The article is pretty thorough, but it just mentions extra structural welds, but not torque boxes--last car I remember seeing those on was a '70 Polara pursuit. I forgot that just about everything else was heavy duty too!!
Yeah, I know--my '68 convertible has the torque boxes, and they are quite obvious - that's why I don't remember seeing them on the '71 and up cars, but they may have been on the C bodies until '73 - memories can be faulty (especially mine!).
All convertibles and hemi cars had torque boxes, and I have read that all the hemi powered Cuda's actually started out as convertible bodies and then had the hard tops welded on.
<span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Tue Jan 05 2010, 11:07AM ]</span>
Joined: Wed Dec 30 2009, 05:24AM
Location: Finland
Posts: 7
Ok, my car is just normal Gran Fury Brougham. I'm going to do it street-strip-show car with 500 cubic inch powerplant and 3.90 rear axle ratio, so I think that some extra reinforcement weldings are helpful support to unibody. But maybe subframe connectors are adequate? I have also added some spot weldings around the body.
here are two photos (more is coming) looks bad, eh?
WOW, you've got her stripped down to her knickers! That looks like it will be quite a project. I think sub frame connectors would be a great idea with all the torque your planned engine is going to put out.
Joined: Mon Jul 23 2007, 06:03PM
Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
Posts: 471
Are you planning to use the Chrysler 9.25 inch differential that would have been under there? The police cars used 3.21 gears...do they even MAKE 3.90's for the 9.25?
The Last Gen Fury and Monaco pursuits were my favorites...looks like you a real solid car to build from.
What are you planning for colors? A "black & white"? or more of a detectives car motif.
Joined: Sun Feb 26 2006, 08:46PM
Location: Kingston,Ontario
Posts: 5622
Luckily,Dodge trucks all the way up to the mellenium used 9.25 rear diffs. More common than you think in regards to the guts of the diff. So you can get steeper gears. Auburn Gear,Yukon,Randy's Ring,and others can cater to your needs.
Joined: Wed Dec 30 2009, 05:24AM
Location: Finland
Posts: 7
Yes, rear axle is 9 1/4 with Sure-Grip. I have already buyed Motive Gear's 3.90 ring & pinion kit and small parts.
Colours will be shiny Black & White. And some police decals, search light, police rims and Whelen's Strobehawk lightbar (I think that it is from the mid-80's).
Joined: Sun Mar 28 2010, 06:55PM
Location: michigan
Posts: 5
> i'm doing policecar clone for my 4 door sedan 76 Gran Fury. > I heard that orginal police package cars had reinforcement weldings > somewhere in the body and the roof had also somekind of > reinforcement for lightbar? Does anyone have any pictures > or information?
A fellow 74-77 c-body owner! Allright! I have an ex-police 74 Dodge Monaco with the "F58 Rear Crossmember Reinforcement or welds" fender code.
I compared the underbody of my F58 74 Monaco with the underbody of a non-F58 76 Monaco, and I could not tell any difference with regard to rear crossmember reinforcement. F58, at least on a 74-77 c-body, does not indicate anything as substantial or noticeable as torque boxes or subframe connectors or extra welds on the bottom of the crossmember.
> From what I remember, wherever there was a major weld there was > also a metal tab, laid horizontally, right on top of the frame.... (and > none on the sides). > I'm almost positive I saw those photos on "C-Body dry-dock"... > ..but I could never find them again.
If this is the case, one may need to do some serious work to the car (remove the rear crossmember from the unibody) in order to see the top of the crossmember determine exactly what F58 meant. I'm keeping my eyes open for an a junker police car with F58 that I can examine; I'm not up for tearing mine further apart just to compare crossmember welds.
> Ok, my car is just normal Gran Fury Brougham. I'm going to do > it street-strip-show car with 500 cubic inch powerplant and 3.90 > rear axle ratio...
> ...so I think that some extra reinforcement weldings > are helpful support to unibody. But maybe subframe connectors > are adequate?
I'm planning on stiffening up the frame with subframe connectors and torque boxes, and it sounds like you're looking at doing the same. I wouldn't worry about not having F58 or trying to duplicate its reinforcements. If you add subframe connectors and torque boxes you'll be far ahead of what the factory added.
The ceiling reinforcement for a lightbar was another code unrelated to the F58 crossmember reinforcement. My car (ex Marin County sheriff car) had a lightbar, http://www.bluesbrotherscentral.com/forum/bluesmobiles/10217-theres-new-marin-county-sheriff-town-3.html#post115556 but did NOT have the code for extra ceiling reinforcement. I wouldn't worry about that reinforcement either. It clearly wasn't neeeded for a lightbar, and I can't imagine that it would provide any significant frame strengthening or rollover protection.
your friend in building a killer 74-77 c-body, arthur
I'm planning on using Dodge Viper calipers up front (fit under a 15" wheel and are perfect for the stock 74-77 c-body rotor diameter and width), and redoing the front upper control arms and drag-link for better handling (info in my Marin County build thread on the bluesbrotherscentral board).
Please keep updates coming on your build - it sounds like we're doing a bunch of similar stuff on our builds and I'm eager to see your progress. <span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Sat Jun 04 2011, 02:46AM ]</span>
Seems to me you two guys would be the one to ask. I have seen pics of Gran Fury cop cars with bucket seats. Twice, in the exact same style in two different former cop cars, so I'm pretty sure it wasn't done later. Know anything about them? Ever seen them? <span class='smallblacktext'>[ Edited Sat Jun 04 2011, 03:04AM ]</span>