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Lengthening a 2004 Ford Taurus

13K views 177 replies 13 participants last post by  Taurusup 
#1 ·
I have raised a 2004 Ford Taurus up approximately 3.5" at both the front and rear ends and put larger diameter wheel/tire combinations on it. I can describe what I did to accomplish this if anyone is interested.

Here are a few pictures of the finished car.


I don't know why, but I could only download this one picture. For some reason all of the others, while they showed 100% completely uploaded, ended up with a line drawn through the upload instead of a picture appearing. Perhaps someone can help me with this "attachment" problem?
 

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#3 ·
Are you asking how to lengthen the taurus? Its a unibody, its extremely difficult to do, and you'd likely not find anyone willing to do it for less than the price of a new taurus.

If you really want the car to look longer, the most you might be able to do is modify you bumpers to "look" longer.
 
#4 ·
Thank you for the input 02sesvulcan.



I realize that it is no simple project, and while I am not a body shop I do have some experience regarding lengthening cars. Back in my 20’s I extended the length of five different cars (all of which I scapped, ha, ha, ha) while learning to weld.



The project may be a little easier than it looks, in that I intend to extend the car at its read end (not through the center). I must admit that I am drawn to the long sleek rear trunk sections of the cars out of the early 60’s, and it is my intent to further modify my Taurus by stretching out the body at the rear end.



I plan to move the rear wheels back about 4” through moving the rear suspension mounts (control arms, trailing links, and strut towers) all back about 4”, and lengthening the rear end of the body through purchasing a rear body clip from a car whose lines will approximate the lines that I am after for my Taurus when finished, finally joining the lines from my Taurus at roughly a section through the base of the rear window to the lines on the new section, (then body filler).
 
#5 ·
Hey man, sounds like you've got a good plan.. I agree lengthening the rear would probably be the easiest spot. Might want to look into some other fords that are longer with similar architectures. If you want a serous build maybe look into putting that body on a F-150 frame? Who knows right?
 
#10 ·
Well, I may be "crazy", but at 65 I am too senile to realize it.

It's off to "Pick your Part". I bought a battery operated hand cutoff grinder from Harbor freight Tools (first 'battery operated' tool I have owned), and borrowed my brother's 'battery operated' hand held reciprocating saw.

The weather here is overcast this morning, so it's a good time to 'attack'.
 
#11 ·
Alright, some people may think me ‘nuts’, but I went to my local “Pick-your-Part” yard and dropped $700 on rear end parts for a 95’ Buick Riviera (parts pictured below). I picked up a trunk lid, rear light bar, bumper, bumper cover, and the rear of the body (trunk mounting frame, window base crossmember, rear body section, etc.). After evaluating many car’s rear ends (I walked the entirte lot), I think that I can work with this rear clip (we will find out in the coming months - after all I have srapped all previous attempts - but that was a long time ago).



For the entertainment of any “junk yard dogs” on this forum the standard battery on the Hercules battery operated cutoff hand grinder (which I purchased from Harbor Freight Tools for the “field work” in this project) is good for about 5 minutes of running time (wow, what a power hog!).



My plan is to start by cutting the rear end off of my Taurus (that should get me committed to the project - even though the car cost me only $1800). I will lay it out and cut it through a section roughly through the top of the trunk lid and behind the gas filler tube on the passenger side.



More to follow…..
Automotive parking light Car Vehicle Photograph Grille

Tire Car Sky Wheel Vehicle
Automotive tire Hood Automotive design Motor vehicle Automotive lighting
Plant Motor vehicle Hood Automotive tire Automotive design
 

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#13 ·
For what it might be worth to anyone who is interested in following this project, I am including the following “mocked up” picture of the concept inside my head which I developed last night. I took a profile view of my already raised car, and made a cutout of the lines that I would like to add at the rear end, including moving the rear wheels 4” rearward. I realize that it is only “on paper”, but it should give members some idea of what I am after.
Wheel Vehicle Tire Car Hood
 
#16 ·
It has been a busy couple of days.



First, I secured the rear end of the car safely up in the air by placing it on a support which I had fabricated for working on the front end of the car when I had raised it previously (back end of car on support pictured below). This support has the added benefit of being level, so when engaging the car’s rear frame rails, it holds the rear end of the car up in the air in such a way that I can balance height measurements to different features on the car using the garage floor as a reference plane. I took a profile picture of the driver’s side rear end, just so I can compare it to pictures when it is finished.



After this I basically stripped the back end of the car, removing the bumper and its cover, the trunk lid, rear window, taillights, trunk liners, rear seat, interior trim panels at the back of the cab, speakers, wire harness, rear suspension components, and gas tank (yes, I removed the gas tank this time).



