Questions about frame damage from a wreck

[-XTreme-]

Ok lets start off with what happened... I've got a 91 Mustang LX 5.0 Coupe. Had it less than a week and got nailed by a girl in a Dodge Ram 1500 pickup. Totalled the car and bent the frame(well subframe). I've already cut all the sheet metal off the car and one strut tower is bent and the subframe on the drivers side has a fold in it. So i'm taking a guess that there isn't much saving to the current subframe on the car so here's my question... I've got a 87 Mustang LX 4cyl sitting here and i've been told that you can swap that whole front end over fairly easily and that everything unbolts. I wanted to see if any of you had any more information on this as to if it is possible and where everything unbolts at. I would just swap everything into the 4cyl car but the Coupe is in much better condition and I would rather have a coupe vs a hatchback.

 

[trbkrb]

I think they were talking about the K member. It is bolted to the front part of the frame. The front part of the unibody is all welded to the rest of the car. It would be a really big project to swap the complete front parts. You can replace parts of the inner fenders, but it would require body shop work on a frame machine to get it straight.

 

[emagdnim]

I think you just ruined his dreams... haha

 

[Scorcher2005]

If the 5.0 is still ok, drop it into the coupe

 

[Michael Yount]

The coupe is the one that's wrecked - did you mean drop the 5.0 into the 4 cyl. notchback that's not wrecked?

 

[Michael Yount]

It is possible to morph the cars - anything's possible. I've got a buddy who had the back half of his 88 cut off (through the front pillars and through the floor) and had the rear of a T-top car welded on. MAJOR undertaking - body shop did it for him. That's the kind of surgery you're looking at if you want to graft the front end of the clean hatchback onto the wrecked coupe. It is definitely NOT a bolt on affair. If you have to have a bolt on operation - bolt your mechanical pieces from the coupe into the hatch.

 

[-XTreme-]

Thanks for the info guys. That's kinda what I had figured because i've looked this thing over and can't figure out what in the heck this guy was talking about because I don't see anything that would make this whole front end unbolt.

Oh well... Atleast i've got the hatchback to put everything in. But the question is with it... what do I need to swap the V8 and AOD into it? The motor mounts are different right?

 

[trbkrb]

You remove the complete K memeber with the A ams, spindles and brakes and engine and everything and move it to the 4 cyl car. It is a bit easier than swapping each individual thing, since the 4 cyl brakes are smaller thatn the V8 ones. Swap over the booster, MC and PV. Everything you need is on the V8 car and it will bolt right up to the 4 cyl. You will need the tranny mounts and crossmember, exhaust, rear brake lines, 8.8 rear end to replace the 7.5, the v8 instrument cluster, all the wiring under the hood, plus a few other parts. But you are lucky to have a complete V8 car to use, instead of trying to ather all the pieces separately.

A major job, but at least you have the pars to do it.

Good luck!