SUSPENSION: Mod-it or Leave-it

I am looking to either put a newer f-150 frame and engine under my '64 Galaxie (2 DR fastback) or change out the front for a camaro/nova front clip and 350 small block. I could leave it stock but, wouldn't it be cool to have a lowered 4x4 chassis under the Galaxie? What other ideas are there for modding? Chop top? Roadster? what has anyone seen to lower my car and have a bit better ride than what it has now. the reason for these considerations is that the front end is bad and to fix it would cost an arm and leg...

as far as ride, I have driven in many vehicles over the years and have yet to ride in anything that rides better then my old 64 galaxie did my 67 galaxie is close but not quite, as far as the suspension being, what is wrong with yours? Also rebuilding your suspension is going to be much cheaper then swapping a frame with any other vehicle or adding in the suspension from any other car also.

As far as ride springs that lower the car would be the best bet for lowering it.

Now if you use that camaro/nova front clip it would be much better if it had a Ford engine under the hood and not a 350 which would be expected.
Never ridden in a f150 framed car but did know someone that had a Ford wagon on a f250 frame and way up where you needed a durn ladder to get in it.
Haven't seen but a couple chop topped '64s and that didn't look bad. You can look at www.cardomain.com and I think that's where I saw the cool black one at.

But any of the above mods are going to run into some money and needed ingenuity to accomplish. The chop top not so much.

As for the ride, you aren't going to get a nice ride out of a f150 framed galaxie compared to the ride you get in a stock one that's for sure. Cost of rebuilding the front end is cheaper than any other options for front end mods I'm sure.

You can get a front end kit at PST for $209 and they did have free shipping even. If you are going for disc brakes and all then that's a little more expensive to do obviously. The above is just if you want to stick with the drums. Although the balljoints and other parts would still go on a disc braked car.

Performance Suspension Technology

http://www.fordmuscle.com/forums/gal...4-galaxie.html

Here is a previous discussion along similar lines. especially with regard to the toe out bracket vs straight shaft mods.

Please don't hack that car up, and DO NOT PUT A CHEVY IN IT! That is offensive. Your car has a whole frame in it, a camaro has a half of a frame. It would not work without tons and tons of fabrication. Please let that idea go. You could use the truck frame but in reality there is nothing wrong with the stock frames that came with those cars. They have a decent front suspension that can be made to handle reasonably well. I have ridden in those old cars and when restored well they ride really nicely. Ill bet if you just go through and replace the worn parts your car will suprise you. You can also put an air-ride suspenion on it then you can get it really low.

I would suggest a mid 90's and up crown vic, or town car frame instead of a truck frame, the length and width of the frame and suspension fit an early galaxie really well. I am putting my very rusty 63 1/2 galaxie body on a 96 towncar frame, using the lincoln floorpans,trunk and partial firewall with a mark viii engine. You get power abs 4 wheel disc brakes, power steering, fuel injection, and lots of other electronic goodies in a reasonably priced donor car. I have thought about an AWD late expedition with independant rear suspension that would be cool if you could lower it enough.

I wouldn't do either of those swaps, for sure wouldn't do the chevy deal. Rebuild the front you have, change to disc and ride on.

Living in MT I have see quite a few cars that have been converted to a 4X4s: Mustangs, Chevelles, a Camaro, and even a Cadillac. Out of all of them there was only one I liked and that was the Cadillac. It was a 61 and the way it was done made for a nice looking car. the rest were run of the mill and lacked in functionality. I guess what I am saying is, its ben done and makes for something different, but most guys don't know what to do with it when it is done. They don't want to drive it out on the road because of the harsh ride and gearing and they don't want to take it off road because they don't want to mess up the car. As was already said the Front suspension on theses Galaxies is one of the best out there. There were a lot of racing cars built on the front suspension of an early Galaxie because it is is such a good platform.

As far as the Nova/Camaro Sounds like a tone of work for no real gane. Replacing a vinting front clip with another vintage front clip simply because you can seams like an exercise in futility. I could see doing it if you were trying to put the front suspension form a modern car on there but not from another classic. Also most people don't realize how much suspension geometry is derived from weal base and track width. That means that unless the wheels are in the exact same places in relation to each other on the donor car and the car being upgrade there will be issues. I am sure you are now thinking what about the Mustang II set up it has ben grafted on all kinds of cars. Just because it has been done doesn't make it the best possible solution for the application. I make a living designing and fabricating Mustang suspension parts and have a really good understanding of suspension geometry and I would never attempt the kind of front clip graft you are referring to.

IMHO the rear suspension leaves a little something to be desired so I am putting an IRS unit from a Jaguar in mine, but IMHO I would simply rebuild the front suspension you will be glad you did.

Originally Posted by 63.5Townxie

I would suggest a mid 90's and up crown vic, or town car frame instead of a truck frame, the length and width of the frame and suspension fit an early galaxie really well. I am putting my very rusty 63 1/2 galaxie body on a 96 towncar frame, using the lincoln floorpans,trunk and partial firewall with a mark viii engine. You get power abs 4 wheel disc brakes, power steering, fuel injection, and lots of other electronic goodies in a reasonably priced donor car. I have thought about an AWD late expedition with independant rear suspension that would be cool if you could lower it enough.

Somewhere I heard of someone doing this (the crown vic swap) i just can't remember where, when or who. Was it a magazine article maybe?

no swap article but I have mentioned it a few times, the 72+ torino and 65+ galaxie frames are almost identical as far as 64 and older I am unsure, but really the 64 galaxie suspension is good stuff aside from the bump steer issues