Then I cut the rear end off of it through the top corners of the trunk lid frame on top continuing on down roughly through the middle/back of the wheel wells on the sides (behind the gas filler tube on the passenger side), and across the trunk floor just in front of the spare tire cavity at the rear of the crossmember which mounts the control arm “box”. (pictured is the back end after being cutaway).

Finally, I cut out the spare tire well (pictured), with the intent to reincorporate it into the new extended rear end of the car.



At this point I am obviously commited to the project.



More to follow…..
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#17 ·
Not a fan of the new trunk, etc, but I keep thinking about lifting my 3rd gen wagon with some large wheels and off-road style tires. Then I look at how long my wagon will likely last since it's got no rust and only 152K miles on the meter. And personally, when I invest in another vehicle, I still want to do the 4.8 32V DOHC InTech V8 swap into my wagon. A nice 300-325 hp grocery getter sleeper :cool:.
 
#18 ·
Back in the 70's and 80's we would call your's a 'Go-boat', while what I have in mind would be called a 'Show-boat'. By the way, 'lifting a car' with the 'carriage-type' (front wheel drive) mechanical assembly is far easier than lifting car that is rear wheel drive (at least at the front end).
 
#19 ·
After studying my “concept picture” I realized that I had to pitch the rear window frame down a few inches at its base (where it meets the rear deck/trunk) in order to get the “lines” that I am looking for. So the first thing I had to do was cut the rear window frame (both inner and outer sheet metal) through the two side pillars and across a section through the rear speaker shelf. (probably better explained through the attached pictures). Once this was done, I pitched the rear window frame down about 2” at its base (folding the sheet metal past itself along the inner and outer side pillars) and welding it into the new position. (pictures below) At this point I refitted the window to make sure that I would not have issues latter on when reinstalling it. I finished up the repositioning of the rear window frame by welding the rear speaker shelve together as shown.



At this point I intend to extend a couple of reinforcing frame rails rearward from the existing rear frame rails to mount the rear bumper and support the trunk floor (basically giving structure to the new back of the car).



More to follow…..
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#20 ·
In order to better envision how long the car should be lengthened, I purchased a 9’ length of 3” x 2” x .120wall rectangular tubing for the new rear frame rails, I cut it in half and made some cuts to the front ends of the two resulting “rails” in order to soundly attach them to the existing rails. (Note that I cut the ends of this tube so that I had 8” of extension at the upper and lower surfaces extending past the actuall butt joint where it met with the existing rear frame rails - this makes for a far stronger joint). I layed them out, squared them up and welded them in place (pictures).



Next, I mocked up the Buick’s bumper temporarily and have decided to lengthen the Taurus 17” at the bumper mount which will equate to a total of 19” in length due to the fact that the 95 Riviera’s rear bumper is more curved than the Taurus’.



As part of this lengthening project I am moving the rear wheels back 4”, so that the car’s finished profile does not look too long at the rear. This will naturally require that all of the rear suspension mounts will have to be moved back 4”.



More to follow…..
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#56 · (Edited by Moderator)
In order to better envision how long the car should be lengthened, I purchased a 9’ length of 3” x 2” x .120wall rectangular tubing for the new rear frame rails, I cut it in half and made some cuts to the front ends of the two resulting “rails” in order to soundly attach them to the existing rails. (Note that I cut the ends of this tube so that I had 8” of extension at the upper and lower surfaces extending past the actuall butt joint where it met with the existing rear frame rails - this makes for a far stronger joint). I layed them out, squared them up and welded them in place (pictures).



Next, I mocked up the Buick’s bumper temporarily and have decided to lengthen the Taurus 17” at the bumper mount which will equate to a total of 19” in length due to the fact that the 95 Riviera’s rear bumper is more curved than the Taurus’.



As part of this lengthening project I am moving the rear wheels back 4”, so that the car’s finished profile does not look too long at the rear. This will naturally require that all of the rear suspension mounts will have to be moved back 4”.



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When you get done what will you have? Sounds like you are a fellow with a lot of time on your hands and not a good direction in which to use that time proficiently. Looks like you started with a fairly good Taurus and will end up up with a real mess on your hands. Somewhere in life you might have taken a wrong turn or you just like changing things that don't need changing. Good Luck to You though.

mod edit: Removed political comment
 
#21 ·
Regarding moving the car's rear suspension mounts all back 4”, I started with the center “box” mount for the four control arms (2 per side). I layed out a cut line (picture) through the current “box” which will place a new mount, which I fabricated out of 3/16” steel plates, 4” rearward and and inch lower than standard. After clamping the new mount in place (picture), I welded it in place (picture).



