50/51 Champion Convertible w/Lincoln MarkVIII from Canada?

[50Ragtop]

I was at the Americruise in Lincoln, NE a few years back and there was a 50 or 51 Convertible with a Lincoln Mark VIII interior, engine, etc, etc. It had a Canadian license plate on it and it was bright red. I have a 50 Convertible which I dug out of a creek bank so the whole bottom end is practically useless and I've been trying to figure out how this car I saw was built. The Mark VIII has the same wheelbase, but is a unibody car. Did the builder somehow graft the body panels on to the Lincoln? I didn't prod too closely or find the owner. I now wish I would have. Any ideas or have you seen this car?

[wolfie]

I have seen the front and rear sections from a unibody car welded together with U-shaped channel iron between them to build custom frames. When done right it is a good setup. I have also seen attempts that I would have been scared to haul on a trailer, let alone drive. Use good guage steel with 2 pieces of channel each side , one that fits completely around the frame rails and one that is the same size as the existing rails and plug weld all three pieces together. Add an "X" brace for additional rigidity. And of course measure, measure , measure before you start cutting and welding. The other way I can think of would be to cut the Lincoln loose at the floor and mount the Stude body to that floor adding braces as necessary. Dont know how well that works out but I have seen the beginnings of such a project. Good Luck, Steve

[54stude]

I know the owner, and have talked to him about the car. He built it all himself in a small garage.

The car is a '48 champion convertible, stock frame plus a custom tubular steel x-crossmember, and was a rusty and incomplete project when he started.
He added a stock mustang II front crossmember, and 1950 champion front sheel metal that he pie cut to fit behind the front wheels.

The rear axle is a ford 8" I believe, and the full drivetrain and complete electrical harness is from the lincoln. You could take his car to any lincoln dealer, tell him it is a 19xx lincoln mark VIII, and have them scan and diagnose it like a bone stock car.

PM me if you have specific questions, and I can go into more detail.

[Turbopackman]

Does the car use the MKVIII rear suspension as well? That would be an 8.8", and is an IRS. It's basically the same thing as a T-Bird and Cougar, but uses aluminium lower control arms and diff case. The other two cars use cast iron in those areas, as well as drum brakes on most models, but discs were available. The Lincoln's all had disc. I need to find another one, as I absolutely love those rear suspensions.

[54stude]

I am pretty sure he just used a standard ford straight axle, that was narrowed a little bit.

[Turbopackman]

That's to bad, the IRS is the best part of the Lincoln!