Three inch drop I beams?

mangler · Post by **mangler** » July 27, 2009, 12:17 pm

Does anyone know where you can pick up a set of dropped I-beams for a '66 f-100? I want to lower the truck a bit, but don't want to get to carried away right now as future plans call for a full on tube chassi.

Thanks, Lee

Hoofbeat Racer · Post by **Hoofbeat Racer** » July 27, 2009, 1:00 pm

I have DJM beams. Worked fine for me and others. I believe AIM suspension makes them too.

Post by **Casey 65** » July 27, 2009, 1:05 pm

try DJM http://www.djmsuspension.com/

randyr · Post by **randyr** » July 27, 2009, 3:03 pm

You can also buy DJM on ebay, sometimes for a discounted price.

mangler · Post by **mangler** » July 27, 2009, 4:24 pm

thanks guys, I'll do some digging on ebay and see if I can find a set. If not I'll be ordering them from DJM.

neil66 · Post by **neil66** » July 27, 2009, 5:00 pm

u can also order shocks to match i beam stance and lmc carries coil springs 2 inches shorter than stock but have progressive rate so they will hold weight just like stock ones .

Mr.Vintage · Post by **Mr.Vintage** » July 27, 2009, 7:04 pm

why would you spend 600 to 700 to lower it 3" when a crown vic k-member can be found for as little as 200?

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » July 27, 2009, 7:11 pm

IN what world? Cheapest I have come across one is $900

randyr · Post by **randyr** » July 27, 2009, 7:42 pm

Johnny Canuck wrote:IN what world? Cheapest I have come across one is $900

I've found a few CV frontends in SoCal for $300-600 complete with everything.

Haus · Post by **Haus** » July 27, 2009, 9:14 pm

Heck of a lot easier to change out beams than a whole front end. No problem with two different wheel sizes front and back when your done either.

mangler · Post by **mangler** » July 29, 2009, 2:51 pm

Mr.Vintage wrote:why would you spend 600 to 700 to lower it 3" when a crown vic k-member can be found for as little as 200?

In a couple years I plan on doing a full on tube chassi for the truck. until then I just want it lowered a little. The current motor for it is a bored out 390 with a 428cj crank, aluminum heads, and a few other goodies in it. It's a 410ci motor now. Future plans for a motor are a 700ci big block that will hopefully push around 1,200hp on pump gas at 10.5 to 1 compression. Hence the need for a tube chassi in the future.

randyr · Post by **randyr** » July 29, 2009, 3:04 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1965-197 ... ccessories

This place has the cheapest DJM dropped beams I've seen for these trucks at $489

mangler · Post by **mangler** » July 29, 2009, 3:29 pm

Thanks for the link randyr.

ABA · Post by **ABA** » July 29, 2009, 7:06 pm

Mr.Vintage wrote:why would you spend 600 to 700 to lower it 3" when a crown vic k-member can be found for as little as 200?

Can a CV k-member take the abuse that I-beams can take?

I do agree that the dropped beams are expensive. I think I would maybe go with a '64 straight axle and some mono leafs...if that would work on a '65-66 that is.

Haus · Post by **Haus** » July 29, 2009, 7:22 pm

There not giving away mono leafs either.

I'm not sure I'll ever get an engine as big as your talking about. I do have an extra 351 cleveland I picked up that was cheap. Might have it rebuilt in the future and see if those stroker kits are all their cracked up to be. Once I've gone that far I may opt for some aluminum heads.

Keep us posted on what you get. Don't forget you can also gain some drop from different low profile tires.

randyr · Post by **randyr** » July 29, 2009, 7:30 pm

[quote="ABA Can a CV k-member take the abuse that I-beams can take?

[/quote]

I would guess that they can handle their fair share of abuse....every cop car & taxicab in the country has this front end and I'm sure they are pushed to the limit. They definitely weigh as much as these slicks, too.

IMHO I think converting a 65/66 to a straight axle with mono leafs would be a step backwards.

