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#1
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Mustangs Unlimited ROCKS!!! (and "the plan" for the '68 coupe)
I wanted to thank everyone who answered my questions about the Grab-a-Trak
stuff from Mustangs Unlimited. I wound up buying: 1) Grab-a-Trak Spring and Handling kit (upgraded to the 1-1/8" sway bar and 5-leaf mid-eye rear springs) (http://tinyurl.com/8ro4t) 2) Grab-a-Trak performance suspension rebuild kit (http://tinyurl.com/a94ra) 3) Make-it-New Steering Rebuild Kit (http://tinyurl.com/d4w65) 4) 4-Piston Front Disc Brake Conversion Kit (http://tinyurl.com/cakg2) I talked to Carl at Mustangs Unlimited, and he was awesome to work with. He actually talked me *out* of some more expensive brake stuff I wanted, and urged me to have my mechanic call him directly when doing the brake conversion so he could talk about some of the common gotchas. So the plan is to pull the motor and tranny, put the car up on the lift and pull the entire suspension out, sand/wire brush and POR-15 the underside and engine bay, then put in the 351W and all new suspension bits in. The car should be a serious beast when all is said and done... I can't wait to get into it! The only bummer is that the blower is really out of my budget now. I've spent so much more than I expected that the extra $2500 is just not feasible right now. I guess that will be next year's project! :-) Cheers, Thomas |
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#2
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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 -----Original Message----- From: Thomas Cameron ] Posted At: Saturday, July 23, 2005 2:48 PM Posted To: rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang Conversation: Mustangs Unlimited ROCKS!!! (and "the plan" for the '68 coupe) Subject: Mustangs Unlimited ROCKS!!! (and "the plan" for the '68 coupe) I wanted to thank everyone who answered my questions about the Grab-a-Trak stuff from Mustangs Unlimited. I wound up buying: 1) Grab-a-Trak Spring and Handling kit (upgraded to the 1-1/8" sway bar and 5-leaf mid-eye rear springs) (http://tinyurl.com/8ro4t) 2) Grab-a-Trak performance suspension rebuild kit (http://tinyurl.com/a94ra) 3) Make-it-New Steering Rebuild Kit (http://tinyurl.com/d4w65) 4) 4-Piston Front Disc Brake Conversion Kit (http://tinyurl.com/cakg2) I talked to Carl at Mustangs Unlimited, and he was awesome to work with. He actually talked me *out* of some more expensive brake stuff I wanted, and urged me to have my mechanic call him directly when doing the brake conversion so he could talk about some of the common gotchas. So the plan is to pull the motor and tranny, put the car up on the lift and pull the entire suspension out, sand/wire brush and POR-15 the underside and engine bay, then put in the 351W and all new suspension bits in. The car should be a serious beast when all is said and done... I can't wait to get into it! The only bummer is that the blower is really out of my budget now. I've spent so much more than I expected that the extra $2500 is just not feasible right now. I guess that will be next year's project! :-) Cheers, Thomas |
#3
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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 in 7/8" from PST (www.p-s-t.com) and weld on subframe connectors. Gotta wait until the 1st of the month for both of those. On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 21:48:05 GMT, Thomas Cameron > wrote: >I wanted to thank everyone who answered my questions about the Grab-a-Trak >stuff from Mustangs Unlimited. > >I wound up buying: > >1) Grab-a-Trak Spring and Handling kit (upgraded to the 1-1/8" sway bar >and 5-leaf mid-eye rear springs) (http://tinyurl.com/8ro4t) > >2) Grab-a-Trak performance suspension rebuild kit >(http://tinyurl.com/a94ra) > >3) Make-it-New Steering Rebuild Kit (http://tinyurl.com/d4w65) > >4) 4-Piston Front Disc Brake Conversion Kit (http://tinyurl.com/cakg2) > >I talked to Carl at Mustangs Unlimited, and he was awesome to work >with. He actually talked me *out* of some more expensive brake stuff I >wanted, and urged me to have my mechanic call him directly when doing the >brake conversion so he could talk about some of the common gotchas. > >So the plan is to pull the motor and tranny, put the car up on the lift >and pull the entire suspension out, sand/wire brush and POR-15 the >underside and engine bay, then put in the 351W and all new suspension >bits in. > >The car should be a serious beast when all is said and done... I can't >wait to get into it! > >The only bummer is that the blower is really out of my budget now. I've >spent so much more than I expected that the extra $2500 is just not >feasible right now. I guess that will be next year's project! :-) > >Cheers, >Thomas 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 |
#4
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Alias wrote:
> 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 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 (http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts...tKeyField=2032), but that will not be cheap. I am pretty much at the end of the budget at this point, so I need to take it easy. Thomas |
#5
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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! |
#6
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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 loading, or???? Or where I can read the information? TIA On 25 Jul 2005 13:27:20 -0700, wrote: >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! 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 |
#7
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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. <sigh> 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 |
#8
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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. <sigh> Here I thought I was helping out Mustangs Plus and I screwed up. Thomas |
#9
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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! -----Original Message----- From: Thomas Cameron ] Posted At: Monday, July 25, 2005 2:44 PM Posted To: rec.autos.makers.ford.mustang Conversation: Mustangs Unlimited ROCKS!!! (and "the plan" for the '68 coupe) Subject: Mustangs Unlimited ROCKS!!! (and "the plan" for the '68 coupe) 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. <sigh> 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 |
#10
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