Dakota front clip idea

65f100_Thug · Post by **65f100_Thug** » April 30, 2009, 9:03 pm

Heres my idea with the Dakota front end with a little photo shop help.

were still measuring but looks like doing it this way i can make it the same with as the rear end and lower it a little too. keep my same cross member . the sway bar will have to be tweaked 2 1/2 inches on both sides and maybe a machine shop add on to the tie rod ends. looks like alot of work but doable.[albumimg]5646[/albumimg]

jecsd1 · Post by **jecsd1** » April 30, 2009, 11:48 pm

It seems like a lot of extra work. For the amount of labor you'd put into it you could easier put in a bit of extra hours at work and buy the crossmember you know will work. Plus what if you get something off and then you can't ever get the front end aligned right? just my opinion

65f100_Thug · Post by **65f100_Thug** » May 1, 2009, 12:09 am

Oh I would never attempt it. But my buddy is capable. man is he taking his time. We have measured and theorized measured again and again. when its done it will be perfect as can be or well scrap the whole thing and go a different route. We have time all the tools and he has the experience its money I don't have. I just got lucky that hes taking it as a personal challenge to make it work. We know a veteran body man in town that did the same thing with a mustang II front clip not a kit but the same method. To be honest every time someone says It cant or shouldn't be done he gets more determined to do it. Hes done so many insurance jobs lately and is bored i guess. so hes alternating between my truck and a 66 mustang fastback job. this weekend I will find out more when we get inside on the frame machine. This kind of thing is kind of like why did the chicken cross the road....lol to prove he could

if it don't work I think ill get me a crown vic My main deal is i want the front end to be the same width as the rear end. Besides i thought I belonged to a club full of guys who enjoy working on their trucks I DO. I wonder If everyone would say the same thing if I were adding 9 slicks together to make a stretched limo?

crey · Post by **crey** » May 1, 2009, 8:32 am

Can someone take some pictures for once??
It seems like, every single time this swap is done, the pictures are half-ass, and never show the exact steps that are taken to get the final product.

I would LOVE to do this conversion.
Hit the Pick 'n Pull, dismantle whatever donor car will semi-work, and go for it.
But, I gotta see it done first.
I'm not one to just dive into it and end up with some misaligned, jacked up piece of junk.

Thug, i'm not complaining about or to YOU specifically.. just ranting a little bit, and inadvertantly chose your thread to do it in.

I would just like to see where someone who did the swap, took pictures from start to finish... and for ME to be talking, I'm the worlds WORST about NOT taking pictures of progress.

Eh... Sorry for the rant.

Good Luck, Thug!!

MadMaxetc · Post by **MadMaxetc** » May 3, 2009, 8:42 am

Here ar my pics.

http://members.cox.net/madmaxetc/1963_F ... Dakota.htm

http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h142/ ... ta%20Swap/

The Crossmember comes with instructions. If you want pictures of every measurement and spot weld you will probably have to take them yourself when you do your instal.

It takes 3 times as long to do something if you are documenting it for someone else. And most of us don't have a lot of extra time.

The Crossmember is realy easy to instal, so not a lot of pictures are needed.

All that being said, I am going to expand my web page to at least type out the steps. I plan to add more pictures too.

crey · Post by **crey** » May 8, 2009, 8:09 am

Hey Max, that looks good!
How much is left to go?