Next I fabricated new trailing arm mounts out of 3/8” plate which I cut slots out of for mounting the trailing arm grommets, then put a 70° bend in them (picture) so that their mounting surfaces would be essentially perpendiculat to the trailing links when in the operating position. After locating their proper position 4” rearward and an inch downward from the original locations, I welded them in place to the frame rails (pictures).

It's time to move on to the new strut tower mounts, I intend to use the "old" ones that I had just made to raise the rear end of the car, and simply reposition them.



More to follow…..
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#22 ·
I have started working on the new rear strut tower mounts. Like the original rear suspension mounts they must be designed to take the weight of the rear of the car. I am not an engineer but I typically feel safe building something stronger than the original.


Because I intend to move these strut tower mounts rearward 4” and downward approximately 1.5”, I intend to re-use the new mounts which I have already fabricated the last time I moved the rear end of the car up and re-position them on some flat plates which I will weld to the edges of the original reinforcing ‘cups’ up in the shock tower wells. This will not only place them approximately 1.5” lower but will provide a ‘planar surface’ which is parallel with the original.


I took pictures of them in the car before I cut them out and on the floor after I had cut them out (they’re buggered up in the pictures on the floor because I had to cut them out of the car with a cutting torch - WOW, that was no fun! - using a cutting torch from below with the car so low that I had to do it on my knees).


With the back of the wheel wells already cut out, welding in these new mounting plates is easier than it sounds. First, I layed out lines and cut the back of the fender wells at the plane at the bottom of the standard strut tower reinforcing cups (a distance of about 1.5”).


Then I ‘mocked up the mounting plates” by making cardboard templates (picture), which I transferred to 1/8” steel plates, which I cut out and welded in position (pictures).


To further reinforce the rear strut tower mounts and finish out the wheel wells (which will have to be significanty longer now to accomadate the new placement of the rear wheels 4” rearward) I have ordered a 13” wide x 36” long 14 gauge trailer fender (which should arrive shortly). I plan to cut it in half, and use the two halves to enlarge and reinforce the rear wheel wells in order to accomodate moving the rear wheels rearward 4”.



More to follow…..
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#23 ·
I recieved the new trailer fender, and have cut it in half (pictures).


I located and welded the forward upper ends of these two new half fenders to the backs of the 1/8” plates which I just welded in for the strut tower mounts (pictures). I welded their rear inside edges at the flange to the outer edges of the car’s new frame rails (picture).

Next, I layed out cardboard templates (picture) to cut out 16 gauge inside wheel well walls, a panel to cover the gas filler tube cutout in the back of the passenger side wheel well, and a fender to body reinforcing strong back for each wheel well (much like the stock framing). I transferred these cardboard cutouts to a sheet of 16 gauge steel (picture), and cut them out.

Next, I welded the wheel well inner sidewall panels in place (pictures).



Continued on following post.....

Tire Automotive tire Wheel Tread Motor vehicle
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#24 ·
Continued from previous…..


With only being able to add 10 pictures at a time I had to add this second post which shows fitting up the sheet metal to make clearance for the gas filler neck (which I am keeping in its original position). The other pictures are of the wheel well strong backs which I added to each side to join to the car body later.


With the wheel wells now structurally sound for mounting the strut tower mounts (thus completing the rear suspension mounts), I will weld in the strut tower mounts next.


More to follow.....
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#25 ·
Well, I welded the strut towers in place yesterday, and its time to take a break for Independence Day”.


Regarding welding in the strut tower mounts: I reinstalled the car’s rear suspension components to their new mounts in order to keep the rear suspension’s ‘geometry’ in the correct position (pictures). This involved reinstalling the “control arms” to their new mounts, and the “trailing links” to their new mounts, and attaching them to the rear knuckles (still attached to the strut towers), and temporarily mounting the strut tower mounts to the tops of their respective strut towers. In doing this I can position the two strut tower’s mounts symmetrically to the insides of thier respective wheel wells, and mark where to trim their bases for a good fit up in the wells.



After I had trimmed the mounts, and located where to position them in the wheel wells, I welded them in position (pictures) thus completing the rear suspension mounts for the car.


Finally, I painted all of these parts.




Time to take a break for Independence Day, more to follow…..


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#26 ·
I need a little bit of "mechanical advise" can someone help me with "emergency brake cables".

Because I moved the rear wheels back 4" I am going to need a longer emergency brake cable on the driver's side rear. Are emergency brake cables (with their housings) standard sizes? I measured my emergency brake cable (on the driver's side) to be roughly 23" housing to flange. I need 10" longer (33" housing to flange). Does anyone out there have any suggestions? Do all Fords have standard fittings at both ends with differing lengths? Is there a vehicle that might come with a 33" length emergency brake cable that I could pick up in a junk yard?
 
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