building a 85 crown vic

[crookeddemo]

Im build this car for a no weld derby, 80s class. These are the main rules. You can use 2, 3/4" all thread front and back and 4, 1/2" od bolts in hood and trunk. You can change bumpers, engine, and rearend, and you can notch frame. How can I build this car to win?

[stris141]

I've never ran one that new. But from what I can gather, it can do pretty good. Can you run the front allthered, up thru the frame mounts, and radiator support, out thru hood? If so, do it, And use big washers! If the bumper is a steel one, it should work fine, I think. Drill the bumper shocks, and collasp the shocks. Can you weld the shocks/bumper to frame? If so, do it. If not, replace all the bolts you can, with gr.8 bolts. And again, use big washers. Weld the bumper together. Can you remove the body mounts? If so, take the stock bolts, and replace tjose, with longer gr.8 bolts, up thru floor. Again, use big washers/nuts. Lots of people replace the whole drivetrain, with Chevy. 350 all the way back to the rearend. If you have to use stock springs, take and replace the front ones, with some from a big block car, or 3/4 Ford pu/van coils. Take your time doing this, lots of pressure there. But pretty easy to do. Then, take the stock front ones, and replace the rear coils with them. Weld/wire/clamp the tops and bottom of them in. I've heard people say, not to notch the rear frame. Just heat up the spot, between the last two body bolts, and dimple the frame there. Weld every seam you can. If you can't weld the doors/trunk, then tru and bolt/wire them.
That's all I can think of, for now. Some of the others might have some good stuff. And you can take a look, at some of the other threads, and see what you can find.

Steve

[crookeddemo]

I have a built 305 Im running, and Im still trying to find a 12 bolt rear end and some gears, bcause Im going to run a 3 speed tranny. Thanks for your help.

[dadicted]

u will probably not find a 12bolt and gears that fit eachother. ur best bet is to find a 10bolt bolt in rearend. thoes u can find gears for, or a ford 9 31spline. if u do use a ford then u will run into the problem that jesse and i are. it doesent bolt right up to the 80s ford. u have to make some custom mounts to fit the control arms.

[crookeddemo]

Thank, I appriciate all the help.

[derbyman753]

everything stris said to do but i would notch i love it been notching for 5 6 years now and works great 4 me but again matter of opinion also, if u are aloud moving ure back 2 body bolts forward move right beside where u notch works awesome 4 me too , and run a midplate if aloud 753

[badboy23]

there are crumple zones in the frame on all of those cars. pull the body and look for them. and keep stress off the rear humps. tuck the trunk. gm drivetrain, 9 inch rear. protect your steering. then have a ball.

[derbyman753]

well the humps have never been a problem with me badboy they have a factory plate inside the humps,
and all i run is coil but i do always notch mine and there is a big difference in not and notching in my experince anyway 753 ;D

[crookeddemo]

were do you notch these at in the back?

[stris141]

Well, if you want to notch it, I guess between the last two body mounts. Just like if you just dimpled the frame.

Steve

[stris141]

I'm building my Daughters 83 Merc. I thought I'd ask this question in here.
Is it worth the trouble to push the bottom of the trunk floor up? We can't take any of the body mounts out. But we are allowed to notch the frame. And should I roll the quater panels up under also? And we can only use two chains on the trunk.

Steve

[dadicted]

steve i would say yes. i have seen many cars that dont do it and once the rear starts going up the trunk pan goes down and into the tires or coveres the rearend and almost touches the ground. that and i believe it gives the frame rails more strength from shifting side to side.

[stris141]

Thanks Matt! I'll have to come up with a way to do that. Unless I can get the car over to a friends shop, and use his forklift.

Steve

[tude]

lots of blocks and a handy man jack should do it steve, just set blocks under it then push the car off th jack......just stand clear of it. all mine were done with our loader, not on purpose but its how i move them when im alone

[stris141]

I was thinking of some planks and a big bottle jack.

Steve

[tude]

or that.....

[65kdawg]

you can use a cherry picker

[tude]

65kdawg said:

you can use a cherry picker

yes, but getting the weight ratio just right can be a pain in the aZZ