[19mach69]

I found this today on CL. Look like a good candidate for the swap? I know the price is really good. Some joker was selling an econoline axle complete for 750 I saw earlier! Yeah right!

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/pts/3360460961.html

 

[FlynBrian]

Isaac,
If your still looking for a front axle, look for a 47 to 54 chevy pickup truck axle and springs, it will go right in your Falcon, Speedway has a disc brake kit for the 47 to 54 chevy truck axle cheap or can just buy the caliper brackets and bearings from them, it uses 73 to 77 Chevelle/Monte Carlo, Cutlass, Regal, Grand Prix Calipers and Rotors.
Basic Kit:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Basic-Disc-Brake-Kit-1947-1959-Chevy-Half-Ton-Pickup,7688.html

Thats the axle & disc brake setup I have in my Falcon, width and track is perfect for a Falcon, it is cross steer and uses a vega steering box and mount, you can also use a manual S10 steering box with the Vega frame mount. You can pick up a S10 manual box from a U-Pull yard for less than $50.00 look at 82 to 93 plain jane bare bones 4cyl S10's and GMC S15's in the yards. I have put over 3000 miles on the Falcon so far, steers great and had it well over 100mph a few times on private roads of course!
Speedway sells the vega frame mount too, or can make your own out of some 1/4inch plate. They also sell the rotors in the Ford 5x4.5 lug pattern. I just run chevy pattern on my car they are little easier to find in the skinny aluminum slots.

 

[Cruizer65]

I've got a 50's Dodge truck axel on my Falcon, I bought the car that way......Width is good, set-up seems to fit nice.....still building the car, haven't driven it yet, but the car was driven in the past with that set up and seemed to have survived.

A company called Scarebird makes disk brake conversions for these, you just have to figure out which of three versions you have.

 

[19mach69]

Awesome, I am picking it up on saturday. I do like the speedway kit, but I have been wanting the look of an original solid axle. Thanks for the advice from both of you.

Cruizer, I will check out scarebird. I will probably run drums for a while as with this car I won't need to be doing repeated stops. Eventually I might upgrade to discs if I drive the car a lot. I was going to ask you for some pictures of your axle setup. Can you post some of the steering and shock mounts? I know we will have different bodies but they should be similar enough as they are both Ford shock tower based unibodys.

 

[Cruizer65]

Yeah, I'll try to take and post more pics, but the steering set-up is a jury-rigged joke, this was obviously a home-made job, and I'm going to have to re-do a lot of it to make it sturdier,.....and safer, but like I said, the width and tracking seems to work/fit on this chassis.

 

[19mach69]

Well, here it is. Sitting in the back of my truck. It looks fairly complete which is great. No hunting for crazy parts that are nearly impossible to find. I hope I can get the steering to work and not be a jury rigged joke!

 

[1937Austin]

Looks like it was typical push-pull steering Isaac, so you'll probably have to convert it to cross steer. Measure the bolt spacing on the backing plate bolts, and then you can check Speedway to see if it fits any of the std. steering brackets they sell to convert it. Might have to put in longer bolts, and space the bracket with bushings to clear things, but I bet something Speedway sells will fit. Their tech guys are helpful, and can answer questions about the Ford and Chevy arm spacing.
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/search-steering-arm.html