Would you use a Fox rear suspension in a new chassis?

[beertestr]

I am getting back to my 53 F-100 project after an 8 year hiatus. I have pretty much decided that the t-bird style IRS I was building for it is not going to work if I want to run the 1/4 with it. It is not going to see the strip very often, but I want it to hook when it does. The truck weighs about 3200# right now, with a warmed up 5.0/T5 setup, it's right at about 300 FWHP right now. Future plans might find an LS2 in there on boost (different trans too), so 500 RWHP is a likely result. Not too crazy, but healthy.

So, the rear suspension is pretty open. I am looking at 2 possible directions.

1 - Explorer rear axle. The width is damn near spot on for the rear wheels I already have. Tons of them out there, and I was thinking of using the leaf spring pads to adapt a truck arm suspension, aka a NASCAR setup with Panhard rod or maybe even a Watts linkage.

2- Fox/SN95 rear axle. Build the mounts on the frame to accept the non-parallel 4-link.

Question is, is the non-parallel 4-link a problem for hooking? With all the Mustangs you see at the track, I am guessing not, but then again, maybe it's been done so many times, people know how to work around the weaknesses.

[nuttsgt]

I wouldn't be afraid, although it maybe cheaper to buy new 9" stuff, you might be able to find some of the 8.8 used stuff cheap.

The older Explorer stuff will be leaf spring. I believe the new might be independent, I'd have to look under the wife's rear (explorer, I mean) to see what's under it. I'm sure somebody will chime in for some type of traction device like a caltracs bar for the leafs.