This question also posted in Moparchat.
Am planning to put K-frame from a '74 Satellite into a '80 Volare.There many similarities between FMJ and late B-body K-frames.The upper control arms mount and align the same way.The sub-frame bushings are the same part number,however they are reversed front to back depending on what chassis bushings go into.My foremost concern is whether or not the bushing boltholes align between the K and the front frame rails,front/rear and side to side.The torsion bar crossmember mount shouldn't be to problematic(i hope )
SO...anybody heard of such a thing out there in Mopardom?

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"Faith in Science"

Well.....you get the interesting question of the day award.

I have swapped a Satellite K into a 51 DeSoto and a Aspen K into a 66 D100....but never really looked at the interchange you suggest.

If you are really into this there are a couple of points to ponder:

It would be possible to construct adapters for the mounts if they do not align. If you have height issues you can loose the pucks to gain room.

On the DeSoto and D100 I built a whole new front frame to bolt the K to. A unit body would make this pretty complicated.

Steering column adaptation is not that complicated.

You are right about the torsion bar rear mount....not a big deal.

Are the suspension track widths the same?

Are you aware of Akerman issues? ( I made an adjustable centre link for the DeSoto to get SAI right.)



Is this to put a big block in a F body?

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

An F-body with axial torsion bars would be very interesting indeed. Please keep us up to date on how this project goes, if it goes.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Warren,

Come on over and check out the '79 Newport I have in the driveway. It's the last of the B-bodies and has the longitudinal torsion bars with the bushing isolated torsion bar crossmember. I should be home all day. PM me if you lost the phone number.

Joshua

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Joshua

Several years ago Dick Ross @ Firm Feel and I had a 15 minute conversation about this idea.If this turns out to be feasible I plan on turning over all swap info to Firm Feel and let them run with it since they already have so much updated/evolved Mopar susp tech.At the time of the conversation Iwas living in the(lefty bohemian sardine-can) Ladds Addition"high-density area" 1-bdrm 1parking space apt.,IE hotrod hell and could not dare attempt such a project.Have since moved to near outer S.E. PDX & finally have garage space to work in w/o fear of the tow jackals& ticket-happy parking gestapo.(what,me bitter?nah..)
Answering Sandy in B.C.'s question(...for a big-block swap?)no,putting torsion bars back in the way of exh headers/steering with a s.b is a pain;a big block is plain masochistic(selling my late '71 400 block,btw)with gas prices what they are this is a Slant Six project . A long-rod zero-deck quench-chamber medium-duration/hi-lift Clifford/Holley/Hooker&hopefully roller-tip rocker beastie of a Slant Six.(So please everybody,buy my v-8 stuff before I give up &take said v-8 stuff out to Wildcat 'cause I'm gonna need the garage space!) l

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"Faith in Science"

That should certainly help out the F-Body crowd!

Availablity of parts is vitually non-existant, and nobody seems to be stepping up to make performance alternatives for front suspension.

I don't own one, but thanks for doing the hard work for those who follow you!

CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

It seems that putting longitudinal torsion bars (parallel with the length of the car) would be counter-productive, as the F body design of torsion bars at the front of the engine compartment across the width, would seem to be just the ticket for having all the room for exhaust and such that you would need (or could get); that is but one of the selling points with guys going to setups such as Alter-K-tion, to get the torsion bars outta the way, as well as taking the tension off the tranny crossmember as they have a tendency to be rotted out on our cars. They are not exactly new any more.

Sure, but the handling and durability are poopy compared to longitudinal torsion bars.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Answering the question above, the F body front suspension design was absolute crap, with the t bars using poorly designed bushings to allow them to also function as strut rods being a major contributor.

Possible to adapt the better longitudinal T bar suspension design from the earlier cars? Yes, but mounts for the upper control arms are on the subframe of the F body and would need to be adapted/fabricated to the engine compartment chassis longitudinals as well as any K mount adaptation and building/strengthening a rear crossmember for T bar anchors.

Compared to the late A bodies, F body build quality sucked at best. I feel personally qualified to say this because I sold these things when they were brand new in the late 70s and early 80s, and owned one in taxi service for several years in the mid 80s. New ones were so poorly assembled we practically had to rebuild entire cars at the dealership, tightening and/or adding fasteners/parts before we could even deliver them. The F body cars were also heavier than the cars they designed to replace (A bodies).


Unless I was just in love with the car and had money to burn, I'd just sell it after I found a good A body to build on. Just one man's opinion.