Diplomat Front End

[Clearcreekcustom66]

Hi everyone,
I am new around here, with posting, but I would like to thank everyone who does post. Your knowledge is overwhelming and helps me with my truck most everyday.

My question is- what is everyone’s opinion about doing a front-end swap with an 86 diplomat on a 1966 f100? Safety, handling, and other problems that I could run into. I want power steering and disc brakes- yes I have read the arguments about power steering but I like it. I also don’t want to go with a mustang front end due to money. Finding time being a full time college student to work on it is hard enough, let alone extra cash.

I saw it was done in Classic Truck Mag. a few months ago with an 84 diplomat. I have also read about people doing it on the Internet.

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Jason -- Wyoming

[65TremecGT]

Diplomats have horrible brakes, and terrible suspension, they came and went very quickly. I know some old timer CHP officers who always commnt on how terrible of a vehicle they were, they say you had one good brake application and then they were completely burnt up. I think the Crown Vic swap would be a much better candidate, plus few people like a mish mash pickup with different brands of parts. There are several threads about the crown vic chassis currently, those would be a good palce to start. Good Luck!

[DV65CustomCab]

I looked at a Diplomat-ed truck when I was shopping for mine. It has it's pros and cons.
However, you have a '66 truck with twin I beams...why would you want to change the entire suspension? What you have can be made to work very well with less effort. The front clip swaps are really for 61-64 trucks with the single front axle.

[Clearcreekcustom66]

Thank you so much. I have been debating it for some time now and just wasn’t sure. I would have to agree I did not really care for the idea of putting dodge parts on ford. If I can ask one more question. To do the power steering on the twin I beams all that is need is a power steering pump from a new truck such as a Toyota or what kind of vehicle?

Sorry i am new at this year of truck...

[rickairmedic]

Skier being as how you have a 66 you can pull the front I beams steering box power steering pump disc brakes etc.etc.etc. off of a newer up to 1978 F150 and swap them out with the original non power steering non power disc brake parts on your 66 all of them are a direct bolt on . With the only exception being the power steering pump which you will want to pull off of a similar motor complete with the brackets to mount it to your motor . trucks prior to 1964 used a single straight front axle and are generally the ones most of us clip and yes the volare/diplomat clip has been popular for years with guys with the pre 64 trucks .


Rick

[Clearcreekcustom66]

thanks alot Rick!!! any way i can tell if the steering box is bad or not or is it just a guessing game?

[FORDBOYpete]

Skier,
I concur stay away from MoPaR K-Frames Ball Joints suk too, along with tiny rotors, weak calipers, soft bushings, et al, et al, et al.

Your Twin I beam is already IFS or Independent Front Suspension. You can tweak it with right shocks, springs & bushings, Anti Sway Bay & links from a later models [again all bolt on stuff] so it will out handle any 80s passenger car, especially a GM or Mopar. [My 85 T-Bird handles excellent because I worked it already, so I left Ford out of the claim] .

You can do a brake upgrade a few ways, but steering will need shortened steering column if you have column shift especially. You need to get a steering gear box & compatible pump from a 73-79 F Series with same type of engine as yours so the brackets and pulley systems fit & work correctly on your engine.

The best way is to get a donor with what you need that has a wasted sheetmetal structure on it. If not when you go to a salvage yard, or even to get a donor, take along somebody who can show you what's good and what to avoid.

Steering Box should be dry, clean, fairly tight & not loose or sloppy with lots of free play, a little freeplay is acceptable, but less than a few degrees rotation of worm gear shaft (where rag joint goes).

On brakes get tight or firm fitting spindles & king pins or renew them on reassembly, plan on new rotors & rebuilt calipers & perhaps a booster & Master cylinder too.

It's all interchangable from 65-79 except 73-79 have the more desirable components like Power Disc Brakes and Part Time, [Saginaw] P/S

FBp

[DV65CustomCab]

I should have mentioned the disc brake swap page...it covers that part of the conversion. The power steering swap I have not done. It is not a particularly big deal unless you have a column shift manual, then you will either have to move the shifter to the floor or go to automatic, as there really isn't a non-ultra-fabrication way to retain the shifting with a shortened column.
http://www.mongrelmotorsports.homestead ... discs.html

[Johnny Canuck]

What these guys said. Use DV65's page for your parts list.
I have a Volare front end on my '63 and am not real fond of it. I live with it because I intend to swap out the whole frame for a Crown Vic eventually.
Otherwise I would have changed it out by now. Too mushy and "wallows", even with a sway bar. The steering is too quick with a Ford power steering pump on the Dodge steering box.

If my truck would have been a twin I truck to begin I would have definitely stayed with that and swapped out my old '78 stuff on it.

[Truckfarmer]

Here is an article on installing the Chrysler IFS on a 53-56. The frame width is the same as a Slick. There are actually articles on 11 front suspension/steering choices.
http://www.ford-trucks.com/article/idx/ ... Three.html

[Clearcreekcustom66]

Thanks for all of your help. Your information has been really helpful. I am going to stick with the twin i beam and do the swaps. Looks easy and pretty cheap. Thanks