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Author
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Topic: The truth about 65-66 Suspensions......
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Stang28965
Gearhead Posts: 452
From: Webster New York USA
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 11-28-2003 10:48 AM
   
I am overwhelmed by all the choices I need to make for my 65 mustang....As sits right now I have to replace the fallowing.... 1.Drivers side frt frame rail (maybe passengers side too)
2. Floor pans (because the last owner put new pans over the old ones)
3. Drivers shock tower (might repair it)
4. Some of the engine compartment panels.
5. Passenger fender
6. Passenger door
7. Rebuild front suspension
8.Buy a disc brake kit (drums are getting to scary pushing 270hp) I am very lost on how to go about this. I did repair the frame rails, but you can tell its been patched and it bothers me. I want to sandblast the whole bottom of the car and make it look right. (its covered with nasty old undercoating) I also want to make my mustang handle like its on rails. But I am being told the only way to do this is to put a mustang II suspension on it. I have been doing my research and found that I don't want to spend $2,000 on a suspension, and that some people complain that the mustangs frame rails just aren't strong enough to support the Mustang II's setup. Is this true? Is it not possible to make my mustang handle well with the stock suspension? I do plan on getting better sway bars and some 17-18" Rims. Sorry for the long post, I am just seeing the whole picture and starting to get discouraged.
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JCQuinn@work
Gearhead Posts: 898
From: Lakewood, CO, USA
Registered: Jun 2001
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posted 11-28-2003 04:15 PM
In my opinion there is nothing wring with the 65/66 front suspension. Put on some good radials, good shocks and maybe the Shelby drop and they corner very well. The Mustang II suspension is used to give more room in the engine bay. I don't think it improves the handling. Do as you have planned, rebuild it and put on a disk brake conversion. I'm no road racer but I have driven a lot of these Mustangs and always liked the handling. John
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V8 Thumper
Gearhead Posts: 4638
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 11-28-2003 06:54 PM
I agree with John, it's not a bad setup; sounds like your car was terribly abused by a former owner  I also agree with the disc brake conversion. It's a MUST! Also highly recommended is a dual stage m/c. I'm real nervous about those hurt-me single stage fishbowls  My car is a straight-line deal, but it still handles real well. I've tied the subframes together, and the front end is way light compared to stockers (lots of aluminum). I haven't done the Shelby drop, and have no plans to do so. As an experiment, I'd disconnected the sway bar to see how it would help with weight transfer in a traction-challenged car  , it's not worth the squirly behavior. Boderline unsafe for street use IMHO. Weld in some subframe connectors along with the repairs you've already got planned. You'll be very impressed at how it changes the road characteristics of your car. Following John's lead, do the Shelby drop if you're not heading to the dragstrip anytime soon.  ------------------
1965 GT coupe, 333ci aluminum headed/solid cammed stroker, four speed, 3.70:1 9" All Blue Oval, no blue bottle
http://mustangsandmore.50megs.com/V8Thumper.html
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Mooney
Gearhead Posts: 1914
From: Marietta, Ga
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 11-28-2003 07:18 PM
What does it take to do the shelby drop.. or is there at least a site so someone can point me in the right direction?
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V8 Thumper
Gearhead Posts: 4638
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 11-28-2003 07:35 PM
It relocates the upper control arms down 1". It increases the camber rate of the suspension, it does not lower the car. There's a template around here somewhere... see if I can find it ------------------
1965 GT coupe, 333ci aluminum headed/solid cammed stroker, four speed, 3.70:1 9" All Blue Oval, no blue bottle
http://mustangsandmore.50megs.com/V8Thumper.html
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V8 Thumper
Gearhead Posts: 4638
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Registered: Dec 2001
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posted 11-28-2003 07:41 PM
Click on 'search' at the top of this page, do a search for 'Shelby drop' in the "'64 1/2 to '73 -- The Classic Mustang" forum and you'll come up with a bunch of reading. Good stuff Anyway, here's the template: http://home.comcast.net/~dciab/pics/shelbyaarm.jpg ------------------
1965 GT coupe, 333ci aluminum headed/solid cammed stroker, four speed, 3.70:1 9" All Blue Oval, no blue bottle
http://mustangsandmore.50megs.com/V8Thumper.html
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Mooney
Gearhead Posts: 1914
From: Marietta, Ga
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 11-28-2003 10:49 PM
'Preciate it.
