Crown Vic IFS - Installation Complete (For Real)

Suspension, steering, brakes, wheels & tires

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flyboy71
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Crown Vic IFS - Installation Complete (For Real)

Post by flyboy71 »

Maybe this has been embedded in numerous threads but....

If Im scouting my local junkyard looking to snag a Crown Vic front end, what model years am I looking for?

Whats the breakdown year to year on significant changes or what will and wont bolt on? I assume Ford made changes over the years.

If I bolt to the frame directly top and bottom how many inches drop is it from stock? Ive seen it mounted various ways to either drop or keep the height stock. Just looking for some guidelines on how to know where Ill end up.

..plus anything else Ive missed.
Last edited by flyboy71 on Thu Jul 22, 2010 9:10 pm, edited 5 times in total.
-Jeff

1971 F-100 240 straight six, 3 on the tree (parted out)
1972 F-100 302 auto trans, pwr steering, pwr brakes (under construction)
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for?

Post by eggman918 »

I have a '97 if i can get pics or measurements to help you let me know. :thup:
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for?

Post by CO684X4 »

2003 and newer crown vics have what you want. Once its all bolted in its around a 5" drop.
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for?

Post by convincor »

P71 package is either police or taxi. Still 03 up.
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for?

Post by 72-F100-4V »

You want to snag the entire IFS from hub to hub. Brake lines uncut, bolts for the trailing arm bracket, bolts for the IFS itself, bolts for the sway bar too. Dont forget the upper mount brackets either.
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for?

Post by flyboy71 »

I found a local stash of 2003 and up P71 state police crown vics being parted out. I need to negotiate a price on what I need. Right now they want $300. Stay tuned.

In the meantime I found a website with some good reference pics. http://www.p71interceptor.com/undercarr ... policep71/
-Jeff

1971 F-100 240 straight six, 3 on the tree (parted out)
1972 F-100 302 auto trans, pwr steering, pwr brakes (under construction)
"Things are more like they are now than they ever were before" Dwight Eisenhower
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for? (Found it)

Post by dbarker »

Whats the deal with this? Is it a direct bolt on? Purpose other than a 5" drop?
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for? (Found it)

Post by hazelnut »

Rack n pinion steering, a front sway bar, disc brakes and probaly handles a lot better . but on the down side youll have a car bolt pattern on the front but i guess you could have the rotors redrilled. from what ive seen you have to cut out the front crossmember. checkout some of the project updates, theres about 3-4 in there that people have made the changed over to.
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for? (Found it)

Post by flyboy71 »

Well I found one for $300. The guy let me look through his collection of vics and I had a choice between a car fire special which had all steel trailing arms or the one that was still installed in a clean car with all cast parts. I went for the cast version because all lines are uncut and its in a clean car. Ill know Thur what I have when I pick it up and hope its not butchered. All of the cars are police interceptors.
-Jeff

1971 F-100 240 straight six, 3 on the tree (parted out)
1972 F-100 302 auto trans, pwr steering, pwr brakes (under construction)
"Things are more like they are now than they ever were before" Dwight Eisenhower
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for? (Found it)

Post by Rig of Mortis »

Here is what you want.

Tell them to drop the whole front suspension.

You want it from disc to disc.
All 4 long bolts and nuts for the main mounts.
Lower control arm bracket and its 6 bolts with nuts.
Brake lines uncut and disconnected at the frame.
Upper cross member mount and its bolts.
Calipers.
All of the power rack and its lines.

If they will give them to you, get the motor mounts!! If there are plans for a modular motor, you will need these, they will work with any mod motor (to the best of my research!).
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - What do I look for? (Found it)

Post by jeepgod »

I would love to see some pics of this set up installed.
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - Brought it home!

Post by flyboy71 »

I picked it up today. Came out of a 2003 Police Interceptor. He included the brake lines with the fitting and mount brackets and the ends of the rack and pinion uncut. Power washed it and tucked it in bed for the night. I did some rough measurements and I get 32" between the 4 main bolts but that puts it toward the outside edge of my frame rails. Is that right? From other projects it almost looked like it was centered on the rails.

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-Jeff

1971 F-100 240 straight six, 3 on the tree (parted out)
1972 F-100 302 auto trans, pwr steering, pwr brakes (under construction)
"Things are more like they are now than they ever were before" Dwight Eisenhower
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - Brought it home!

Post by 72-F100-4V »

Good score! Looks like you got everything you need to get the upgrade complete. You are right, it puts it close to the outside of the frame rails, but it works.
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - Brought it home!

Post by flyboy71 »

I spent most of the day Saturday cutting out the crossmember. After a half dozen sawzall blades and the BFH and a chisel I got it out but it was a royal PITA. I got tired of seeing the IFS on the floor so I jacked it up under the frame to do a quick look-see at how everything lines up and goes together. Any more progress and Ill have to move this to a project post.

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-Jeff

1971 F-100 240 straight six, 3 on the tree (parted out)
1972 F-100 302 auto trans, pwr steering, pwr brakes (under construction)
"Things are more like they are now than they ever were before" Dwight Eisenhower
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Re: Crown Vic IFS - Brought it home!

Post by JG F100 »

damn, you used a sawzall to get the old crossmember out? I used a torch and it was still a PITA. I see you bolted some angle iron onto the frame make sure your frame stays straight. I did the same and it still moved a little and had to force it back to be perfectly square again. I'd add some tack welds if you can.
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