Front suspension options
No, we get what you're asking. Everyone I've seen comment on here has been down the very path you are starting now. We've been there, done it. Some of us have done it across multiple vehicle platforms across multiple manufacturers. We're simply trying to save you the headache, the time and ultimately the money and possibly the risk of screwing up a perfectly good A body car by giving you some suggestions to try first. I'f you're not after the absolute most from your suspension and or car, than the options of better shocks, T bars and the other suggestions will be very good for you.
Good. It still seems that some don't get it.
What you are attempting to do, is swap a suspension from another car that handles decently for a stocker into a car not only 40 years older but from a completely different brand. Also, there is a TON that goes into suspension development. Everything from roll center, to center of gravity to akerman to weight. Will it fit? Sure, anything can be hacked on and made to fit. Will it work, who knows. It's one thing to put this on a hotrod project that's being custom built, most hotrods aren't out there doing handling events for a reason. Hotrods are notorious for having wandering and patched together suspensions. Some handle well, some dont.
I completely understand this.
We're not trying to discourage you or sell products or whatever. When you're talking about suspensions, particularly front suspensions, you're not just risky money, car , time but your life as well.
But you are specifically trying to discourage me! :D However, again, I understand the risks and consequences.
as for parts readily available.....I've yet to run into a single wearable part on an A body front suspension that's not readily available locally. I got my brake hoses, brake lines, brake pads, e brake cable, calibers, rotors, both ball joints, new LCA bushings, new power steering box and pump from the local Advance auto parts, all in stock except for the box, which they had next day. Which will be the same for the Crown Vic. Anything major like control arms etc isnt stock locally (i just checked) but can be had next day. So the notion that you can't source wearable parts for an a body front locally is a false/mythical argument there.
Yeah, Indiana, where I'm originally from btw, I'm sure finding parts still isn't too bad. Tucson, AZ sucks. Ask anyone who lives here. I worked for Checker Auto Parts in the 90's and early 00's and it was a pain sometimes then to get parts here. We are not Phoenix. We don't have parts available, quickly, for anything old here. Yes, I can get them, but most everything has to be shipped down from Phoenix. So, it either takes a day or maybe the next day, at best, to get a part. Hell, I don't even know of one decent bearing house in this town!
Ultimately, it is your car, it is your money. Sounds to me like your deadset on trying this so I wish you the best of luck and safety I can.
Good Luck
No, I'm not hell bent on doing it. Good chance I won't do it at all. It was just something I threw out there that I was researching. I was hoping someone actually knew of other alternatives to a modified stock A-body suspension or the full on tubular K's. I've actually only had two people (thanks
Greg55_99 and
ssba!) reply with alternatives and the rest have been to say what a bad idea the CV suspension would be.
Anyway, I will continue my research on it. I plan on using a Crown Vic front end on another project so I will have one to measure and scrutinize in person. Whether it will work well for an A-body, I don't know yet and might never know. I won't jump in to this lightly and have other avenues I'm exploring as well. If I do anything out of the norm I will post up all about it.
