Mustangs Unlimited ROCKS!!! (and "the plan" for the '68 coupe)

Right on Thomas. Sounds like 'you done good'. While the motor I put in my 67 is made for boost, I am putting of the blower until later when I can afford it. For us 'po' folk, we have to do these things in stages.

8)

Take care,

Alias

Ride on! Sounds like you have things well in control.

While you are rebuilding the suspension, if you have the bucks (under $100), I would suggest you also look into the Vario Centric Camber kit. The 65/66 can be a bear to align with the shims, and I've already run into mechanics who complain about that and the tight space they have to reach into. The VCC kit eliminates the need for shims. But it has to be welded in. Mine comes from Mustangs Plus (who I also highly recommend as good people to talk to), but MU should also have it. Most of Mustangs Plus stuff is also Grab-A-Trak.

I also went with the Negative Wedge kit to lower the nose (Shelby Drop) which helps with handling. Along with that goes the Bump Steer kit. Also, I had everything converted to poly which flexes less than the original rubber type bushings, etc. adding to the stability.

Next, I need to add a rear anti-sway >I wanted to thank everyone who answered my questions about the Grab-a-Trak

Spike

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.

"When the time comes to lay down my life for my country, I do not cower from this responsibility. I welcome it." -JFK Inaugural Address

Well, since this engine has hypereutectic pistons running only 8.8:1 compression, I am pretty sure that I could go with a bit of boost, as well. I *really* want to put a Ford Racing blower onto this engine

,but that will not be cheap. I am pretty much at the end of the budgetat this point, so I need to take it easy. Thomas

That's a great selection of stuff. You should be happy with the results.

Why are all the links to Mustangs Plus?

I would use rubber bushings on the strut rods. Poly has been known to cause strut failure.

I would do the Shelby Drop while you're at it. Templates are available at Tony Branda's web site. You don't need a negative wedge kit for a

1" drop, so it's basically a free mod.

You also don't need the camber kit; '67's and up already use an eccentric on the LCA to adjust camber.

An 8.8:1 engine can certainly handle boost. You actually would not want to go much lower, or with a centrifugal blower you'd have no bottom end at all.

Have fun!

LOL.... I didn't catch that... cheers for Mustangs Unlimited and links to Mustangs Plus.

For me, Mustangs Plus is "sorta" just down the road.... about 5 hours. There are places closer... like in Sacramento which are good, too. I got started with MP.

I wasn't aware Branda had the template. For me, if I had stayed with stock wheels, I could have done the drop with springs alone. But when i bought the Vintage 40 wheels, Vintage Wheel Works said I'd need a negative wedge kit for the 16" wheels. They didn't specify anyone in particular to go to for it. And I had already had some positive contacts with MP.

Whenever possible, I generally buy from vendors who don't tack on the

7.75% Calif tax. And I shop for the best price anyway. MP doesn't always have the best price. And a number of them can beat the prices here in California even with S&H. The ones I use mainly are MP, MUnlimited, National Parts Depot, Sacramento Mustang, Ford Racing, California Mustang, and one other... Mustang Deport maybe. Quite often, I go directly to the manufacturer. There prices tend to be slightly lower. Like I got a really good deal on the Custom AutoSound components, and the 3 point belts. I used PST for the rebuild of the front end on the 66 FB I sold to get this one. I was very happy with their parts.

As for the Camber kit... I know my 65 could use it. And there are two kits, one for 65/66 and one for later (67/68?) as I recall. I'd have to look it up to verify the years. There is a difference between the two kits, but I didn't pay attention since the other one didn't apply to my car.

The kits I got already had the polys, but which parts might not have been, I am not sure. Overall though, poly seems the way to go. Do you recall how it led to strut failure? Heavy load>That's a great selection of stuff. You should be happy with the

Spike

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.

"When the time comes to lay down my life for my country, I do not cower from this responsibility. I welcome it." -JFK Inaugural Address

Well, the Mustangs Plus vs. Mustangs Unlimited thing is 'cause I'm a dope - I meant Mustangs Plus. I had been looking at Mustangs Unlimited and it got stuck in my head. I chose Mustangs Plus over Mustangs Unlimited... Now I feel like an idjit squared.

I was thinking about the Shelby drop but the springs I am getting already drop the front end by an inch. I want to make sure that I'm not going too low - remember that this will be my daily driver, so I don't want to go too crazy.

As far as boost goes - that will likely wind up being next year's project.

Thomas

Argh - I just plain screwed up. The folks I bought from are Mustangs Plus. I chose them over the others. Sorry for the confusion. I feel like a dope.

I posted a correction, too.

Here I thought I was helping out Mustangs Plus and I screwed up.

Thomas

The Shelby drop does not lower the car by more than 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Check photos of some gennie '65 GT350's, which re-used the factory GT coil springs with a one inch control arm drop. Some even retain the nose-up look of the stock '65.

The warning about strut breakage from poly bushings has been "received wisdom" for years. I recall seeing a story in the Vintage Mustang Forum within the past few months, about a '69 that had this happen and the driver lost control and crashed. What it's about is that, if the "give" in the bushings is less than the "give" in the strut, then the strut will bend first when the suspension moves. Over time this will weaken the strut, just like if you bend a paper clip back and forth until it breaks. Your mileage may vary, and this may just be urban legend, but given that the rubber bushings perform well enough it's a risk you may not want to take.

180 Out

Before I started spending mad money on the suspension, I did a 1" spring drop. It's not going to bottom out on speed bumps, so I wouldn't worry.

Enjoy your new handling prowess!

The neg wedge is 1.75". which, on my 16" wheels, is close but not excessive. And the nose in the air stock stance reduced how much it appears to drop. I think it actually looks closer to level than nose down. I do need to replace the coils on mine. They looked ok when the front was rebuilt, but the driver side, which is normal, sits just a shade too low for my taste, without me in it. So, I'll go ahead and put in a new set of stockers, along with new seats and isolators.

That's the first I had heard on it. As for the kit, that part may not have been changed. I can't sure until I crawl under and look. A you say, it may be urban legend. Like the gas tank thing. True, fires have resulted from rear end collision, but according to everything I've read, they were the exception, not the rule. Still, companies are using it as a selling point for steel plates... which may be a good idea anyway, but not necessarily a required one. Guess I will, if they are polys, just add it to my routine checklist, just to be on the safe side.

Every now and then, information comes through the NG that I can actually apply to my own car, and that's cool. Still, a lot of other info that applies to other years which I can still use.

Anyways.... Tanks! I'm tankful for the nfo. : )

Spike

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.

"When the time comes to lay down my life for my country, I do not cower from this responsibility. I welcome it." -JFK Inaugural Address

wisdom" for years.

I would talk to the guys at Mustangs Plus about this. I seem to recall a recent post somewhere where they poo pooed this issue. I could be wrong (have been in the past), so research it.

Alias

Personally, I'm not "worried" about it. It's just one more think to keep an eye on with a 40 year old car.... : ) Spike

1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.

"When the time comes to lay down my life for my country, I do not cower from this responsibility. I welcome it." -JFK Inaugural Address