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RaSMG
Journeyman Posts: 27
From: Central CA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 11-29-2003 01:26 AM
you can get them to handle with minimal effort and 'off the shelf' parts. when i first rebuilt my suspension i went kinda overbored on the turns and handling and now that im getting into straight line racing i'm going back and redoing things but i've learned a lot along the way. my car handles awesome how i have it now, as well as or better than my uncles 2200lb 2 seater sports car. my combo is a stiff 5 leaf rear spring with as wide of tires as you can get, i run 235s. my front suspension consists of all new or replaced parts .. relocated upper control arms(shelby drop), 620 lb 1" lowering springs, adjustable strut rods, polyurethane bushings, and of course a good alignment. i run low pressure gas shocks, similar to the kyb gr2's but any any good gas shock should work. of course i run a 1" front sway bar and 3/4" rear sway bar with poly bushings on both. the chassis is treated to full length subframe connectors, a roll bar, and traction bars as well as some tight high seats to hold you in, it's quite impressive. the mII frontend swap is mostly for guys who want bigger motors ..
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65darkhorse
Gearhead Posts: 1086
From: Northern NJ
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 11-29-2003 03:50 AM
quote:
Originally posted by RaSMG:
my combo is a stiff 5 leaf rear spring with as wide of tires as you can get, i run 235s. my front suspension consists of all new or replaced parts .. relocated upper control arms(shelby drop), 620 lb 1" lowering springs, adjustable strut rods, polyurethane bushings, and of course a good alignment. i run low pressure gas shocks, similar to the kyb gr2's but any any good gas shock should work. of course i run a 1" front sway bar and 3/4" rear sway bar with poly bushings on both. the chassis is treated to full length subframe connectors, a roll bar, and traction bars as well as some tight high seats to hold you in
RaSMG
You wouldn't happen to have a side view pic of how your car sits ?? Stang28965 & Mooney Click on this link,
http://www.joesfalcon.com/frntsusp/susp1.html . This guy did the Shelby drop on his 64 Falcon, and wrote up a really good how-to.
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'65 GT 302 5 spd
"Trust your instinct to the end, though you can render no reason." R.W. Emerson
Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem
my stang!
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Stang28965
Gearhead Posts: 452
From: Webster New York USA
Registered: Mar 2001
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posted 11-29-2003 04:10 PM
Thanks for the info guys. V8 Thumper: Yes, I think the last owner did not have a clue about what they were doing. I have already replaced the trunk floor (he had steel rivited to it for a patch) The car is pretty solid other then a few parts of the frame in the front... I may just sandblast it and see how bad it really is. I am thinking I can get away with patching it and making it not noticable I do need to take the floor PANS out. But that should be a easy job. The original pans look fine from under the car. Im not sure why he replaced them..... I never noticed it when I bought the car. The only way to tell is with the carpet up. Does anyone have the shelby quick steer kit? I wanted to know if its worth the time and money? And one last question... I took my car to the strip and it ran a 15 my first run (lots of wheel spin) and then my next (and best) run was a 14.3 still had wheel spin... What can I do to stop/help it? I have 5 leaf springs and 245/60/14 tires in the back. Thanks
Jeff
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Mooney
Gearhead Posts: 1914
From: Marietta, Ga
Registered: Oct 2003
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posted 11-29-2003 06:11 PM
I'd be interested in seeing how your car sits as well.
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Tom G
Gearhead Posts: 723
From: Bethlehem, Pa USA
Registered: Nov 2001
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posted 12-01-2003 08:10 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Stang28965:
Thanks for the info guys. V8 Thumper: Yes, I think the last owner did not have a clue about what they were doing.
And one last question... I took my car to the strip and it ran a 15 my first run (lots of wheel spin) and then my next (and best) run was a 14.3 still had wheel spin... What can I do to stop/help it? I have 5 leaf springs and 245/60/14 tires in the back.
Thanks
Jeff
Drsg Radials & baby it off the line. Try getting treaction with 350 plus hp off the line 2.10 60ft time absolutely no traction till 3rd gear though I do have much smaller tires than you do.------------------
67 Mustang F/B 302 GT-40X FMS Crate engine 5 spd cable clutch13.39 on 205/70/14 BFG @104 mph Flowmasters X Pipe 4.11 9". Body shop Dec 03 03 Focus ZX3 BORLA exhaust Wings West spoiler (Arrest ME RED)
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