ABA · Post by **ABA** » July 29, 2009, 8:18 pm

randyr wrote:[quote="ABA Can a CV k-member take the abuse that I-beams can take?

I would guess that they can handle their fair share of abuse....every cop car & taxicab in the country has this front end and I'm sure they are pushed to the limit. They definitely weigh as much as these slicks, too.

Got a point there but if I wanted a truck that rides like a car I'd get a Ranchero.

IMHO I think converting a 65/66 to a straight axle with mono leafs would be a step backwards.

Maybe, maybe not...but a straight axle is the simplest frontend to lower.

mangler · Post by **mangler** » July 30, 2009, 12:47 am

Haus wrote:There not giving away mono leafs either.

I'm not sure I'll ever get an engine as big as your talking about. I do have an extra 351 cleveland I picked up that was cheap. Might have it rebuilt in the future and see if those stroker kits are all their cracked up to be. Once I've gone that far I may opt for some aluminum heads.

Keep us posted on what you get. Don't forget you can also gain some drop from different low profile tires.

The 410 I have now was originally a 390 block. There were a couple years that the 390/428 blocks were the same casting. It just depended on what line they whent down as to what they became I've been told. My block was one of those and I was originally going to build a 428cj but after talking to my motor guy he convinced me to go the 410 route. said it would wind up quicker and make just as much power. With all the parts I put in it, it dyno'd at 517hp. I built that motor so I could throw a 200hp shot of nitrous as well. Nothing's more fun than beating new vettes on the street. Expecially since my truck still has the original paint on it and it sat outside for 12 years before I bought it.

There is a guy locally that has a 62 uni that has a 600ci boss hemi style motor in it and he's pushing 950hp out of it and he's getting 10mpg if he drives it sane. I just want a little bigger motor than him for bragging rights is all.

randyr · Post by **randyr** » July 30, 2009, 1:27 am

[quote="ABA[/quote] Got a point there but if I wanted a truck that rides like a car I'd get a Ranchero. :)

The truth is that most of the guys swapping the CV or other frontends into these trucks DO want a truck that rides like a car. They are building street trucks, fun cruisers that ride & handle really well. Nothing wrong with that. Other guys, like yourself perhaps, prefer their trucks to feel & drive like trucks without more modern technology. Nothing wrong with that either. It's just different strokes for different folks. :D

IMHO I think converting a 65/66 to a straight axle with mono leafs would be a step backwards.

Maybe, maybe not...but a straight axle is the simplest frontend to lower.[/quote]

It may be the simplest to lower but converting a twin-i-beam to a straight axle just to make it simpler to lower would not be simple at all. That was my point. :wink:

ABA · Post by **ABA** » July 30, 2009, 3:39 pm

mangler wrote:
Haus wrote:There not giving away mono leafs either.

I'm not sure I'll ever get an engine as big as your talking about. I do have an extra 351 cleveland I picked up that was cheap. Might have it rebuilt in the future and see if those stroker kits are all their cracked up to be. Once I've gone that far I may opt for some aluminum heads.

Keep us posted on what you get. Don't forget you can also gain some drop from different low profile tires.
The 410 I have now was originally a 390 block. There were a couple years that the 390/428 blocks were the same casting. It just depended on what line they whent down as to what they became I've been told. My block was one of those and I was originally going to build a 428cj but after talking to my motor guy he convinced me to go the 410 route. said it would wind up quicker and make just as much power. With all the parts I put in it, it dyno'd at 517hp. I built that motor so I could throw a 200hp shot of nitrous as well. Nothing's more fun than beating new vettes on the street. Expecially since my truck still has the original paint on it and it sat outside for 12 years before I bought it.

There is a guy locally that has a 62 uni that has a 600ci boss hemi style motor in it and he's pushing 950hp out of it and he's getting 10mpg if he drives it sane. I just want a little bigger motor than him for bragging rights is all.

How you gettin' all that power to the ground and keepin' it there? You add any weight to the rear for extra traction?