Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Fastbacks... how many cars you got? :lol:

I almost wish I woulda put a straight axle under there! Woulda been a heck of a lot cheaper! It was one of those things where I ordered the control arms a year ago. The shocks a month ago. Springs/roller perches/sway bar/adjustable strut rods a few weeks ago. Bearings and tie rods a couple weeks ago, and rotors last week. If I had ordered it all at once I probably would have freaked out on the cost (I still am when I think of how much it all was together!)

The roller perches and adjustable strut rods were the killer, those were almost $700 alone with shipping, but I've read over and over how people love them. NOBODY makes "cheap" ones. I found a couple that might have saved me $150 or so, but I couldn't find many reviews, so I went with the best. They also make kits to make your own, but I don't have the time or confidence to be making suspension components!

I even bought "cheap" shocks. I got the KYB GR2 for $120 for all of them. You can spend $5-600 for a set of Koni or Bilstein. It's crazy. I'm glad the rear will only be ~$300 for new springs, bushings and shackles!

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Let’s say I have a few cars and a lot of projects. My ’67 fastback it the biggest money pit. It is very straight and solid and had most of the Shelby stuff to make it a tribute. I have a Shelby 482 aluminum FE for it. I have a ’69 and bought a 428 SCJ with a tunnel wedge for that car. It’s never been bored but one cylinder has some rust that may not clean up without boring it. When I was in high school I would have taken this shell to the crusher. Now I say to myself “not a bad start. I also have another ’66 coupe but I’ve got most of the sheet metal to “fastbackify” it. My wife has a nice ’67 coupe too. It needs finishing.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

O_O my gawd.....i want your life lol

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

But then you'd have to put up with the snakes nobody seems to like.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

New shoes, brake shoes, that is.

If my springs and sway bar would get here...

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Looking great as always.


I hope my ponies never figure out how to use a computer. I’ve got them convinced that parts are almost impossible to find for old Mustangs and that’s why I’m not making much progress these days.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I have the same problem. This old girl has been sitting in the same spot for 4 years now, right next to the Mustang. I'm sure she wonders every day why nothing gets done. I have a hell of a parts collection now, but haven't touched it. After a 4 year renovation, my home is 95% done. My plan is finish the mustang 100% this year (that will include the new TMI interior coming next week and rebuilding and resealing the rear end on the car). Get the crate engine and drop kit in the C10 this summer/fall. Finish the house 100% this winter (down to a hallway, trim, doors, and closet in just ONE bedroom, and a small bathroom), then start on the bird next spring. Full bore, start cutting.

Also, my springs won't be here until tomorrow :( Leaving for Raleigh after work at noon and won't be back 'till 9 or 10 sunday night. Piss. There's also a reason for no PS suspension pics... I still haven't cleaned the spindles and brake mounting stuff. That's tonight's messy job.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I do all my work on the weekends. I leave for Cali tomorrow and wont be back til tuesday...Vacation is nice but not working on the mustang seems like the worst vacation idea ever! lol

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I'm running out of time though! I HAVE to get it aligned next Friday and try to drive it a few days before making a 2 hour drive to Charlotte! Because of the brakes snowball (I was going to do all this anyway) the car hasn't moved on it's own other than a couple 10mph cruises around the 'hood since November? of last year!

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Nice old F body. Looks familiar.

When you get to working on the Bird I HIGHLY recommend the IROC steering box and Guldstrand A Arm drop. I’ve done it to three first gen Camaros. Amazing difference.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Living in Nashville and going to California for a vacation? Unless there’s big swap meet out there it sounds backwards to me. :confused:

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I've read about the f-body drop before, same idea as the Shelby drop I just did on the mustang. Hadn't heard about the iroc steering box... have to look into that. I have power steering now... is it a power or manual upgrade? Or can be done for either?

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

The gen III IROC box is fast ratio, “high effort”. Assuming the Bird’s suspension is the same as the Chevy F body, then since you have P/S you should be able to use your existing pitman arm. The valve in the P/S pump should be reworked to boost the pressure and flow to the levels GM used in the 70s. A newer rag joint is required and you have to address lines as the box has the newer style o-ring seals. I make AN hoses when I do the swap. It’s around 2 ½ turns lock to lock and maintains the proper turning circle.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I was away for the weekend, but before I left on friday there was a package waiting for me.... GT springs and sway bar arrived. Had to put 'em in when I got it home tonight.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Lookin good! Almost ready for that test drive and alignment...

