'66 Mustang

There are a few of us vintage owners around. Whacha wanna know?

Erich

66 coupe proud second owner since 1978 69 Mach1 perpetual project

Whew! Okay, I have one major question. I know absolutely nothing about watercooled vehicles. Only aircooled (VWs). I just picked up a 66 Mustang today. There is a problem with the engine (and thanks to an owner who didn't know what a potential gem he had, sold it to me dirt cheap). It will start, but it will only run for a minute and die. It will always turn over and crank, but it just won't continue to run. My first thought was maybe it isn't getting enough gas, but it doesn't make the typical glug glug gurgle gurgle pfffft sound I have come to know as fuel issues. It sounds great on start up, then just dies. It still gets power though. I'm sure there are a million and 1 reasons for this, but could we come up with a starting point of things for me to check? I had a cracked distributor cap once on a van and it did this. The engine is from a '77, and I'm pretty sure it's a 351, but I could be wrong. Any ideas on a starting point to search for the issue?

I will have many more questions to come, especially about that disgusting interior. :)

Thanks in advance, Kidd

Kathy and Erich Co> There are a few of us vintage owners around.

Plugged carb or fuel filter?

I had the same problem with my 1966 Econoline, I also thought it was a fuel problem but it was an ignition failure, points were badly burned. I replaced spark plugs, points and condensor, after this the problem never returned.

Erik

Kidd Anderss> Whew! Okay, I have one major question. I know absolutely nothing about

And when talk turns to ignition and early Mustangs, we know the next topic is probably Pertronix. ;)

Take a look at the Ignitor and IgnitorII systems:

link is not an endorsement of the seller, just one of the firstlinks that came up in a search.) Other increasingly involved options are the Duraspark route and many aftermarket sytems.

I've got a Ford Motorsport electronic ignition (made by MSD) in my '65 and it was well worth it. I haven't had to adjust or replace anything since I installed it.

Even if your problem isn't the ignition, an upgrade is something to consider.

DP Pics of the cars:

Welcome, and you picked a good group of helpful people (although there are some who are... welllll anyway.... stick around and you'll soon see...)

If it is ignition system.... I highly endorse conversion to electronic ignition, no matter what brand (Pertronix, MSD, etc).

You can either go with a complete distributor, or just use upgrade components (the way I went).

If you go with the upgrade; keeping the old distributor and replacing the points with a module; SAVE A SET OF POINTS and toss 'em in your tool kit in a Ziploc. That way, if the module ever fails, in a few minutes you can be back to points long enough to get you to a parts store and a new module.

That said... the first th>Does anyone here know much about the older 'Stangs or is it all for the >new ones?

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

Hehe. I happened to notice already.

Good idea. Will do.

I did a little poking around and now I'm thinking it's a 302. Hell, I dunno! I wish the guy had just left the 289 in it but spit happens. I'm not completely sure how to tell by looking what the difference is yet. I'm way out of my element on this, but I'm willing to learn.

If you (or anyone) has helpful hints or brand suggestions for a newbie, feel free to pass them my way!

Kidd

It could also be the choke is too tight if it's cold out. It'll start hard, then run a few seconds, then fall flat on it's face.

If no one has mentioned it yet.... the 351 firing order is different from the 289/302, the heads are taller. there's more, but it's for sure not the engine I am familiar with. In fact, I'm just getting back into the 289 after a bunch of years with a 350 EFI in my 91 TransAM GTA... and a 305 Camaro before that. My last 289 was back in 70/71, and I had a 302 in 74. So, I'm back in the re-learning phase.

302 is a very common swap. Easier to do than build up a 289. Just go to about any wrecking yard. The 351 is also pretty common in a 65/66 because, without cutting away the shock towers it's about as big as you can get in there before the change in 67 which allowed for 390s and more.

While questi>Spike wrote:

And that's just one....: )

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

No Mustangs from '73 up -- other than the super rare Cobra R -- had

351's.

A 351 is a tall deck version of a 289/302/5.0. A practiced eye can tell by looking at the valley casting at the distributor area. The 351 is taller by about an inch, and as I recall there is a vertical ridge cast into the 351 that is absent in the others. In a '66 Mustang, a newbie can make a good guess by looking at the clearance to the shock towers. If there's about an inch of clearance it's a 289/302/5/0. If it looks reaaallly tight, it's a 351.

180 Out

No Mustangs from '74 up -- other than the super rare Cobra R -- had

351's.

A 351 is a tall deck version of a 289/302/5.0. A practiced eye can tell by looking at the valley casting at the distributor area. The 351 is taller by about an inch, and as I recall there is a vertical ridge cast into the 351 that is absent in the others. In a '66 Mustang, a newbie can make a good guess by looking at the clearance to the shock towers. If there's about an inch of clearance it's a 289/302/5/0. If it looks reaaallly tight, it's a 351.

180 Out

It's the same exact head. The block deck height is taller.

Boat Anchor! LMAO!

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

Hey, when the ex leaves you the bills and support to pay and cleans out the bank accounts, you're lucky if you can afford wheels. The 72 'stang had a CJ in it when I got it back in 1974. When the gas crunch hit, I ended up with a 4V 302 Mustang II that was a major dog. Flip on the AC (I lived in the desert) and you'd swear you'd thrown it in reverse. I've had some good ones and some bad ones. Oh, well. Look at me now... I get a 65 restored and it's an A Code (4V) and what happens? Gas goes through the roof..... At least I have the 97 Escort Beatermobile.... all 30+ mpg, broken down seats and all.... LOL

Hey! Spikey Likes IT!

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior Vintage 40 Wheels 16X8" w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A Radial 225/50ZR16

Looks like you are getting some good info from the group, but there is another list you could also try, which focuses on classic mustangs. You can sign-up here:

Michel.

Actually the 351 Windsor and the 302 use for the most part identical heads, dimension wise anyway. The blocks and innards are where the differences are.

I live in Florida. Cold is rarely an issue. Especially in April. :)

Kidd

I certainly appreciate the help. Most of the guys I know just laugh when I ask questions because they assume a girl doesn't know how to hold a wrench properly. I can hold a wrench *and* a gun properly, so they rarely laugh for long. :) My wrenches have just never touched anything besides a Beetle before. And they won't touch my Mustang either unless I want to convert every nut and bolt to metric. Hehe.

Kidd