New member, planning to start 63 Unibody, 2001 P71 CV swap

[BradFarmer]

Hey everyone,
New member in the southwestern bottom part of Virginia (Near Bristol VA/TN). I just got a 1963 Unibody from my father in law that is in pretty good shape, and I bought a 2001 Crown Vic P71 car that was a local fire dept car instead of police use. So, it didn't have all the excessive idle hours and abusive driving that most of the Police Interceptor cars normally have. I am driving the Crown Vic currently to make sure everything works like it should and has no issues before I start the process of the swap. Look forward to searching through old posts (which I have already started) and getting some help with questions along the way.

Anyway, here are what I guess I should call the before pics of the project I am going to call the UniVic.






Thanks again for adding me to the page.

BradFarmer
1963 Unibody SWB
1989 F150 Reg cab 2wd, straight 6, 4 speed
1946 Ford Coupe with mustang II front suspension, 77 302 engine with c4 auto trans, 8 inch rear
2014 Ford Flex (The family bus)
2001 Crown Vic P71 (soon to be the bones and muscles for the Unibody)
...and for two wheeled fun, I have a 2012 Victory Hardball

[BradFarmer]

I can't get the pics to show up...

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... RDT3lsVkd3

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... RDT3lsVkd3

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... RDT3lsVkd3

[slick4x4]

Welcome from Kansas

This site isn't the easiest to post pics

But thats a good looking uni !

Not as much traffic in here as there use to be
But keep us updated , always nice to see new blood & iron

[Zax63]

Nice! Are you planning to put the f100 body on the Crown Vic frame? Or keep the f100 frame and swap the Crown Vic running gear, rear end, and front suspension over? I've seen it done both ways.

[BradFarmer]

Nice! Are you planning to put the f100 body on the Crown Vic frame? Or keep the f100 frame and swap the Crown Vic running gear, rear end, and front suspension over? I've seen it done both ways.

Zax63, I am planning to drop the F100 body down onto the CV and do the full frame swap. I want to keep the truck firewall and dash though since the truck is in such good shape. If the floors and underside of the truck was rusted out I would do the crown vic firewall and floor. I do plan on trying to notch the sides of the CV frame (like Legendary Customs did on their Dirty Ford unibody) so that I don't have to mess up the step area on the Unibody.

[9Fingers]

Welcome. Nice looking truck and car. Looking forward to following your progress.

Not familiar with the computer system in the police interceptors, but have heard over the years that the performance chip is removed before sale to public. Is there any truth to that? Is there a removable chip? Just curious.

Bradshaw

[04sd]

Nice looking truck.

[BradFarmer]

Welcome. Nice looking truck and car. Looking forward to following your progress.

Not familiar with the computer system in the police interceptors, but have heard over the years that the performance chip is removed before sale to public. Is there any truth to that? Is there a removable chip? Just curious.

Bradshaw

9Fingers, the cop chip is a myth/legend. The Police Interceptor has beefed up suspension and electrical, steel wheels instead of aluminum, and less "comfort" items than the regular crown vics. It does normally have a better rear end gear ratio (and some have limited slip difs) so that their take off speed is usually a bit better than the regular cars.

[Blanger]

Welcome Brad

I did the same project a couple years ago and the truck has been my daily driver for the last two years. I'm currently working on my third truck (all are posted here in separate threads) and on this build I reused the CV firewall and floor, it's something I think you should consider doing (not trying to sway you) depending on your size as a person, I'm 5' 11" and the Uni is a little cramped for leg room to be comfortable with the stock bench seat. The current build is a '62 (non-uni) and the amount of leg room was in my opinion well worth the effort of changing the floor and firewall, there are a lot of other advantages that will become apparent only after the build is too far along to go back like brake pedal placement and height.

Anyway again welcome, if we can help just ask.

Here's a few links to my builds

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=37445
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=37601
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=37717

Jon

[BradFarmer]

Blanger,
Thanks so much for the input. I am 6'6", so the leg room info is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for the links to your builds. I have been looking at your Uni build because you used the same generation Crown Vic that I am using. I love the way you did the bed work on it with the plywood and the strips to make it look like the flareside style bed floors.

I am thinking about using a late model rear bench seat out of an F250/F350 that is much slimmer as well for the added room it will give.

I might be messaging you for help along the way.

Thanks again!

[Blanger]

I am thinking about using a late model rear bench seat out of an F250/F350 that is much slimmer as well for the added room it will give.

The seat will certainly help, but when you take the two vehicles apart pay particular attention to the floor pans in each, you'll notice right off that the CV floor will give you twice the leg room over the trucks relativity flat floor. It's a matter of choice and has no bearing on keeping the Slicks dash which we have always chosen to do, another aspect is the HVAC system, if you want AC the easiest - less expensive option is always going to be to reuse the CV HVAC but will require using the CV firewall (or at least that portion)....yes you will have to create a filler panel to cover the HVAC under the Slicks stock dash but there are many different ways to accomplish that task. (you'll see)

My only point is from the perspective of being on my third build, I would never consider doing another and not using the donor floor and firewall, yes it's a PIA to get everything aligned, yes you'll be doing a lot of filler panels and welding to join the two together, all in all after two years of driving my Uni-CV everyday it's the only regret I have in the 1st build but sadly at the time I built the first truck I didn't know what I have learned over the 3 builds, let me put it this way if I was doing it all over on the uni the firewall and floor would get changed, I can't go back now...but I can warn you...lol

Edit: Here's a pic of my Uni today at work..... still looks like a rollin' pile of junk but I love it!




Anyway, yeah sure PM or ask in your thread, any way I can help I'll be glad to.

Jon

[BradFarmer]

I actually started a YouTube channel for my build. I am taking my time and doing everything in small steps, to not make any mistakes, hopefully. I will post the link below to my latest video I uploaded if anyone is interested. I have the car in the garage now with the truck body hanging above it. Doing the Crown Vic trimming to get it to fit.

https://youtu.be/s3RprAvIzmk

[chris]

I have watched and subbed to your youtube channel you are doing great I like how you started doing a bible verse at the end.

[oldsmiley]

BLANGER

You're breaking my heart, I LOVE your rolling pile of junk too........

I love all trucks that are built to drive......"keep it up"

[Blanger]

BLANGER

You're breaking my heart, I LOVE your rolling pile of junk too........

I love all trucks that are built to drive......"keep it up"

Thank you Sir.....

The '53 COE is really testing me (or my abilities...lol), it's so much like the little trucks to build but oh so different because of being a COE as you'll see in the next post in a week or so.