My project is a 1977 Lincoln Versailles. The car is a one owner car with 52k miles. It has the 351W, C4, 9" rear, with disc brakes all around. My object is to get the car to go, stop, and handle. I've already worked out the mechanicals and gathering parts for the engine build.
The one area where I need help is with upgrading the suspension and steering. All my searches on the internet turn up with the Versailles being the donor not the recipient. GM has a wealth of very creative readers and I want to tap into that resource for help. Aftermarket parts where available are pricey and I don't know if some of the aftermarket parts for Mavericks or Comets will be a direct fit. The manufacturers that I have contacted say they will not interchange.
I am open to any suggestions.
Thank You
In reply to fortee9er:
This sounds awesome. 
I believe the Versailles has some commonality with the LTD II and/or Granada chassis, not that performance parts for either chassis will be easy to find. If it shares anything with the 80's Crown Vick, there is a bit of hardware out there for it, but not much.
Fabrication and/or modification of circle track parts are probably going to be your best and cheapest route, I think.
The Shelby drop should work in the front. Mustang parts may fit. As I recall, these were very sought after back in the day, because they offered a bolt-in 9" with discs, bigger front brakes, P.S., etc for Mustangs, so the equasion should mostly work in reverse.
The trouble is we looked for these for the 1" front sway bar and such, because it was sweet on the lighter cars, so the question becomes "is there a 1 3/8" sway bar offered for 1st gen Mustangs" -if you catch my drift. Good luck. I have only seen maybe one Versallies in the flesh
IIRC, the front suspension was a descendant of the sixties small and midsized Fords, think Falcon, Mustang, Fairlane and Torino. Similar in design, but few, if any, parts from those will directly swap in. The stock parts on those were nothing to get excited about anyway.
I expect the Granada/Versailles/Mercury-whatever front end suffers from the same issues that the Mustang stuff does (bad camber curve, horrible bumpsteer), and the solutions for them are well documented and explained. Although none of the parts developed for the 'stangs are likely to fit, the same ideas could still be applied to improve them.
Or, if you're ready to go all-in, get a weld in Mustang-II front end kit and make it fit. 
Wouldn't it be easier to mod up what he has rather than weld in an abomination to front end geometry?
The Mustang II front end is just supported by aftermarket bolt-on part suppliers, it is not technically a good choice.
If a clip swap was in the picture, a Panther front end might be a better choice.....
A fat sway bar can be done using NASCAR stuff (splined bar with aluminum arms).
I'd be wanting to put it on a diet also, doing something with the step bumpers and such.
In reply to bentwrench:
"Putting it on a diet" comes later. I am at the parts gathering stage of the project. I have a 351W roller motor that should be good for 400hp (+ -). Initially I am going to stay with the C4 and later I want to replace it with a 4 speed auto. For the rear end I want 3.73 gears with LSD.
Figuring out what to do with the chassis is my current challenge. I know I want to lower it and rack and pinion steering would be nice but how much would it cost if available. Since I don't know what parts I need to achieve the handling objectives I can't price that part of the project. i know that when this project is done I'll have more in it than it is worth but I am trying to keep that to a minimum.
NASCAR parts? Where?
Thanks
Jorge
