I have been watching the current trends in the hobby with great interest. Updating classic mustangs with Fuel injection, AOD transmissions, modern creature comforts, Etc...
These ideas are all very appealling to me. I would love to have a classic mustang that had the driving temprament of a current Mustang.
But....
Not just any current Mustang. Where would the fun in that be??? I want it to be a 65 fastback with a 03 Cobra temprament. Speed... Handling... Comfort...
Has anyone ever modified an early mustang to this extent??? Blown
If you have enough time and money any thing can be done. I saw a Focus with the Cobra drivetrian in it. Of course they had way more money into it than buying the two cars combined. The first problem that jumps out at me is the width of a 4.6 is wider than a windsor small block so you would run into shock tower problems right away. Not that the problem can't be taken care of, with time and money. If your not the type to do your own work I'd wait for the next Cobra. you'll have the retro looks with the modern driveline, and a warrranty.
1965 Mustang Fastback 2+2 Burgundy w/ Black Std Interior
289 ci 4v V8 A Code Dual Exhaust C4 Auto
8" Trak Lok Vintage 40 wheels BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDWS 225/50ZR-16 tires Petronix Electronic Ignition components oem am radio and am-fm-10cd changer with 7.5" dvd player 120w kick panel speakers Built in San Jose on my birthday, May 10th ; )
Actually, the next Mustang will have many styling cues taken from clasic Mustangs, but you will never confuse the car with an early fastback. It will be a nice car, but it will not have the same appeal to me.
Maybe I should buy a Cobra and a 65 Fastback and crash the two together at about 140 MPH. That should fuse the two cars into one rather substantal piece of.... Well.... On second thought, maybe this is not such a good idea.
A quote from the site "...a1968 Mustang fastback with all the latest from Ford - DOHC engine, T-45 transmission, Independent rear suspension, traction control, ABS, the works. The concept behind the MIB is simple: "If SVT was around in 1968, this would be the car they would build". The project was also shaped by one comment made by one of our customers wives: "Honey, I like your old Mustangs, but I like the ride can convenience of my new car". Thus our basic platform was born. MIB is NOT a Restomod."
The IRS will fit the '66, but you have to run rear fender flares.
snipped-for-privacy@hydroflotech.com (Robert Julian Jr.) wrote
Didn't you just complete the build of a '65 fb that was featured in one of the Mustang mags last year? Tired of it already?
Anyway, like Scott pointed out, DVS Restorations has everything you need to bolt an SVT Cobra irs to a classic stang.
In the DVS prototype, which was the subject of a long-term feature in Mustang & Fords, they put a sohc mod motor. At first they had just trimmed the shock towers, and the M&F series is a great resource for how to do that. But for some reason they shifted gears and went with a Mustang II conversion kit.
Those make me queasy, putting all the suspension and braking load into those flimsy "frame" rails at the bottom of the fender aprons. Therefore, I would go with a TCP coil-over (
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), a Fatman Fox strutconversion (
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), or a RevelationRacing coil-over(
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), andtrim the shock towers to fit the mod motor. The problem with the TCP is it's very expensive and the company is on the brink of going under, so you would want to deal with them COD only. The problem with Fatman is it's very expensive for what you get. You might be able to fab an equivalent, and for far less money. The problem with RRS is it's VERY expensive, and they're a complete unknown as to quality or service (and they're located in Australia).
I saw a mod motor in a '66 over one year ago. The builder used the Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II conversion. No big deal physically, but as with any EFI car you have to hack the electronics to make them work in the old heaps.
Also, any tranny will fit in any car, if you're willing to cut the tunnel and fab the mounts. Not a big deal at all.
Actually, if I were building my dream classic Stang I would go with an EFI 5.0 or 331 and turbo/intercool it. I mean, why settle for '03 Cobra performance when you can have '66 Cobra performance (or better, actually)? I would retain the stock Mustang front suspension, although with Global West upper control arms and a 1.75" Shelby drop. I'd also go with this new Flaming River rack and pinion setup.
I'd skip the irs and go with a 9" in the rear. Sure an irs is superior over rough pavement, but the improvement is not worth the expense.
