55.2-59 IFS from a Merc Marauder - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

twinsemi · 08-23-2025, 08:35 PM

I posted that I had done this on WDYDWYTT3, when some asked if I had a thread. So here it goes. And there will be another for the rear axle work that is happening soon.
2003 Mercury Marauder front axle is the starting point, but before that could go in, I had to redo the e-brake linkage. I didn't want an electric, but I did have a Jag in the garage that gave me an idea. How about having the e-brake handle on the driver's left side, and it can flop down out of the way like my 2002 Jag. All I needed was a Jag e-brake handle, and found one on ebay. Also needed a bellcrank from a clutch linkage and some stainless straps.

twinsemi · 08-23-2025, 08:38 PM

So after the e-brake linkage was removed from the engine compartment, the rest of the operation could proceed.

twinsemi · 08-23-2025, 08:47 PM

Comments on the previous pics.
Steve Yarrow is doing all the welding/fab on this. Some of the parts that you see have been cut on the waterjet at Large's Metal Fab in Watsonville. This includes the braces for the rear LCA support, the frame boxing and the crossmember spacer that goes between the crossmember and the lower flange of the frame rails. If I wanted this to be a really low install (and maybe at some future date I will wish it was) I would not have put the frame spacer underneath the frame rail. It is a 1" thick spacer that is waterjet cut to have alignment holes for the crossmember pins and also has holes for the attachment bolts. I will go into the bolt plan for attaching the crossmember to the frame in another post. It's not simple and most of the people doing it online are doing it wrong, IMHO. LOL

**mr48chev** · 08-24-2025, 02:52 AM

How is that going to work for wheel choice? I was under the impression that the WMS to WMS was so wide that wheel selection was real critical.

twinsemi · 08-24-2025, 06:15 PM

Track width being similar means that wheels with similar offset to the Panther platform will work fine. I got some steel wheels for the Crown Vic and some 17" tires to go with them for starters. Of course, I didn't spend the money on any of this without doing the math backwards and forwards a few dozen times.

twinsemi · 08-24-2025, 06:32 PM

One thing that was critical to the success of this transplant was getting the front axle square to the frame. I had some numbers that people published for doing the CV to Ford truck, but those bolt holes and feature aren't available on the 3100. But this was not Steve's first rodeo. You can see him with the tape measure when we were doing the trial fitting. Finding and using factory holes in the frame that were the same on both sides allowed him to establish a true axle line for the new parts that he could weld the adapter plate to align with.

twinsemi · 08-24-2025, 06:39 PM

These are similar to the wheels that I got. Mine are powdercoated black, but the same design. And the tires on these wheels are the same size as what I am using.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/33578584132...Bk9SR4iy9uKbZg

08-23-2025, 08:35 PM	#1
twinsemi Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Soquel, CA Posts: 36	IFS from a Merc Marauder I posted that I had done this on WDYDWYTT3, when some asked if I had a thread. So here it goes. And there will be another for the rear axle work that is happening soon. 2003 Mercury Marauder front axle is the starting point, but before that could go in, I had to redo the e-brake linkage. I didn't want an electric, but I did have a Jag in the garage that gave me an idea. How about having the e-brake handle on the driver's left side, and it can flop down out of the way like my 2002 Jag. All I needed was a Jag e-brake handle, and found one on ebay. Also needed a bellcrank from a clutch linkage and some stainless straps. Attached Images

08-23-2025, 08:38 PM	#2
twinsemi Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Soquel, CA Posts: 36	Re: IFS from a Merc Marauder So after the e-brake linkage was removed from the engine compartment, the rest of the operation could proceed. Attached Images

08-23-2025, 08:47 PM	#3
twinsemi Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Soquel, CA Posts: 36	Re: IFS from a Merc Marauder Comments on the previous pics. Steve Yarrow is doing all the welding/fab on this. Some of the parts that you see have been cut on the waterjet at Large's Metal Fab in Watsonville. This includes the braces for the rear LCA support, the frame boxing and the crossmember spacer that goes between the crossmember and the lower flange of the frame rails. If I wanted this to be a really low install (and maybe at some future date I will wish it was) I would not have put the frame spacer underneath the frame rail. It is a 1" thick spacer that is waterjet cut to have alignment holes for the crossmember pins and also has holes for the attachment bolts. I will go into the bolt plan for attaching the crossmember to the frame in another post. It's not simple and most of the people doing it online are doing it wrong, IMHO. LOL

08-24-2025, 02:52 AM	#4
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 16,391	Re: IFS from a Merc Marauder How is that going to work for wheel choice? I was under the impression that the WMS to WMS was so wide that wheel selection was real critical. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.

08-24-2025, 06:15 PM	#5
twinsemi Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Soquel, CA Posts: 36	Re: IFS from a Merc Marauder Track width being similar means that wheels with similar offset to the Panther platform will work fine. I got some steel wheels for the Crown Vic and some 17" tires to go with them for starters. Of course, I didn't spend the money on any of this without doing the math backwards and forwards a few dozen times.

08-24-2025, 06:32 PM	#6
twinsemi Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Soquel, CA Posts: 36	Re: IFS from a Merc Marauder One thing that was critical to the success of this transplant was getting the front axle square to the frame. I had some numbers that people published for doing the CV to Ford truck, but those bolt holes and feature aren't available on the 3100. But this was not Steve's first rodeo. You can see him with the tape measure when we were doing the trial fitting. Finding and using factory holes in the frame that were the same on both sides allowed him to establish a true axle line for the new parts that he could weld the adapter plate to align with.

08-24-2025, 06:39 PM	#7
twinsemi Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Soquel, CA Posts: 36	Re: IFS from a Merc Marauder These are similar to the wheels that I got. Mine are powdercoated black, but the same design. And the tires on these wheels are the same size as what I am using. https://www.ebay.com/itm/33578584132...Bk9SR4iy9uKbZg



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