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

put the tires on i wanna see the ride height

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

There's ummmmmm..........



... no passenger side....

Spindle and associated parts were primed last night. I'll paint them tonight. Should go together quickly as I have all the other parts painted and ready to go on. I plan on torqueing all the DS stuff tonight too to get that out of the way and get all the cotter pins in.

I'm assuming the new springs will raise the car a little over the 50 year old shot springs, but hoping it's offset by the ~1/2" drop the Shelby drop provides. I hope it's within +/- 1/4" of where it was. I'll probably need to put some miles on it before it settles too.

You also have to squish the piss out of the coil springs to get them back in the pocket with the outer cover on (wasn't about to take THAT off!)

Crap, it just hit me I'm going to have to take my shock tower caps back off to put the export brace on :rolleyes:

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

The big brown truck stopped by today!

Custom ordered Pony Interior... can you spot what's "wrong" with it?

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I had to set them in the car...

The kicker? Probably won't be able to touch any of it until June-ish?

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

So are you going to make a seat cover suit and go to the drive thru at McDonalds? :lol:

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Very sweet

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Thought about it, I don't want to poke any eye holes :(

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Passenger side started and sway bar going on. Itty bitty stock bar VS. big ass new bar.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

You have to compress the heck out of the springs to get them in.

Work got into the way of progress yesterday. Put in a 16 hour work day Wednesday... I hate it when work gets in the way of my hobby.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I had to get some stuff under the hood taken care of. I forgot the Export Brace had to go back on first before the shock tower caps could go back on.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Cut up vacuum tubing keeps the shock tower braces from cutting into the A/C lines.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

The Passenger side went back together today...

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I love the brakes on these things.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Once it's actually one the car you just:

1. Push the cylinders back and slide the pads in.

2. Put the cover back on.

DONE!

I wish more brake systems were like this. It makes taking the whole caliper off seem kinda stupid.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Kinda crappy, it was late out and dark.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I just had to do one with the wheel on...

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Parts Pile...

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I plan on going back over everything tomorrow, making sure everything it torqued and cotter pinned correctly, and greased... then she'll be back on her own two wheels. I have an alignment set up for 3PM. Wohoo!

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Enjoy the drive , you've earned it.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

Getting aligned!

Edit... Stupid phone...I'll fix picture later.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

So, apparently I can't edit that pic anymore... sorry.

She did get aligned and make it to a show today!

I think the drop was too much. The PS is fine, but the DS sits 1/2" lower. It's OK for mild driving but I scrubbed a touch on a hard turn up a hill... I think I'm going to have to add coil spring spacers to get her back up to where she was. Not too big of a deal. I'll have to get it realigned again, but I kinda figured this would happen, so I paid for the "lifetime" one...

I absolutely love the stance, but she's too low for the kind/amount of driving I do with it. I'm kinda pissed because I read thread after thread after thread on Mustang forums that the Shelby drop really only lowered the car maybe 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch, but if you were adding brand new spings compared to the 50 year old sagging ones... you could expect the "after" height to be about the same... yeah... mine dropped at least 3/4". That's all it took to go from no rub to rub.

I'd like to raise the PS 1/2" and the DS 1" to level the nose out.

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I've had the car for a couple years now, and have yet to see any other Wimbledon white 65/66's at local shows or just driving around... I saw TWO Wimbledon White 65-66 coupes and TWO MORE 65/66 fastsbacks at the show today. This one was still around after we ate so I took put mine next to it and took some pics...

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

where did you get your UCA's and LCA's? Cost? Im tyring to nickle and dime it so lol

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

I found the best prices at Rockauto.com. The nice thing about getting new arms is... everything is new. Ball joints are already installed... Upper bushings are installed... I normally buy most of my parts from NPD or Rock Auto. I've talked to the owner and some of the management of NPD and they really do try to only stock the best of what's available, or they're mention the inferior fit in the catalog. However, in this case, NPD's price was too high for me for the control arms.

I bought DORMAN parts. They supposedly try to use only good quality parts sources. My upper and lower CA's were Made in Taiwan, but felt/appeared just as good, even a little heavier than my stock units. My uppers were only $25 (I KNOW!) and the lowers were $32. Unfortunately, it looks like uppers for a 67 are $58 and lowers are $36.

http://www.rockauto.com/

I hate the rockauto won't let you hotlink directly to their parts you found page... only the main page.

DORMAN Part # 520396
DORMAN Part # 520105

Re: 1965 Ford Mustang
 

ahh gotcha. Thanks!!!