[moparist]

Hi Guys! I'm in the beginning throes of building up a 1947 Plymouth P15 Tudor sedan. After I get the floors fixed, my second project will be upgrading the front end. It's already an IFS type, using pins and king pins. I see three possible choices:
1. Keep and rebuild the original front end and add disc brakes from either MPB Co, or the Olds Toronado upgrade in Tex Smith's Mopar hot rod book. Then I'll try for a rack and pinion steering upgrade.
2. Go to a MII stub frame setup from the Fatman or other MII kit from another vendor
or 3. Fabricate an IFS using the F/M/J front end from a 70's/80's Mopar which gives me steering, disc brakes and torsion bar suspension. This install is also from Tex Smith's book.
My current front track is 57-inches and the wheelbase is 112.5-inches. The F/M/J K-memnber comes from the same WB car but has a 60-inch track. So Ackerman should be OK. Does any one have any thoughts or experience with a 40's Mopar IFS? I'm all ears. Thanks.

[Centerline]

Under normal conditions I'd recommend a Mustang II IFS but in your case I think the Volarie swap would be a good choice. I haven't done one but from what I understand it's not difficult and fairly straight forward. You could also check out a Dodge Dakota IFS swap.

[moparist]

Thanks Centerline. I'm leaning that way also but I'm not familiar with the Dakota swap and I've owned a few of them and still do. Do you know what years apply or where I can find some info?

[Centerline]

Don't know a lot about it but here's a pic of a Dakota IFS that has been grafted to a 54 Dodge pickup.




Looks fairly straight forward but so does the Volarie. This Volarie setup is on another early Dodge pickup.

[moparist]

Thanks for the pix. I was in the junkyard yesterday and looked at a 94 Dakota front end. It looks pretty massive for my car. I haven't found the track width for a Dak yet but I suspect it's too wide. The F-body is 60-inches - about 3-inches wider than stock 47 Plym. The F-body front end in an early 50's Dodge truck required a kickout on the fron stub frame. Probably will on mine too. Have also thought about keeping the stock IFS but don't know if I can find (or afford) all the stock front rebuild parts.

[johnnymopar]

i'm not sure how much different a '94 dakota frame is. i'm using a '88 dakota on my project. the track width is about 59", i believe. one thing i don't really like is the ride height on the frame. this is my first project so i'm keeping it simple, but that is one issue that i'm not happy with. i'm thinking of getting dropped spindles and coils for the front to get the frame closer to the ground but i'll wait til i'm a little further along.

but, the dakota is a good choice because there is lots of room between the rails and the frame is already boxed.

JB

[moparist]

Thanks for the input. As I said, I didn'tmeasure the track or the frame. All my books are in boxes that I packed when I was selling my house as part of a divorce. Now I'm keeping it so I can UNpack! he Dak frame looke3d to be almost square behind the front suspension. I hadn't crawled under the 47 yet to measure framerail size, but the pictures in Smith's Hot Rod guide for a 48 Coupe and the 53 pickup looked about like 2 X 4-inch or close to it. How much of a transition was it for you to meld the Dak frame stub to your Plymouth? What year is your Plymouth? How far ahead of the front body mount did you have to cut? Any info would be helpful. Thanks again.

[johnnymopar]

i haven't actually subbed my front end. i am using the entire dakota frame because i am channeling my car and my original frame was not in very good condition. it was patched in several places and had a lot of weak areas.

but anyway, the original frame was square and i don't think you'll have any trouble splicing the two together. i think because of the width of the dakota frame (39" outside on mine) you'll have to splice the frame behind the front mount. my car is a '47 and between the front mounts is about 40" so it just fits over the frame.

JB

[moparist]

Thanks johnnymopar. My tudor is also a 47. I'm not planning on cutting behind the body mounts, if those are the mounts you mean. You probably removed the body but I'm not ready to try that yet. I've got a buddy with a wrecking yard with a LOT of old stuff and he's looking for a Aspen/Volare front end (he's got 40 acres). But if that doesn't pan out, I'll look at the Dak. I may want the A500 trans out of the Dak in the other yard, so I'll keep an eye on it.