I would use a Richmond 5 spd, which is not an OD, but it has a low enough first gear that you can run a 3.00 or higher ring and pinion. Or there's the Richmond 6 speed with OD. There's also the Gear Vendors overdrive unit, which might be fun with the Richmond 5 spd or even a Ford Toploader 4 spd.
There's no one in this group who has taken a classic Stang to this level. But it's just a matter of time until we start seeing turbo
5.0's, etc., in old Stangs fairly regularly. Just look at the Ring Brothers' Street Machine of the Year finalist, or the Troy Trepanier/eBay Fast Forward, or the *shudder* Unique Performance/Sanderson Sales Eleanors. There are going to be some maxed-out "Pro Touring" style classics out there.
180 Out TS 28
They're using a DOHC Cobra motor, T-45 tranny, and IRS. All including the computer, traction control and ABS.
performance (or >better, actually)?
How 'bout the new 5.0 cammer motor with the modern cobra computer, traction control and ABS in what lookes like a '66 Shelby?? It can be done now.
Depends on what you want to use it for I guess.
Gear Vendor's stuff is overpriced IMHO. I can see the need for it in a car where an OD tranny flat out won't fit (like my '68 Fury), but with the availability of OD trannies and the fact that their EASY to swap on our mustangs, I'd stick with a good manual OD. If the T-45 will fit, why not? Why spend $2k just for the chunk to convert to OD then pay all the mods to the driveline to make it fit? I can see this with my C-body MoPar since there is NO OD tranny available that will bolt to my motor and fit in that tranny tunnel, even with an adapter plate. That is the only time I would look to Gear Vendor's.
In a weird coincidence, even as I was typing up my compare and contrast of a mod motor w/IRS vs a turbo pushrod build, the latest Popular Hot Rodding was plopping on my front porch with exactly the two cars I was talking about.
On p. 24 is a feature on a '66 fb gold on black GT350H clone with a complete '03 Cobra drivetrain, including the blown cammer, the T56 six speed, and the irs. Estimated fwhp 460. Up front the owner (an 18 year old girl btw) used a Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II kit. The interior and bodywork are full-on resto.
On p. 35, a guy who works at tuner shop JBA Racing is running an EFI, turbocharged, solid roller 408 ci Windsor in his '67 fb. 575 fwhp. No intercooler, but the guy's running a water/methanol injection system to control preignition. Surprisingly, he swapped out a 9" in favor of a late model 8.8 w/3.27's. It's also running Toyos on 18" Torque Thrust II's, 13" front discs, '94 Cobra rears, and a cowl induction hood. Inside is a pair of some massively bolstered driving seats. The owner has trapped it at 124 mph in the quarter, no ET mentioned. While at a racetrack for some photos, PHR's writer babied it to a 12.22 at 118. It outran a '94 Vette through the slalom also present on that day, and pulled .87 g on a 200' skidpad.
All in all, I'd go with the '67's style. But both of these cars back me up in my original statement, that we're going to be seeing more and more of these kinds of classic Stang hot rods. (I'm just glad we got our '65 fb when it was only $2500 -- just three short years ago.)
No, I am very happy with the car. I drive it often. I am just thinking about my next project.
I saw there package. It starts at about $1,200 and you still need to supply your own IRS.
SNIP...
Actually, if I were to go this route, I would most likly go with the Heidt unit. The front end items appear to be well thought out. Although, their IRS components look to be a liitle on the lightweight side.
Well.... I am looking at pressing the envelope. I am formulating a plan that should produce a one of a kind ride. My goal is to best the current Viper and Corvett in all aspects. Acceleration, breaking, skid pad and ride quality.
1965 Mustang Fastback 2+2 Burgundy w/ Black Std Interior
289 ci 4v V8 A Code Dual Exhaust C4 Auto
8" Trak Lok Vintage 40 wheels BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDWS 225/50ZR-16 tires Petronix Electronic Ignition components oem am radio and am-fm-10cd changer with 7.5" dvd player 120w kick panel speakers Built in San Jose on my birthday, May 10th ; )
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