Thread: 1936 Ford Panel on Steroids Suspension

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Mike, you make it sound like it's a tank, which in reality is probably not true. Have you weighed the truck? Do you know how much weight is on the front axle?

I suspect that by the time you get all the heavy suspension and brake components stripped off the frame and that oh-so-heavy flathead out of there, (a small block Chevy weighs less), it wouldn't weigh much more than any other pre-war truck.

I'm thinking also that when it comes time to sell it, and that day will come, that it's going to be easier to sell with a MII setup in it. It's just human nature. The MII has become the standard in the industry, just like the SBC has become the standard. So, if you tell a buyer that it has a MII front, he may be more likely to accept it than if you tell him that you designed the front from scratch.

Here is a chart showing the curb weight of the 1978 MII's and the weight bias front to rear. Using a weight of 2735 and a front bias of 58%, the weight on the front of a Mach I was 1,586 lbs. I personally would not hesitate to use the MII front on a vehicle with a front weight of 1,800 or more lbs, using the proper springs to set the control arm attitude. I'd alter ride height with dropped spindles.
http://www.mustangii.com/1978/78stats.asp

Take a look at these spring offerings from Eaton Detroit and you'll see that they offer springs to compliment a front weight of up to 2,000 lbs. It's just "plug-and-play".
http://www.eatonsprings.com/m2coils.htm

The other thing to consider is the front width. With a track measurement of 55.6", I suspect the MII would be just about right on your truck.