of parts so I am down to 180 on the Dakota and I'll build a trailer out of the box and rear half of the frame to sell.

[MiraclePieCo]

Originally Posted by fourspeedwagon

Miracle- is yours on the road or under construction?

Under construction, so I have no idea how it will actually handle.