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Author
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Topic: Mustang II suspension on a 67' Coupe
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BrentonRose
Journeyman Posts: 38
From: Avondale, Arizona
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 04-28-2001 04:14 AM
   
Okay I am a little naive,
I have seen adds to eliminate shock towers by using the Mustang II suspension. Woulndn't it be possible to strip a Junker Minus the Arm Crossmember and save a considerable amount of money? I seen the kit at www.rcmotorsports.net. What do you think?
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joe
Gearhead Posts: 481
From: Los Angeles
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 04-28-2001 12:56 PM
Truck guys do this. Don't think I've ever seen a mustang with a junkyard front clip.
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Dave_C
Gearhead Posts: 641
From: Gadsden, Al
Registered: Aug 99
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posted 04-29-2001 01:18 AM
I'm planning on this project next winter. I have located a company that sells just a crosssmember. Cut the shock towers out, weld in the new crossmember and bolt on the stock suspension parts from an MII. Already located an MII. Free for the taking.It's Arizona Ford and Nova. They have a website. The pics on the site show the conversion done on a Chevy II, but it would work the same way on an early Mustang. The crossmember costs $419. Not cheap, but it's made on a jig so all the suspension mounting points are in the right places. Take a look:
http://electricg.com/aznova/aznsusp.html Later, David Cole
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TomP
Gearhead Posts: 4551
From: Delta BC Canada
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 04-29-2001 02:58 AM
I guess my question is ...why? The 67 shock towers aren't in the way unless you have a Boss 429, 427SOHC or a DOHC 4.6 he swap is not always a clean one ,with sometimes the steering shaft and upper control arms and rack being a bigger clearance problem than the towers ever were. Another thing i've found is some headers no longer fit since the steering shaft cuts across, the engine needing to be raised and moved forward to clear the rack which sits in the way of the oil pump...one guy solved this with a $1000 dry sump pump and hacking up a $400 Milodon pan ... add the conversion to 5 lug rotors ) ,need to run an electric fan because the fan sat too high and hit the hood. He had to get custom pulleys to be able to use that oil pump (driven by Gilmer belt)with a v-belt Ford smallblock, he bought an expensive Flaming River manual steering rack since the Mustang II power one needed an extra belt for the PS pump...something that would leave no room for the external oil pump. Last i heard he wanted me to modify a set of headers to fit since his new ceramic coated ones hit the floor with the raised engine... he spent umpteen thousand dollars chasing a silly problem of not being able to use a crescent wrench on the spark plugs or something. 
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TomP
Gearhead Posts: 4551
From: Delta BC Canada
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 04-29-2001 03:13 AM
Not too be too pessimistic, i have done this swap myself, on my 65 Falcon convertible, that was a race car with a 427 and the engine sat completely behind the rack, firewall was moved way back. I used the Pinto/Must2 crossmember and ran the 2x3" frame tubing thru it under the upper control arms. As for trying to leave the engine in the stock location, and NOT swap to a small block Chev  The oil pump and pan at the rack, the steering shaft to motor mount and the width between the upper control arms are the issues. Usually the car at stock height has lotsa "stuff" hanging down since the crossmember sits lower than the oil pan. Trying to move the crossmember up to make the car sit lower results in the steering rack basically hitting the crank with no oil pump or pan on the motor. ( story above) [This message has been edited by TomP (edited 04-29-2001).]
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BrentonRose
Journeyman Posts: 38
From: Avondale, Arizona
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 04-29-2001 12:41 PM
Okay so what I getting from this is that it could work, but also could be problematic. Lots of good info everybody, where would I be without all of you????? Thanks
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joe
Gearhead Posts: 481
From: Los Angeles
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 04-29-2001 05:47 PM
Wouldn't removing the towers cause flex?
Or is there stuff one can do to counter it?
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wildstang
Journeyman Posts: 51
From: somewhere in Vermont
Registered: May 2000
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posted 04-29-2001 09:17 PM
Go to www.geocities.com/stang460_67 he has put the rcmotorsports MII cross member in his 67. Good pictures. If you want to do it go ahead, I have a 65 and I am doing this also. Alot of people have done this swap, but I have not heard of some of the above mentioned problems. If you can get Mustang and Fords magazine, the september 2000 issue, they put a MII into a 68 coupe that is a tribute to Jerry Titus.
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n2oMike
Gearhead Posts: 1252
From: Spencer, WV
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 04-29-2001 11:49 PM
I've thought about this swap, and plan to do it myself in the future. When using the stock MII cross member, the above problems are more serious because the stock cross member is much wider -and- sits the engine at the wrong height. The aftermarket cross members help cure some of the problems of simply welding the stock MII cross member to the frame rails. RC Motorsports -seems- to be eager to help with any questions. You can also buy the cross member seperately from them for just over $400. Sounds kind of expensive just for some fabbed up steel welded together, but I guess it could save money in the long run over doing on yourself. (It would be nice to know somebody with one to copy from, though!) Keep us informed on your progress! Good Luck! ------------------
Mike Burch
66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads
10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/motorcitymustang/cmml/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367
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TomP
Gearhead Posts: 4551
From: Delta BC Canada
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 04-30-2001 12:09 AM
problem is..regardless of crossmember ,the rack has to sit quite high and in the same relative position as stock to avoid bump steer and keep the ackerman angle correct... i have seen swaps where the rack was moved forward to clear the oil pump and the engine moved rearward, the only problem was when the car steered sharp one tire was turned twice as far as the other,and the tie rod was dangerously close to going over center by being almost straight inline with the steering arm.(this would jam the steering fully turned) Some aftermarket setups get rid of the strut rods and just use a tubing lower A-arm with small poly bushings 6" apart.... be very careful when going over potholes or speedbumps or when parking against curbs i'd say. Even still not much could scare me, riding in that V8 Datsun pickup a buddy bought with the front axle banging the oil pan and a half turn of bump steer on braking has seasoned me  My lifted Bronco was that bad for that too... as well as major caster shimmy on the highway that would start a rythym and bounce the tires of the ground till i stopped  Nowadays i try and play it safe on the wacky suspension mods. [This message has been edited by TomP (edited 04-30-2001).]
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