Do you want your F-100 to ride like a truck? Or would you rather it ride like a Corvette? No, this isnt a trick question. Any Ford F-100 owner would like his or her classic to ride and handle better than stock, particularly if it could ride and handle more like a Corvette. The minds at Flat Out Engineering thought the same thing, so they designed a set of brackets and now offer a bolt-in kit to allow F-100 owners to have Corvette IRS and IFS without the concerns of backyard engineering.
There are several obvious advantages to using 84-97 Corvette (C4) mechanicals. These units, when purchased from a salvage yard, are less expensive than many new IRS or IFS units on the market. A Vette IRS can also be less expensive than mounting a Ford 9-inch rearend, after all the individual components are figured into the total costs. Besides offering an improved ride, additional benefits are that your truck will sit lower and thus look better. How much lower will depend on the wheel and tire sizes you choose. Last, but certainly not least: In most cases, its not necessary to narrow any of the stock Corvette components.
A Corvette rearend from 84 to 87 measures 61½ inches from outside to outside the 11-inch brake rotors. Corvette rears from 88 to 97 measure 62½-inches from outside to outside the 13-inch brake rotors. A 16-inch or larger diameter wheel is required on the larger rotor.
The installation procedure is relatively simplejust measure carefully, attach the various brackets, and bolt up the Corvette axle. You have to decide whether or not to use the stock transverse leaf spring; a coilover mount is also available with the kit. The kit consists of three steel brackets on each side (to be bolted or welded to the outside of the framerails) and all the hardware. We were able to photograph the installation of the brackets by Roy Ortega of Cypress Auto Body in Cypress, California. The chassis is from a pickup that has been in the family of Cypress Auto Body owner Tom Rodriguez for decades. Lets take a look at how easy it is to have better handling, a better ride, and a lower stance.